M
member 3289
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So after about 6-8 months of planning and waiting for a glass terrarium to be back in stock, I purchased a small green anole lizard from PetSmart. I didn't want to get one there because they mistreat their reptiles and by buying one there I'm only supporting this mistreatment, but when my wife and I went to a Miami PetSmart and I saw how miserable Tina (the lizard) looked, I knew I wasn't leaving the store without that lizard in my possession. This was just over a week ago.
At PetSmart, Tina was kept in a shoebox-sized cage with no ability to climb. As her species arboreal, climbing is a must. Also, her cage there was on the top level that, due to spacing restrictions at this particular location, is not visible for 95% of the population. I'm 6'4" and had to step on my tip toes to see her. I had to "borrow" a rolling ladder so my wife could see her. My wife is 5'7" so she had to go to the second step of the ladder, like most of you would.
Anyway I bring her home and put her in her cage. No handling for two weeks to allow them to get comfortable, so I gently opened the cup PetSmart put her in and she climbed out and onto one of the bromeliads I had placed in the tank for her.
She seemed super happy at first. She has vines at the top of the mansion she lives in. She has live plants. She has UVB light (a must, idk if PetSmart had it). The heat and humidity levels are correct. I learned she likes to eat 3 mealworms or crickets every other day, so that's what I've been feeding her. She is always happy to eat them.
But she still fucking hates me. It may have to do with the fact that she is not used to being looked at due to her previously high-rise shoebox enclosure. I'm at my wits' end trying to get this lizard to like me. Every time I've opened her cage to clean up her shit or to adjust a vine or misting tube, she's tried to hide from me . When I look at her through the glass, she is constantly giving me the stank eye.
I want to add another lizard (same species) to the enclosure so she has a friend, but I have to be sure that Tina is a girl first as two males in an enclosure will fight. But to be 100% sure, I will have to handle her and examine her closely. I am not afraid of getting bitten as their bites don't hurt much and i don't think she'll bite me anyway, but I want her to be ok with it. I don't want to stress her. I want her to like me.
I do too much for too many people to deserve this.
At PetSmart, Tina was kept in a shoebox-sized cage with no ability to climb. As her species arboreal, climbing is a must. Also, her cage there was on the top level that, due to spacing restrictions at this particular location, is not visible for 95% of the population. I'm 6'4" and had to step on my tip toes to see her. I had to "borrow" a rolling ladder so my wife could see her. My wife is 5'7" so she had to go to the second step of the ladder, like most of you would.
Anyway I bring her home and put her in her cage. No handling for two weeks to allow them to get comfortable, so I gently opened the cup PetSmart put her in and she climbed out and onto one of the bromeliads I had placed in the tank for her.
She seemed super happy at first. She has vines at the top of the mansion she lives in. She has live plants. She has UVB light (a must, idk if PetSmart had it). The heat and humidity levels are correct. I learned she likes to eat 3 mealworms or crickets every other day, so that's what I've been feeding her. She is always happy to eat them.
But she still fucking hates me. It may have to do with the fact that she is not used to being looked at due to her previously high-rise shoebox enclosure. I'm at my wits' end trying to get this lizard to like me. Every time I've opened her cage to clean up her shit or to adjust a vine or misting tube, she's tried to hide from me . When I look at her through the glass, she is constantly giving me the stank eye.
I want to add another lizard (same species) to the enclosure so she has a friend, but I have to be sure that Tina is a girl first as two males in an enclosure will fight. But to be 100% sure, I will have to handle her and examine her closely. I am not afraid of getting bitten as their bites don't hurt much and i don't think she'll bite me anyway, but I want her to be ok with it. I don't want to stress her. I want her to like me.
I do too much for too many people to deserve this.
