Free Range dragon...

[KevinsMom33]

I believe I just asked that you not reply to my post. Please leave us alone.
you are being abusive.

 

[KevinsMom33]

If it works, it works. Looks like everyone's happy and enjoying the basking light! Very cute.

Thanks so much!
I don’t encourage anyone else to do this ever - I think it’s just my household this work in.

 

[MarlowAndMe]

I hope my post wasn’t taken the wrong way (?)
I can only speak from my own opinion and from my own experiences and that was all I was trying to express and where I was coming from
No harm intended , merely just offering a different perspective

 

[KevinsMom33]

I hope my post wasn’t taken the wrong way (?)
I can only speak from my own opinion and from my own experiences and that was all I was trying to express and where I was coming from
No harm intended , merely just offering a different perspective

No no - my goodness - not in any way. The other poster was being very rude- going a little to intense - and wishing death on cats - is really not nice at all.
I appreciate other points of view.
Please also know that I would never put any of my animals in danger. If I had an fear at all that Kevin could get hurt - then he wouldn’t be free range. It was a long process to get to this point. I do not advise it. But it works in this instance.
Have a great holiday !

 

[BlueDragon09]

Hey,

Im agreeing with you, Kevinsmom as I been lurking. It's very wrong...Im not ok with anyone saying that. Im not gonna stay on this...it just makes me mad. I like cats and lizards..I respect people's opinions on cats. That's cool if you hate them but don't say stuff like that. Eww. Unfortunately some people do feel that way.

Im gonna ask you ok? That's just mean wishing death on cats. Makes you wanna defend your cat huh? I can imagine how you felt at that time.

Im glad your cat is really cool with Kevin roaming around. Beautiful cat by the way.

 

[KevinsMom33]

Hey,

Im agreeing with you, Kevinsmom as I been lurking. It's very wrong...Im not ok with anyone saying that. Im not gonna stay on this...it just makes me mad. I like cats and lizards..I respect people's opinions on cats. That's cool if you hate them but don't say stuff like that. Eww. Unfortunately some people do feel that way.

Im gonna ask you ok? That's just mean wishing death on cats. Makes you wanna defend your cat huh? I can imagine how you felt at that time.

Im glad your cat is really cool with Kevin roaming around. Beautiful cat by the way.

Kevin is a very cool dragon - he goes everywhere with me when the weather is nice - he seems to enjoy the attention he gets when he goes to different places. Farmers markets are the best!
I will defend my cats because they have never shown any aggression and most of the time, ignore him.

Any person that has a passion for the lives of one species should have a passion for all species.
No true animal lover would ever wish any creature harm.

 

[Deabrua]

I've too many cats in the house to attempt true free range, but I'm trying to socialize them a little. I'll occasionally let the cats sniff her while I'm holding her, through many years of owning these cats I can guarantee I've better reaction time than them. She seems to dislike them however, so I've only done it once with each cat. Maybe when she's more grown.

 

[KevinsMom33]

I've too many cats in the house to attempt true free range, but I'm trying to socialize them a little. I'll occasionally let the cats sniff her while I'm holding her, through many years of owning these cats I can guarantee I've better reaction time than them. She seems to dislike them however, so I've only done it once with each cat. Maybe when she's more grown.

I don’t really suggest anyone follow my lead on this. I honestly think I lucked out with mine. Kevin hated being in a tank and would smash his face against the glass- not surf - I mean wack his head to get out. When I first got him - I had 3 elderly cats that showed no interest in him- and he was full grown but suffering from MBD due to incorrect lighting and lack of calcium supplements - so I started letting him out and set him up by a big window - so he got fresh air and sunshine through the screen. I also set up a mvb bulb just so he had extra heat. Then it just progressed. When those cats past away, I got Sofia and Lily, they just accepted Kevin. Never chased him, never pawed at him. Nothing. So-we just kept with it. Now he never goes in a tank. Except to sleep in the winter so he’s got heat. Kevin’s very social also- goes everywhere with me - hangs outside when I’m gardening, take him to farmers markets, fairs - he’s even been blessed by a priest and a Tibetan monk.

 

[HippieLizards]

Does anyone else have a free range dragon? Or am I unique in this?? Yes, Kevin really is free range - has not been in a tank in years - he was very very unhappy in a tank- its a 50 gallon and he would fuss and fuss and finally I just started slowly setting him up with a basking area outside of the tank, started off slowly and then he just started refusing to go back in the tank - and he prefers freedom and we never looked back. And because of being free range - he's very muscular, he walks around the entire house, up and down stairs in and outside to sit in the sun (supervised of course). He is well cared for, we see a vet specializing in exotics and we have a friend who is a herpetologist that we visit regularly - they both say that if this situation works for us, its fine.
As I am new to this site - I may not be accustomed to the intensity of feeling some people have about dragons and how we should care for the creatures whose lives are entrusted to us - I know not everyone understands the relationship Kevin and his sister Nona (who is still in a tank - Kevin's 50 gallon - as she is a rescue and still recovering from severe neglect, malnutrition and mbd) have with their cat friends. My cats have never known a world without Kevin- they were small kittens and Kevin is a pretty sturdy guy and put them in their place if they annoyed him. Again, both the vet and the herpetologist say if it works for us, its fine. I'm sure there are many cat/dragon horror stories some can tell - but I've also seen so many pix and videos of cats interacting with dragons (cuddling with and sleeping with) I cannot be the only one that has this kind of household. I would also never ever do anything to cause harm to any of the animals in my care or put them in a situation that I did not think was safe. Please do not judge if you do not see the daily interactions with all of us.

What works works. If It seems to go all well with you then Do so. Do what works for You and your dragon. Kevin seems to be very Chill and healthy so that's good.

I do suggest to vacuum the area in which Kevin resides more often to keep it more tidy and less of a risk of Kevin swallowing a item lodged in the carpet and such.

I tried doing a full on free range for Thor, who had my entire closet to himself for a while but I eventually switched back to a tank.

I do let my beardies free roam a ton when I'm home and watching them. Never really had a problem except for losing the dragon for a few minutes but later finding them fast asleep under the couch or some other dark warm place a few minutes later.

I'm not even going to get into the whole cat thing, But from what it seems your cats do seem very mellow near them. But I do suggest keeping a close eye on them Just in case something bad were to ever happen.

I wish you good luck on having Kevin be Free range, and a Merry Christmas.

What is it about cat-lovers ? Does common sense go out the window as soon as a kitten comes into their home ?

Your pets, and it'll be you coming here asking for free medical help or asking for our sympathy when you come home or enter the room and discover the lizard dead or dying or bitten or mauled and traumatized when the inevitable happens. Or some fool who saw your photos gets the impression it's perfectly safe for this kind of cat - lizard behavior to be permitted , that their pet lizard is their cat's best friend and puss loves their lizard and will never hurt it.
It's only a matter of time and EXCEEDINGLY UNWISE AND DANGEROUS for you to encourage this.
The one who will be paying the price for the person's behavior will be the dragon.

Do your pet lizard a favour, KEEP THE CAT away from it and never allow it even to go near it's tank , lizard comes out only when the cat is locked safely away in cage or another room.

At the risk of offending yet another cat lover - so be it. IMO the only good cat is a dead one.

Look, I slightly see your side with it, and I Do proceed in Great caution not to let my cat near my animals ever, But I'm sorry that was way too harsh in my opinion. Cats aren't Ruthless killing machines always, but every feline is different.

 

[KevinsMom33]

I actually changed out the rug under Kevin to a yoga mat- sooo much easier to keep clean- and much softer of his wrists. Easier for Nona to walk on also - since she’s still building up muscle.
Have a very Merry Christmas!

 

[HippieLizards]

I actually changed out the rug under Kevin to a yoga mat- sooo much easier to keep clean- and much softer of his wrists. Easier for Nona to walk on also - since she’s still building up muscle.
Have a very Merry Christmas!

Ok great! Sounds good! I hope It turns out well.

Also, so do suggest having Nona and Kevin out at different times instead of the same time since Nona is still slightly sick and is more weaker, and Kevin could get exited and try something on Nona, so Just as a Cautious Approach, Don't let them near each other very often.

Merry Christmas! View media item 60770 Loki and Daisy say Hello and merry Crickets!(Christmas). :lol:

 

[KevinsMom33]

I actually changed out the rug under Kevin to a yoga mat- sooo much easier to keep clean- and much softer of his wrists. Easier for Nona to walk on also - since she’s still building up muscle.
Have a very Merry Christmas!

Ok great! Sounds good! I hope It turns out well.

Also, so do suggest having Nona and Kevin out at different times instead of the same time since Nona is still slightly sick and is more weaker, and Kevin could get exited and try something on Nona, so Just as a Cautious Approach, Don't let them near each other very often.

Merry Christmas! View media item 60770 Loki and Daisy say Hello and merry Crickets!(Christmas). :lol:

I have noticed just lately he has become much less tolerant of her since she has gotten bigger and much more self reliant - he used to let let crawl into him and sit near him - now - he wants his space - so we give it to him. It his house- he’s the king.
PS I LOVE THE SANTA HATS!

 

[HippieLizards]

I actually changed out the rug under Kevin to a yoga mat- sooo much easier to keep clean- and much softer of his wrists. Easier for Nona to walk on also - since she’s still building up muscle.
Have a very Merry Christmas!

Ok great! Sounds good! I hope It turns out well.

Also, so do suggest having Nona and Kevin out at different times instead of the same time since Nona is still slightly sick and is more weaker, and Kevin could get exited and try something on Nona, so Just as a Cautious Approach, Don't let them near each other very often.

Merry Christmas! View media item 60770 Loki and Daisy say Hello and merry Crickets!(Christmas). :lol:

I have noticed just lately he has become much less tolerant of her since she has gotten bigger and much more self reliant - he used to let let crawl into him and sit near him - now - he wants his space - so we give it to him. It his house- he’s the king.
PS I LOVE THE SANTA HATS!

Ok that's good, Don't let them near each other that often.

Lol Thanks, I picked them up at a Hobby lobby, they were the perfect Size for them. I thought that they were pretty cute in it. View media item 60727 and This was Rocket playing around in The tree.

 

[MollyMoo98]

I definitely don't agree with the anti-cat person, if free roam works for you then go for it. Though im not sure I could trust my cat enough unsupervised lol but if you can then you got one good cat lol. It's not that she wants to hurt my beardie it's just that she is so curious. Whereas my other cat is terrified of my beardie and the most he will do is smell her but the minute Molly moves he is gone lol. I never understood the "Keep your cats away from your beardie, don't let them in the same room, don't even let them see each other" like even if they don't get along too much if your tank is sturdy it should be no problem. My beardie is in my room but before I got her it was cat central so they own my room she is just a permanent guest lol they would in no way they'd allow me to kick them out.

 

[Aaradimian]

I definitely don't agree with the anti-cat person, if free roam works for you then go for it. Though im not sure I could trust my cat enough unsupervised lol but if you can then you got one good cat lol. It's not that she wants to hurt my beardie it's just that she is so curious. Whereas my other cat is terrified of my beardie and the most he will do is smell her but the minute Molly moves he is gone lol. I never understood the "Keep your cats away from your beardie, don't let them in the same room, don't even let them see each other" like even if they don't get along too much if your tank is sturdy it should be no problem. My beardie is in my room but before I got her it was cat central so they own my room she is just a permanent guest lol they would in no way they'd allow me to kick them out.

Yeah, cats will claim an area, and woe betide anyone who tries to change that. When I had mine, I had a miniature couch he'd sleep on in 'his' corner, and he had none of it when my wife & I wanted to use that space for something else.

In defense of the poster who hates cats, I've been on this site about a year, and he's definitely someone with a ton of BD knowledge who is passionate about their health and wellbeing. Tone & personal feelings about cats aside, it would be a mistake IMO to dismiss his comments out of hand (and I know the OP is being careful with her setup, so this is directed generally). My nickname for my cat was "HK" for hunter-killer, and while I loved him for what he was, I also had no illusions of what he was capable of as a natural consequence of being a cat. The takeaway from this thread probably ought to be that it *can* work in certain narrow circumstances, but it isn't recommended and can have tragic consequences.