to gecko or not to gecko..

[maya]

hello everyone!

i have been lurking around this forum for a few months now, collecting information, and researching, and ooooohing and ahhhhing at the great pics you guys post!

here's the delima: i would love love love to get a gecko.. i've been thinking about it for the better part of the year.. the issue is that with any luck i'll be leaving for college in about three years. is it irrisponsible to purchase a leopard gecko knowing that i'll have to find it a new home in a few years? if i can, of course i'll take him/her with me, but its impossible to tell if the right college for me will also be one that is open-minded about pets! (or maybe the right college for me would have to open-minded about pets?) there must be people out there who are in, or have been in this situation? i would make a great home for a little leopard gecko, but i don't want to put him/her through too much stress, or set myself up for a sad goodbye..

thanks!
maya

 

[lar20]

idk as long as you found him a good home i dont see why not because then your assuring a leo is getting a good life. and i dont really see why a collage dorm would care about a small lizard in a tank lol a dog or a cat i can understand but the gecko i dont see much of a problem

 

[gekko.gurl]

Honestly, I know people who are in college and have small "caged" pets. All I can say is if you want a Leo, and have a few college choices that you want to attend. Call them, or visit their websites and see if it states anything about caged animals. Leo's are also so quiet and easy to care for, they would probably go unnoticed anyway. Hell, you could even keep them/it in a tupperware and slide it under a bed or something. Good luck!

 

[Khrysty]

From experience. I'm going to say that no, most colleges don't allow geckos. That being said....I've always been able to sneak mine in undetected

Even with as many as I have (just 9 atm lol) a brightly colored rack can look just like storage...so long as you hide the plug, who's gonna look in the drawers?

 

[cyndi0502]

i got my first 2 geckos during college. firt i bought an anole, but he died because he was sick from the petstore. then doing some research about leopards, i found a great deal on craigslist and drove 2 hours to pick them up. haha

we kept them in the dorm room for a couple months and it was fine. we had to sneak them and bring them home every time we went home though because they weren't allowed. usually they're pretty easy to sneak though

 

[bassgeetar313]

Im in college now with 2 subadult geckos. When they were hatchlings they were easy to hide but now its not really possible. I tried to e-mail my director of housing to ask for permission, but I was shot down. So this year they will most likely be living in the Biology building. But that wont be so bad considering I'm pre-vet so I spend the majority of my time there anyways.

 

[katemonsterxo]

just sneak him into college, i would definitely get one =) haha

 

[Dalton280]

sneak him into college

 

[SDahmer]

Well, I think the only thing dorms will allow are small aquariums. But...obviously many people on here sneak them in, and one of my sisters dorm neighbors had a duck! (He never got caught) And I don't think my lease allows any pets, and I have quite a few terrariums and aquariums.

 

[Khrysty]

We, at GF, disregard rules it seems lol

 

[acpart]

It's very thoughtful of you to be considering what will happen long-term. It seems as if you do have some possibilities in the future --taking it to school or finding it another home. Do you have any younger siblings who may get interested and be old enough in a few years to care for a gecko? Is there any possibility your parents would get interested? The only thing to be careful of is getting the "gecko bug" and ending up with 20 geckos when you're ready for college.

Aliza

 

[Barbel]

I personally do not agree with rehoming any pets unless it is an EXTREME circumstance. You decided to take it on, so you should uphold your responsibility for the duration of its life. Since you are fully aware of the possibility of having to rehome it, I would wait until you are in college and can better assess your situation. I personally have snuck many pets into apartments where they weren't allowed without ever getting caught, but you have to keep in mind that you may which will force a rehome. You also have to consider that if you are staying in the dorms you will have at least one roommate who may or may not be cool with it. Personally, unless you have family members that would be willing to properly care for your gecko for the 1-2 years you will be in the dorm, I would wait until you are able to get your own apartment. I know it's hard to wait, but I think in the end you and your gecko would be happier!

 

[denver2890]

Well the same thing happened to me kinda, I had got my first gecko thinking I would beable to sneak it in my dorms as my only pet when it comes time for college. Well like said above I was bitten by the gecko bug lol, now Im about to start college in 4 weeks and I have 20+ geckos and a couple of snakes lol. Since there is no way to bring all of these to a dorm I decided to get an apartment which was actually around $1,500 cheaper than the dorms per year and about 1000 more sq feet lol. They even told me I could have as many geckos as I wanted as long as they are contained. I guess you never know how things will work out until it comes time.

 

[maya]

thanks for everyone's great advice!

my family is pretty open to pet sitting for as long as i need-- the fish tank is staying home, too.. but i'd rather bring him/her with me if possible.

wow denver2890! lucky duck.. an apartment and 20+ geckos seems like a dream come true!..

for now, i think i'll continue to research and save money and think.. i walked through the east bay vivarium today, and saw some pretty cuutttee babies! ... it might be hard to stay away!

 

[jschaf1]

I would check your top choice colleges and ask them what their pet policies are. I'm not sure about just "sneaking" them in. If you get caught, who knows what the reprecussions could be? You might just get some slap on the wrist OR you could get kicked out of the dorm building. You have to ask yourself, is it worth the risk? Check with your colleges and see what their rules and penalties are first.