Too many pets

[Euphoric]

So when is too much just too much? I think my friend has crossed that line.
I think once you can't care for them as well as you possibly can is when its too much..but also when it over powers your life.

My friend just DOWNSIZED her animal collection.
You want to know what she has now?

2 rabbits
2 Degus
12 Cockatiels
1 Quaker Parrot
2 Guinea pigs
6 leos
1 fat tailed
1 sand boa
3 king snakes
2 ball pythons
2 sandfish
3 bearded dragons
1 golden gecko
1 corn snake
1 Iguana
1 med. gecko
1 whiptail
3 red ear sliders
1 tortoise
1 kind of lizard I forget the name
4 dogs
10 fishtanks

I think thats it. All in a smaller three bedroom house. Two rooms are dedicated to just pets.

She used to have a total of 25 red ear sliders,
a couple more snakes, six more leopard geckos (Who I got my normal female from) two ferrets another dog, crested gecko, blue tounge skink, basalisk and water dragon.

One leo, the crested, skink, basalisk, and water dragon died from a unkown sickness that where in the same one and half week period, the rest were given away.

She is not a breeder by the way.

I love my pets and want more, but I stop at a certian point. But she doesn't , and I think its affecting her care for the animals.

Mind you I got my normal female from her...all her leos are not what you would call the healthiest. I wouldn't say their sick, but def not healthy. It just amazed me when I went to her house.

SO I think her numbers affect her care...but she won't have anything about me saying it. She just bought the two guinea pigs today after I advised her not to, and she is putting two males in together, another bad decision.

I don't know, I am just baffled at how many pets she want.
And my boyfriend says I am bad.

 

[fallen_angel]

Wow taking care of that many pets seems like it would take up one's time 24/7!! I would definitely think it to be almost impossible to give all the proper care that they need. Does she think that all of her animals are getting the care they need? Doesn't she ever get overwhelmed with how many pets she has and all the care that goes into them? We don't have nearly as many pets, and even I sometimes feel a little overwhelmed. I remember you saying that your boyfriend was complaining about how many pets that you have - you should take him over to her house!

 

[blightedchemist]

Wow that is a lot! She has no help taking care of them either? I would be afraid of not only neglecting them but also outright forgetting about some(even though that seems hard to do) literally is a nightmare. Last time I had a tank of whites tree frogs i forgot about...hidden behind my tv...

 

[GeckoJunkie]

When is it too many, when it is no longer enjoyment!! You can not have sooo many animals that them and taking care of them is no longer enjoyment. As long as you can take care of them and still enjoy it......then the sky is the limit!!!
Oh and as long as you can afford the proper care of the animals as well.

 

[LadyGecko]

I don't think (with the exception of the Green Iggy and the RES) that the reptiles are that difficult to care for in large numbers

Yes-it does take more time to feed/clean /inspect them but if you have a schedule of some sorts then caring for different species of reptiles is not that difficult
But a Green Iguana and RES's are extremely time consuming animals to care for with a lot of cleaning in the turtle tanks even with the best of filters

This is my schedule

I do the 2 BTS's tanks and the 4 Bearded Dragons on one night and the Rhacs on another and the Fatty's and the Leos on yet another night

Youngest lizards get fed and checked nightly

However when you start adding mammals into the equation-then it gets crazy and I speak from experience

I have done really well with not going out and getting dogs or cats and I gave my bunnies away to good homes (I really miss them but they were a TON of work) but I still take in stray cats-they seem to find me and my bf will bring home an abandoned kitten if he finds it

There is a point when you can have too many animals to give individual care to and everyone suffers for it

But if you have the time and the money to devote to them and you can meet their needs then it doesn't make any difference to me whether you have one or a hundred animals

I do not work-I am disabled and I don't buy fancy clothes-go out much or spend money on much of anything other than my animals and my computers-and the computers are pretty much taken care of-knock on wood-lol

I am very happy living this way and now with the my mother being
diagnosed with Alzheimer's and trying to move her down here so that I can be with her and help her every day-I find even more joy and solace in caring for my pets

When she moves down her into an assisted living facility-I plan on spending part of my days with her and my nights caring for my animals

I believe that my beloved animals will get me through the difficult times that lay ahead

This is just my intake and opinion on the subject

Sandy