Can't take my dragon to my dorm... Help please

[silverblade760]

Hey everyone,

So I'll be dorming next year at college and i have 3 options to choose from:

1. Leave Jake to my parents and brothers to take care of

2. Leave Jake to a good friend who is a experience reptile owner.

3. Re-home Jake to the Zoo

Problem with option 1 is that i don't trust my parents or brother to take care of Jake... My Dad already thinks it's a pain that i leave the UV and heat lamp on most of the day and any chance he gets he turns them off. My mom and brothers are okay with him, but they won't handle him.

Problem with option 2 is that Jake would be relocated multiple times a year. Half the year i would have him (winter and summer) and the other half my friend would have him (fall and spring). If i do choose this option i see Jake becoming unfamiliar with me. He's already sort of aggressive and chances are he'll get worse if he's relocated 4 times a year.

Problem with option 3 is that i would never get him back. This is the best option for him; care-wise, but the worst option for me.


Help please....

 

[spurlee01]

If your dad is turning off the lights every chance he gets,then Jake really isn't "safe" at home. He needs a minimum of 12 hours of heat and UVB this time of year (10 in the winter) to function properly. I think your best option is keeping him with a friend. My boyfriend moves back and forth several times a year from apartment to parent's house (also in college) and transports Tyson every time (70 mile trip). I realize that he is still always with my boyfriend, but he seems to adjust fine to the moves. Hopefully your friend can handle him enough that he will get past his anxiety and agressiveness. I don't know about your zoo, but the one by us leaves much to be desired in their bearded dragon care. Some are used for education and these are fairly well cared for, but the ones on exhibit I wonder about. They are on sand, which can be dangerous. Multiple beardies are mixed in with Uros. They are probably 3 feet from their UVB and heat source.
Sara

 

[RioReptiles]

Just an idea... find a foster parent for him in the same town you are going to school. Offer to pay for food and bring his enclosure. Maybe you can find someone with some space and reptile experience so you can be near him and visit him often. It's worth a try.

 

[causeascene203]

Not that I condone breaking school rules or anything... :wink:

...but I snuck my dragon into my dorm. I used bed-risers to lift the bed really high off the floor and I set up a tank under there. During the day while I was in the room, I folded up the blankets so he could see out, and when we were scheduled for room checks, I just pulled the blankets down over so they covered the entire under-bed space. I use dark bedding so the light didn't show through. It worked really well, because at my school RAs can't touch anything in your room while they do inspections. Cali and I got to spend the entire semester together!

One of my friends brought his iguana to school too, and let him sleep in a dresser drawer with his basking spot set up on top of his desk. When the RA came by, he'd stash Larry and his lights in the closest and close the doors. (If your dorm has a good closet you can set up a tank in there, too!)

Leave your dragon with your friend for a few weeks until you get your room figured out, then find a hiding spot!

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Or you could sneak him in!!!! HEHEHEHE :roll: Whatever you decide I wish you all the best of luck!!!!



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