To rehome or not to rehome

[KendraA]

Hi all,

I've been active on this site in the past and have learned so much from the good folks here. I have a beardie who I adore, but due to major changes to my circumstances, I might have to look for a new home for him. Before I make any decisions, I'm checking in here for advice since this community has been so helpful to me in the past.

Wallace is two years old and in great health. He has a great setup thanks to all the info on this site. Previously my longtime s.o. cared for him while I travelled (I travel frequently for weeks at a time due to work as a writer). However that relationship has ended unexpectedly, leaving me without reliable care for him when I am out of town. I wouldn't have gotten him if I didn't previously have someone who was always around. Now I'm trying to decide what's best for him. The next trip I need to take isn't until June so I have some time to find a solution.

I have friends who I can recruit to check on him while I'm gone. He also has a travel terrarium and could potentially go and stay with someone while I'm away. However, I worry about him not having a consistent owner. I know the signs of illness in a reptile can be subtle, and I worry bouncing between homes would not be best for his health.

I'm curious whether anyone else has found themselves in this situation. He is extremely sociable and would probably warm up to a new owner quickly and not notice my absence--therefore I don't want to selfishly keep him if that's not the best for him, just because I'm attached. Advice much appreciated!

 

[syoung27]

Out of curiosity where abouts are you located?

 

[KendraA]

I'm in the Twin Cities, Minnesota

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

OH that is such a hard decision to have to be faced with. So you will be not be able to take him with you then on the road or is that just not feasible?
Can you try to find another care taker possibly or not?
We do have a "For Free" forum you could post in if you wanted to try & rehome him.
It is hard if you are very attached to him. He would likely miss you though.

Tracie

 

[KendraA]

Unfortunately due to the crazy air travel laws forbidding reptiles I wouldn't be able to take him with me. I'd also worry that lots of travel would be stressful for him.

I do have friends who can come over and check on him every other day or so while I'm gone. I'm worried that his health might suffer without someone constantly monitoring his behavior, hydration, etc.

Does it seem they recognize and miss individuals? I had assumed they could become comfortable with a new person and wouldn't have the cognitive capacity to remember and miss an individual as long as they are getting attention. I wouldn't want him to miss me...

 

[SDragons]

So sorry to hear of your breakup. Big hugs to you during this difficult time, breakups suck but do get easier overtime.

Perhaps see if you can have friends watch your BD and see how it goes in the short time. You have had great change in your life and you don't want to rush into any new changes.

 

[syoung27]

Shame, I would've been a keen babysitter!
You can't take lizards on planes but you can take dogs and cats etc..? What the heck? I know there's the whole salmonella issue or whatever, but I feel like my beardie is cleaner than my dog lol.
That would probably be stressful anyways for him as you said.
Maybe there is a reputable breeder or something of the sort within a reasonable distance you could contact about taking over?
I'm leary about selling animals to the general public. Especially reptiles requiring relatively special care and knowledge.

 

[CooperDragon]

I travel quite a bit as well. I have a few friends who are (now) familiar with dragon care and stop by every couple of days to check on my guys, give them some time to run around, clean the tank, freshen up the food. That works out well. I also have a webcam set up so I can check in easily while I'm away. A 2 year old can go for a while without constant care and doesn't need to eat daily. Leaving a salad and having someone come by every few days to freshen up the salad and offer some bugs and do some cleaning should be fine if you have some folks you can trust. I put together a general care guide at first but now they are familiar with the routine. I leave the fridge stocked with beer as a thank you. In my opinion that's the best way to do it. He will stay in his familiar home and do his thing and be content.

You could also look into boarding. I'm not sure if they offer it but you may want to check in with Twin Cities Reptiles on University in St Paul. They know their stuff and would be able to offer good care. If they don't offer boarding they may know a place in the area that can be trusted.