Quote:

---

DragonChaser said:
There is no way in hell I'd give him back to her. If I couldn't bring him with me, I'd find the most responsible person I could think of to take care of him, and hide him in secret there. Tell her he choked on a grape and died, or he escaped when he learned that he was going to have to live with her again.

---

Quote:

---

vitadura said:
As I grow older, I find that my morals are developing stronger and consequently, when an issue arises, it effects my sleep. Like every other human being, I definitely need my sleep. Which is why I turn to you all for advice.

About a year ago, Andrea, my close friend from high school had me take Viktor, her pet bearded dragon (to whom I had grown incredibly attached). She was going to school and would not be able to take Viktor with her, so I gladly took on the responsibility. Her house is not the best place for pets (there are at least three chainsmokers living there, and lots of people visit them simply because they know they can smoke in the house; there are always tons of party-people in the house; there is dog and cat hair and dust all over the house; etc.) and at one point during our senior year, Viktor got depressed. Andrea denies it still to this day, she believes that lizards can't get depressed, that they don't have feelings. Now, she could be right, but I think it is more accurate that she is the apathetic, emotionless one. So when I noticed Viktor had stopped eating and moving around, I made it a habit to visit the house once or twice daily just to get Viktor out of his cage for a little while. I told her and everyone else in the house to stop feeding him and giving him water (not that they did it very often, anyway, but if Andrea's dad would give him worms one day, it would end up being the same day Andrea would, and then he would get sick from overeating since they both overfed him). I took care of him, and with the changing of the season and daily attention, Viktor started to move around a little more and eat regularly and became more alert, and just looked all-around healthier. I had been attached to Viktor before this point, but when he got sick and I "nursed" him back to health, I really felt that we had made a special bond (yea, corny or whatever, go ahead and make fun of me).

So he's been doing really well here at my house. He gets fed the same amount everyday and he sleeps a regular amount of hours and has a timer so his light is on for the same amount of hourse every day, he's got a clean cage (his cage was probably changed twice in the three years Andrea owned him), he gets to run around my room just about everyday, and he just seems a lot happier than I ever remember seeing him. However, the roles have switched. Now that I have taken time off from school and am ready to go back, Andrea is home again (she got kicked out of school). Originally, I had planned on having my brother take Viktor, because I know he will take care of him (although he lives in a party house, he is a lot more responsible and in touch than Andrea). However, Andrea and her boyfriend recently broke up and suddenly after 9 months or a year, she is trying to befriend all her old friends she basically ditched before. She always blows people off and doesn't seem to care about much more than pot, sex, and booze. I saw her recently and she told me she wants Viktor back and she asked me not to give him to my brother (she dated my brother for a little while and I think she is just jealous and lonely - although she'd never admit that). I am afraid for Viktor's well-being with Andrea, but in the same respect, he belonged to her for the first three years of his life (and he's still alive!), and he is rightfully her lizard. I've said, "You have to take care good of him," but I don't think that's enough to get through to her. I don't think she understands Viktor can get sick and he actually needs love and attention, and that he is a living, breathing creature (she doesn't even realize that her friends and family need love, encouragement, and loyalty).

So if you were in my position and you absolutely could not take him with you to school, what would you do? And if you decided not to let her have him back, how would you break the news to her? (She left me a voicemail saying she's been calling me for weeks trying to get him [even though I have no missed calls from her], and she has been known to randomly show up at my house uninvited.)

---

Quote:

---

MOTH said:
Hey girl,

My opinion is that Andrea has typically not been the best friend for you (from what I heard), and Viktor has been your baby for a long time now. You've nurtured and loved that lizard; I've seen it with my own eyes, and I see such affection in your eyes when you speak of him.

In my opinion, you should tell Andrea that you've bonded with the lizard and that you worry for his safety in her hands. Just be completely honest. I don't know; it's tricky, but in the end, Viktor has been there for you, and she hasn't. He deserves a loving home where his needs will be considered.

Good luck...let me know how it turns out.

---

I agree.

And as far as lizards having personalities, they totally do. I've been keeping reptiles and amphibians for over 10 years and each one definitely has a personality. Beardies in particular have some of the most pronounced personalities of any herp I've ever kept. I've been contemplating getting a beardie now that I have a place for one. Hrmmmm

Viktor needs to be kept by someone who is passionate about him. If you can't take him, let the next most responsible person take him, not Andrea.

I had to leave my frog (Pyxie frog, aka African Bullfrog) at home with my parents when I moved into dorms. I felt so guilty about it. When he lived with me I cleaned his cage at least once a month and gave him new plants to hide in and whatnot. Once I left, my parents fed him and scooped the duckweed out of his cage, thats it. They were afraid he would bite them, and he probably would, and they might need stitches if he did.

Now I am getting my own place. As soon as finals are done I'm driving home and bringing him back up here. He always seems to perk up when he hears my voice. He'll finally be living the good life again

Do you have any pictures of Viktor?

Quote:

---

Gumby said:

Quote:

---

MOTH said:
Hey girl,

My opinion is that Andrea has typically not been the best friend for you (from what I heard), and Viktor has been your baby for a long time now. You've nurtured and loved that lizard; I've seen it with my own eyes, and I see such affection in your eyes when you speak of him.

In my opinion, you should tell Andrea that you've bonded with the lizard and that you worry for his safety in her hands. Just be completely honest. I don't know; it's tricky, but in the end, Viktor has been there for you, and she hasn't. He deserves a loving home where his needs will be considered.

Good luck...let me know how it turns out.

---

I agree.

And as far as lizards having personalities, they totally do. I've been keeping reptiles and amphibians for over 10 years and each one definitely has a personality. Beardies in particular have some of the most pronounced personalities of any herp I've ever kept. I've been contemplating getting a beardie now that I have a place for one. Hrmmmm

Viktor needs to be kept by someone who is passionate about him. If you can't take him, let the next most responsible person take him, not Andrea.

I had to leave my frog (Pyxie frog, aka African Bullfrog) at home with my parents when I moved into dorms. I felt so guilty about it. When he lived with me I cleaned his cage at least once a month and gave him new plants to hide in and whatnot. Once I left, my parents fed him and scooped the duckweed out of his cage, thats it. They were afraid he would bite them, and he probably would, and they might need stitches if he did.

Now I am getting my own place. As soon as finals are done I'm driving home and bringing him back up here. He always seems to perk up when he hears my voice. He'll finally be living the good life again

Do you have any pictures of Viktor?

---

Quote:

---

MOTH said:
Hey girl,

My opinion is that Andrea has typically not been the best friend for you (from what I heard), and Viktor has been your baby for a long time now. You've nurtured and loved that lizard; I've seen it with my own eyes, and I see such affection in your eyes when you speak of him.

In my opinion, you should tell Andrea that you've bonded with the lizard and that you worry for his safety in her hands. Just be completely honest. I don't know; it's tricky, but in the end, Viktor has been there for you, and she hasn't. He deserves a loving home where his needs will be considered.

Good luck...let me know how it turns out.

---

Quote:

---

AScannerDarkly said:
Offer to pay her for the thing. I bet shell take the money

---

My initial reaction was, "Yeah, she probably would." But after a few minutes of pondering on the idea, I realize that she would make some kind of fus about it since she is so pushy, argumentative, and one-sided (and ALWAYS right, even when she knows she's obviously wrong).

Gumby, you can hijack my thread all you want. I'd love to see pictures of your little buddy, too.

Here's a bunch of Viktor:


Sometimes he likes to get comfy in weird places.

Quote:

---

Atheist said:
Wow that is a kind of sad. You really need to sit down with your friend and be like: "OK, the lizard needs to be taken care of. He needs *this* *this* and *that* and if he doesnt get those things he can get sick and possibly die."

---

Kinda hard to tell her you're not gonna give her pet back.
I'd be pissed, if you were to tell me, you're not gonna give me my pet back.

Shitty situation regardless.