Huge loud spring break party+ Bearded Dragon=??!!!??

[kamelotte]

SO, My sisters birthday is during our spring break (yeah I know worlds earliest spring break but British Columbia is all about have holidays separately from everybody else so) and of course she wants to throw a massive party. She's invited 100+ people to our home. She also wants my parents and I to leave the house for the weekend and of course she's getting her way so far, but I'm concerned about my little baby .

I have my little (big? he'll always be a baby to me) 9 month old beardie and I'm worried about leaving him in a house alone with a bunch of 15-18 year olds for a weekend. He has freaked out a bit before when my mom and sister have fought and were yelling at eachother. This will be the first big event my sister is throwing since I got him, it's gonna be loud, and I'm really worried he'll either freak out and hurt himself, or somebody else will hurt him (my sister has admitted somebody will probably pick the lock to my room if know something is in there, and yet I still have to leave him???!!!??? because "she doesn't do this often we can leave for just this weekend"???????!!!!!??? her whole argument for me having to leave was "my friends will break the lock to your room if they know you're there" like what the heck what will they do if I'm not there????). He's also going through his juvenile-to-adult slowdown so I'm tracking his weight and stuff to make sure nothing is awry.

My sister is convinced she can "handle it" but I am NOT. Are my fears justified? should I fight for my right to stay home and protect my baby? I had thought I made it clear what having reptiles entails to my family but apparently not.

 

[Jaskotch]

Spring break at the local university ends tomorrow here, so you're not early. Sounds as if your sister is, though. She's 15 - 18 and is being allowed to throw the rest of the family (including parents along with any adult supervision apparently) out of the house for the weekend so she can have 100 of her peers over for a party? Exactly what planet are your parents from? If IF I were in your situation, which I can hardly imagine actually, but let's just say I was, I would take my beardie and his enclosure along with a week's worth of clothing and require my parents to give me enough money to put up in the nicest local hotel I could find. I mean, they'll go for that, right?

 

[beardie parents]

I agree, the idea of parents letting teenage kids alone in the house for a week (our local community college's spring break was the week that just ended) is just asking for them to have to come up with thousands of $ worth of repairs to the house, including, maybe, some serious cleaning. I would be worried and insist on being able to take my baby with me, which we do when we went camping (we have pics).

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I agree, personally I don't think that is a good idea to leave your dragon at home.
I would see if you could stay with a friend along with your dragon until the party is over if your parents are going to throw you out of the house for her party.

Tracie

 

[peteybird22]

Definitely take him with you. Just thinking of leaving my new baby (who I've had less than a week!) in a party house over spring break gives me serious anxiety. Since the people there will most likely be intoxicated it is not a good situation to leave him in. You can't trust what people will do when they are drunk (or even sober!), and you don't know what kinds of people will be there. Not everyone sees reptiles like a "real" animal like a dog, so I see a huge potential for them wanting to see the "dragon" and mess with it. I wouldn't risk it, plus you will be SO worried you won't enjoy your break.

 

[Taterbug]

What the heck?

I would take him with you, traveling may stress him but thinking about him at that party will stress you and the party will stress him as well.

If your cage is big and bulky, swing over to the store and pick up a big rubbermade tub, you should be able to get a big one for around 15$ And for a weekend a smaller one might even be fine. I did this when I had to take pepper with us for Christmas. You can go a couple days easily without UVB, but if you don't have one get a clamp on light fixture ($8 at Home Depot) for you basking bulb and bring something to check your temps. I used paper towels for the trip, and while he wasn't thrilled it went fine.

 

[TheGreganater]

Just speaking from an friends experience, take him with you no matter what! My friend had his snake stolen from a party that his sister held and he was even home during that time. Also side note, take anything you care about too, your family honestly sounds like they have some major problems, high school parties always has damage done, cops called, items stolen. Atleast it sounds like you are normal.

Seriously, I have been to an party where an 50 inch 3D TV just disappeared. Imagine your sister explaining why everything in your house is either broken or stolen.

 

[Jaskotch]

Just speaking from an friends experience, take him with you no matter what! My friend had his snake stolen from a party that his sister held and he was even home during that time. Also side note, take anything you care about too, your family honestly sounds like they have some major problems, high school parties always has damage done, cops called, items stolen. Atleast it sounds like you are normal.

Seriously, I have been to an party where an 50 inch 3D TV just disappeared. Imagine your sister explaining why everything in your house is either broken or stolen.

Well said, greganater, well said.

 

[kamelotte]

I was honestly so stressed about this whole thing I didn't even consider bringing him with me . It's not for the whole break, just the weekend of the 28th. Not as bad as a whole week but still enough time for drunk teens to do major damage. And I can't even begin to imagine what I would do if he was stolen.I have a big Rubbermaid I can set him up in, and I still have the clamps for my lamp. He also has a little blanket I sleep with regularly and give him when we take him to the vet which really helps him during car trips. The temp gun is easy enough to just throw in my purse. As it is, I'm still fighting my parents on this, because like you guys said this is literally the dumbest and they want to drive out 2 hours away to the grandparents .

 

[Taterbug]

Any chance you could set up a webcam in your room, at least to watch the door?
Even if you just get some recording software and set it for while you are out. Then you'd know if anyone is prowling your room, and if anything goes missing...

 

[Tonja]

I don't normally get into family squabbles. I would NOT allow a 15 yr old to be at anyones house for a weekend party with no supervision what so ever. And what do 15 yr olds have in common with 18 yr olds that would draw them to an 18 yr old. I don't know where you live but I can see the cops being called for the loudness, I can see people passed out and getting sick. I can even see a 15 yr old getting alcohol poisoning and it will be your parents that are held responsible for being irresponsible. Trust me I have seen it before as a paramedic. Drunk teens at a weekend party with no supervision can be rather rambunctious, and mouthy with cops should they be called and I can see arrests being made. No way would I let my child kick me out of my home for any reason let alone a loud party like that. I feel for you and your beardie and YES I would take him along with you. You never know what may happen and you don't want to come home to a dead dragon <drunk teens think its fun to feed pets alcohol> or an injured one. then there is the concern of minors being in the home with the high possibility of alcohol. Yeah that's a recipe for disaster, underage drinking and your parents will be responsible for that also!

 

[peteybird22]

THIS: You never know what may happen and you don't want to come home to a dead dragon <drunk teens think its fun to feed pets alcohol> or an injured one.

I am 22 right now, and I have heard way too many stories of teenagers, and even adults, giving their pets alcohol and even weed. They think it is funny to "get the cat/dog/bearded dragon high".

 

[TheGreganater]

Any chance you could set up a webcam in your room, at least to watch the door?
Even if you just get some recording software and set it for while you are out. Then you'd know if anyone is prowling your room, and if anything goes missing...

Possible solution for items, but big chance someone will get onto computer and mess the recording up

I was honestly so stressed about this whole thing I didn't even consider bringing him with me . It's not for the whole break, just the weekend of the 28th. Not as bad as a whole week but still enough time for drunk teens to do major damage. And I can't even begin to imagine what I would do if he was stolen.I have a big Rubbermaid I can set him up in, and I still have the clamps for my lamp. He also has a little blanket I sleep with regularly and give him when we take him to the vet which really helps him during car trips. The temp gun is easy enough to just throw in my purse. As it is, I'm still fighting my parents on this, because like you guys said this is literally the dumbest and they want to drive out 2 hours away to the grandparents . I wish I could take my other stuff I'm worried about and hole up in a hotel but hotels don't take too kindly to people who show up with spears and full-use battle ready swords (can you say another reason not to leave my house or even my room for that matter?)

My mom just told me to set up a padlock on my door. because nothing says "There is nothing of value in here!" like a padlock on a door. She's convinced it'll be fine, I've talked to my Dad and he's almost as iffy as me on this whole thing but is going along with it because my mom convinced him, and even suggesting to my sister that somebody should stay just in case something happens made her throw a fit :roll:

Your mom is a piece of work :| next best thing is, keep your stuff at one of your friends house well you are out of town for safe keeping.

 

[Quelaag]

What in the world? What kind of parents leave a 15 year-old alone for an entire weekend to throw a party? No offense to your parents but that is incredibly dumb. Also why would they let her invite that many people? That's just a recipe for disaster. Definitely try to bring the Beardie with you, I certainly hope your parents won't protest because unless you have a timer on your light and unless your sister's willing to feed him I really don't know why your parents would insist on making you leave when you have an animal that depends on you daily.

But like everyone else said, definitely take your Beardie and everything you need with you. I'm sorry you have to go through all this. As for other valuables, do you have a closet you could padlock? That would still be a beacon for "valuables in here!" but it might lessen the chances of thievery. Again, your sisters and parents things are also highly at risk since I highly doubt all of these people are "close and trusted friends." Ugh, it's not even any of my business but it makes me mad.

 

[Ralis]

keep your stuff at one of your friends house well you are out of town for safe keeping.

This if you can. Or maybe pay for a small storage unit for your collectibles. You'd have to pay for a month but it would be about the same cost as a hotel for the night.