I might have to give him up

[PhoenixRisen]

I just bought and recieved a red trans x citrus male beardie baby, that I named Jasper, from Heidi (Caliente Dragons) last Friday and...I may have to give him up. I spent a lot of money on a 20 gal long tank at petsmart and on the bulbs he needed. That, coupled with the fact that my two 10 month old cats will not leave him alone, may force me to send Jasper back to Heidi or to someone else.
The breaking moment happened when I wasn't in my room. One of the kittens jumped on top of the tank, which is on my dresser, and broke through a portion of the screen top. Jasper was not harmed, but the experience scared me so near to death I could see clouds. I placed a piece of 1/4" glass on the top, over the busted screen, along with a piece of 1/4" plastic. I am so worried something worse will happen while I'm at school....

Please, I need as much help as I can get.

 

[jortiz9758]

I hope you didnt cover the top of the tank completely with the glass and plastic or he will suffocate. ...Why not lock the door or place him in a room where the cats cant get into??

 

[herpfreak]

I agree, you could put their enclosures in a closet or something.

 

[mischa]

Yeah just put your beardie where your cats can't get.

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

I have 3 cats and they have to be taught what to leave alone. Spray the cat with a water gun or bottle when they get near your tank and they will learn to avoid it. Heidi sells some great beardies and you should try to keep it. Lock the cats out of the room close the door. Dont just give up.

 

[Keenan]

I agree. Make sure he can still get fresh air and that your UV lighting can go through the glass (most times it gets blocked out) and don't give up on him so quick, try puttong him in a spot where the cats can't jump on top of his cage or keep them out of his room. It may also just take some getting use to, maybe after a week or so the cats wont even bother him anymore or maybe you could put something near his cage that scares your cats so they wont wanna go near it. If they are still trying to kill the poor fella in a coulpe weeks than you might have a problem. But your best bet is pretty obvious, don't let kitties git to beardie lol.

 

[SoapDish]

I had to shake my female bd out of one of my cats mouths once. I had their tank on top of the entrainment center so I placed duct tape sticky-side up on the ledge around the cage and a few strips on top of the cage.

 

[keschete]

I have terrible cats, cats that open doors, pocket doors, cabinets, turn on faucets and open platic tupperware containers...but none of them can open a locked bedroom door! So my cats are locked in my bedroom during the day so they can not destroy my house or kill my sugar gliders or eat the hegdehogfood or break into the beardie cage.

LOCK THEM UP!

 

[PhoenixRisen]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I guess I was just having a temporary mental breakdown and was a bit distraught.

Problem is, my two kittens stay in my room and my mom's office (which are both above the garage) and there is no where else I can put them. There are also three cats that stay in the main part of the house so that's out too, although those cats aren't as curious and destructive as the kittens...Well, I'll have to think it out and see what I can do. I hope he'll be okay till I can get home from school.

 

[GoFast]

just make sure you secure the top. that is about all you can do if you dont have another room to keep the dragon

 

[SoapDish]

How's the situation going? any improvement with the kittens?

 

[jakeh2009]

have you tried a top that has metal mesh? i dont see a cat being able to get through that. but yea just try to train them that the cage is a no no. spray them with water like suggested earlier.

 

[picklified]

I agree with jakeh, you could get a top with metal mesh instead of the flimsy screen ones. I have 4 baby turtles and thats the type of top I use for their tank, occasionally one of my cats climbs on top (he's very light) and it hasn't broken...and none of my other cats have gotten inside. And spraying them with water should help too

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

Chickenwire. Clip a nice big oblong of chickenwire, snip the corners so you can fold the edges down into a tray shape, and you can fit it straight on top of your tank. Strong enough to keep the cats off, and the screen underneath is fine enough to keep him in if he's teeny.

I use chickenwire underneath my fireplace to stop nosey dragons trying to climb under it when it's switched on. Works lovely - they can poke and scratch at it, but it stays put!