just a little down...

[Emyo101]

idk maybe i'm just having a bad day but i brought the majority of our reptiles up to college with me to stay in my dorm..hidden of course. my roomie, and best friend from high school said it was okay to bring them as long as i didn't bring any worms into the room..so no mealies..okay so crickets is what i'll be feeding them for a while. well i got up there and after getting everyone set up she starts kinda getting grossed out by the crickets and her and my other friend freak out about how big my male leo is. they wont even give him or most of the others a chance. . it just brings me down that she said yes to me bringing them all and now she's so disapproving and talks down about my geckos

 

[Lady_Kiya]

I would tell her to suck it up. Honestly what harm can they do to her?
It's not as if she has to sleep in a bed with them! People who say they are gross and stuff really make me angry. They are no different really than a dog or cat in the sense that they are someones pet and we love them. She should respect your feelings and not put them down.

 

[Emyo101]

i really wish she would just accept me for who i am and what i love. i to wasn't open to reptiles when i first saw them but i took another shot at them and now im in love with them. it practically reduced me to tears that my good friends will not respect me or my animals who i consider part of my family.

 

[whkrazyk]

most people are ignorant to most reptiles, when i got with my g/f, she hated all types of reptiles, amphibians etc. but after a few months she was helping me clean their cages and handling them, just give them time to adjust their fears, and some people just dont want to come out of their box, and theirs nothing you can do about them, just be glad that your one of those special indivisuals who are open to the new, so cheer up emily, you should be proud of your geckos......kyle

 

[LizMarie]

That sucks. Just becareful that she doesn't tell the college about your illegal pets or tells someone that in turn tells someone else. You know.

 

[acpart]

See if you can find another reptile or insect loving person in your dorm that wouldn't mind housing the crickets. Are you and your roomate sharing a room, or do you each have your own room? People can get really picky about what they're willing to deal with in the actual room they sleep in. Saying it's OK should be enough, but sometimes once the geckos are really there, she may have realized after the fact that it was too much for her. If you can alleviate some of her stress by removing the crickets, and just give her some space and time to get used to the leos, she may come around.

Aliza

 

[Kitsune]

Unfortunately, not everyone feels the same way we do about our babies. There are some people who are horribly afraid of them. And that's fine. Everyone is different. A lot of people do not realize they are afraid of them until they're right there in front of them.
When I first started my job, they asked me if I had any fear of ANY animal. And I said no. I had been around all types of animals my whole life.. Worked in an animal hospital and an animal shelter. As soon as it came time to change some reptile bedding.. I froze. I could not put my hands into the habitats. I was scared. lol. Now I can't get enough of them. ^.~

We need to respect their feelings as they should respect ours. (Even though most do not).

However, if she already agreed to let you have them there, you should sit down and talk to her about it. It may be hard, but just agree that you will not have them out when she is around. Compromise. Just let her know that it's not fair for her to go back on her previous agreement. Who knows, maybe she'll warm up to them. =) It's hard to resist them once you get to know a little more about them.
If she doesn't warm up.. She doesn't warm up.
Have them on your "side" of the room. She won't even have to look at them. They are not going to jump out of their enclosures and crawl on her in her sleep.

 

[Emyo101]

See if you can find another reptile or insect loving person in your dorm that wouldn't mind housing the crickets. Are you and your roomate sharing a room, or do you each have your own room? People can get really picky about what they're willing to deal with in the actual room they sleep in. Saying it's OK should be enough, but sometimes once the geckos are really there, she may have realized after the fact that it was too much for her. If you can alleviate some of her stress by removing the crickets, and just give her some space and time to get used to the leos, she may come around.

Aliza

well we share a room, bathroom and living room. however, our dorm is huge and we each have our own big closet. i keep the crickets in there. and i don't see what the big deal is with her b/c i have had two geckos in my room last semester that she didnt care were there. and i have assured her that none of my geckos can get out of their homes and none of them bite or are mean or anything. none of them or even in plain sight but she makes such a big deal out of everything.

 

[Bodon]

Teaching them about what they dont know is the best way i think. There is no reason for anyone to be afraid of spiders, snakes, mice or anything else if they just sit down and learn about the creature. I think thats what you need to do, let them see them up close, take them out, tell them things about them. Knowledge is power.

 

[Wreptile]

Teaching them about what they dont know is the best way i think. There is no reason for anyone to be afraid of spiders, snakes, mice or anything else if they just sit down and learn about the creature. I think thats what you need to do, let them see them up close, take them out, tell them things about them. Knowledge is power.

I agree. I am terrified of spiders, but I am fine with them in an enclosure.
I understand that they are mostly harmless, but it still terrifies me.
Maybe this is the same type of issue with her?

 

[Emyo101]

Teaching them about what they dont know is the best way i think. There is no reason for anyone to be afraid of spiders, snakes, mice or anything else if they just sit down and learn about the creature. I think thats what you need to do, let them see them up close, take them out, tell them things about them. Knowledge is power.

that is a great idea...except i've been doing that since i brought them in. i tell her stuff about them all the time. and i take them out some times to show her like when my cresteds are fired up and i offer for her to pet them and she never will. i don't ask in a pushy way though and i don't like throw them at her or anything.

 

[Bodon]

It could be, but i feel if you face your fears you can conquer them no matter what they are. Leos pose no threat to people, there is no reason for any fear or anger towards them, sure not everyone will be in love with them but they can at least accept that they are in the same room without getting all rude.

 

[nats]

I assume your geckos will be kept in a terrarium, and not just
running around for the express purpose of annoying your mates!?

A terrarium is just a glass box, yes?
It sits on a shelf or dresser, right?
Do geckos make a lot of noise? Do they smell?

What is the difference between having a terrarium on your dresser,
and a box of toothbrushes?

 

[rubym]

I am not a huge fan of snakes but we have 3. I don't handle them but I have gotten used to them and I do enjoy looking at them which I didn't a year ago. I am realistic about my fears. The snakes are kept in locked enclosures so they can't just open up the lids and crawl out to get me,lol. I think I would explain to my "friend" that she did agree to let you bring your babies and you will keep them out of her way as much as possible. I'd reiterate how much they mean to you. If she is really a friend then she will atleast try and get used to them being in the dorm. Is there any way to find a new room mate or is the college strict about letting you switch rooms? Where my son goes he switched rooms when he and his first roommate were not compatible at all.

 

[Emyo101]

thanks everyone for the suggestions. I think i am just going to give it some time. this is only the beginning of the semester. i will continue to be resonable about having them there such as keeping them out of site, clean and by only handling them when she isn't there and at night when she spends most of the time in the living room and i in the bedroom. after this semester i am going to live by myself in an apartment of campus where i am allowed to have my reps. i hope sometime soon she can warm up to my animals, even my big male Costello.

 

[cwazy]

why would you hide a pet in a dorm room anyways??? how do you hide crickets? the do make noise... yes? ehh i dunno... i guess i just lack the point in bringing your pet to school... would you smuggle a cat in? or dog? *shrug* doesnt really seem fair to the pet... but thats just my opinion... maybe your roomie will open up to the thought *shrug*

 

[Emyo101]

why would you hide a pet in a dorm room anyways??? how do you hide crickets? the do make noise... yes? ehh i dunno... i guess i just lack the point in bringing your pet to school... would you smuggle a cat in? or dog? *shrug* doesnt really seem fair to the pet... but thats just my opinion... maybe your roomie will open up to the thought *shrug*

wow your opions and such amaze me. idk how its not "fair" to my animals. since i have them at school with me i can actually take care of them and hold them everyday opposed to them being at home where they would only get fed. and the crickets really arent anywhere where they can be heard. like i said earlier, our dorm room is huge compared to what you probably assum it to be. i'm sorry but i think you were a bit rude to say those things. that's all i'm going to say about that. :main_thumbsdown:

 

[cwazy]

nuttin rude... just opinions... wich much like as........ well lets just say we all got one... dont always have to like it... but there it is *shrug* i guess take it how you want... i just dont understand the point in hiding a pet... but you will be going to an apartment soon... wich is how it should be if you want things you shouldnt have in a dorm... again just opinions... *shrug* that is all... good day...

 

[Untide]

I believe just as you expect them to respect your love for your reptiles, you should respect them for their distaste. Really in a dorm you have to understand, it's not just your living space. It belongs to other people. Having a gecko in a dorm can get you and your room mates ejected. As for saying you could have them in there, then saying no later...Well that I do agree is a cruel thing to do. Also talking down about someones pet is just plain rude. I also want to point out that, yes they are your pets but maybe you should have took them into consideration for college? There are choices in life that you have to make, and sometimes they aren't easy.

Just know the future holds better days. ^_~

 

[Emyo101]

my bad delete this post