Going away to college but keeping my collection...Possible?

Alright guys, even though moving day is half a year away, I'd rather try and get some idea's going now rather than waiting and having to worry last minute. As some of you may know, I was lucky enough to be accepted into SUNY Albany which (from my house to the campus) is about three or so hours away. While I would love to just take the little guys with me I doubt my roommate (despite being my best friend from highschool) would be comfortable with having my collection tag along. I am looking for ways to combat this problem, which I hope is possible due to the fabulous invert ability of being able to survive with little to no food for months at a time. This is the timeline I've been able to come up with so far off the top of my head, as well as some idea's I've been tossing around.

Aug 24 - Move in day, will be up at the campus from now until Thanksgiving recess

...3 months until

Early November - Back for break, can feed/rehouse/mist/etc if need be

...1 month until

Christmas break - Back, ditto above

...3 months until

Spring break - Back, ditto again

...I'm not sure of this one, I want to say 4 months until

Summer break - Back for final time, then about a month or two until we rinse and repeat.

Overall, the longest possible time span without me being able to care (assuming I don't come down for a weekend, which I probably will every once in awhile) for them would be four months, tops, and even then I would probably be coming down at some point.

My room currently is a nice 70-80 degrees heated for my T's (since most are still slings) and I mist every day due to the evaporation that the high heat causes, however in college this obviously won't be possible, especially since my parents have made it abundently clear they'd prefer me not having T's/pedes/roaches at all and I highly doubt any amount of persuading would change that. They tolerate them at the moment for my sake but once I'm gone I think hell will freeze over before they care for them

I currently own:

Tarantulas
0.0.4 P. murinus (more on their way)
0.0.2 A. avic
0.0.1 B. albopilosum
0.0.1 L. parahybana
0.0.1 P. regalis
0.0.1 C. fasciatum
0.0.1 H. gigas
0.1.1 G. pulchripes
0.0.1 B. smithi

Centipedes
0.0.1 S. subspinipes
0.0.1 E. trigonopodus
0.0.1 S. polymorpha

Roaches
2.2.0 G. portentosa

Anyway, assuming I feed everyone sufficiently before I leave, and then again and again when I return, and so long as the heat stays room temp rather than raised like I have had it do you think it's possible? I'm mostly worried about the avics, regalis and gigas since they need moisture and I'm not sure how fast the moisture would dissipate. What do you guys think? Plausible?

Sorry for the wall of text, but it's important!

Matt

not trying to discourage you and all.... but i dont think it's a good idea... imo

Why so? Other than the humidity problem for the avics/s. subspinipes I think it seems very doable, especially since I can have an apartment Jr. year.

I think I could get away with only caring for my T's one day a week. Anything less than that is just insufficient to properly care for them. I know the idea sucks, but I'd sell all/most of them and just build up your collection again once you have your own place.

hmm... it's not the lack of food, but the lack of water that will kill them. since they're all unsexed as well, it's safe to assume they're mostly slings? in that case, they're even more susceptible to not having a water source/misting available for most of the time. that's really going to be your biggest obstacle, no matter what the ambient humidity. do you have any siblings? or anyone else who wouldn't mind (reliably) misting them at least weekly?

have you actually talked to your friend about what keeping them would entail, or are you just assuming he wouldn't be ok w/ it?


anyone local who would be willing to 'adopt' your Ts for a while, perhaps for a small fee or trade? it would be such a shame to lose any of your Ts to neglect.

Possible problems:

College = many changes. You'll be surprised how quickly a newly acquired significant other can deter one from returning home during a break.

Also, what if a spider molts while you're away. A number of weeks after a molt can equal a very hungry spider if it doesn't starve first. Humidity is an issue as 3 months is long while to go without food. A tipped over water dish = a crispy T.

Talk with your roommate and show them not to worry about the Ts. I don't see this ending well if you try to leave them behind. I'd say take them with you or place them in a home that will be able to provide the care they need while you're away. Though inverts are amazing at their ability to survive, do you really want to risk it? Most of those are slings and they will not do well with a four month absence.

Bad idea. Keep one or two and take with you. Sell the rest and restart the collection when you are done. College is a tough time with pets. Every three months for feeding isn't realistic or fair.

Well the roommate is sort of afraid of bugs, and I'd take them with me in a heartbeat but the rules state that only "tropical fish" are allowed. I have a sister and I might be able to convince her or my mom to spray/water every few days but I would be slightly concerned about the OBT's or pede's getting out, though 99% of the time they are good for me. Indeed, most are slings, which is why taking them with me might be possible, but...Hm. Also, as for significant others I plan on going for a true "college experience", which in my book is defined as single for the four-six years through. Would it be wrong of me to try and ask anyone here to take care of them for the two years until I can have an apartment or is that a viable option? I would hate for them to get attached and me to just take them back (I know some people on here say they are just bugs, but let's face it, we all have our favorites). I love these little guys, especially since a handful of them I've reared since they were 1/4" up until they reached their 1 1/2" size now...May not seem like alot, but to me it's something. Any proposals on how asking someone to keep them would work?

Matt

The problem with taking them with him is that I haven't heard of any dorm that allows tarantulas to be kept as pets (I'm assuming the OP will be in the dorms as he mentioned getting an apartment his junior year) and, depending on the contract, you could actually be evicted for a violation like that.

IMO, your best bet would be to find somebody in your area who could take care of them while you're gone.

Edit: On second thought, with so many in your collection, and some rather potent/defensive ones as well, I'd go with selling them. Somebody would need to be paid quite a bit to take care of that collection, or be a really good person/already very knowledgable about T's and have a decent background keeping them as well.

forrestpengra said:

Bad idea. Keep one or two and take with you. Sell the rest and restart the collection when you are done. College is a tough time with pets. Every three months for feeding isn't realistic or fair.

Click to expand...

You need water at least once a week . I really don't think it's fair to your T's. To deprive them of water is the big thing imo. The feeding is no big deal one of my B.smithi has fasted for 3months. But that was her choice I did offer a crix every week.

PrimalTaunt said:

The problem with taking them with him is that I haven't heard of any dorm that allows tarantulas to be kept as pets (I'm assuming the OP will be in the dorms as he mentioned getting an apartment his junior year) and, depending on the contract, you could actually be evicted for a violation like that.

IMO, your best bet would be to find somebody in your area who could take care of them while you're gone.

Click to expand...

meh... i've known people to keep anything from cats to birds in their dorms (not that i recommend that). i feel you have a much higher risk of getting busted for drinking in your room or coming home drunk than you would w/ your Ts, esp if you were smart about keeping a low profile and being on good terms w/ your RA (smart to do regardless). check out dreychen's (sp?) recent vids... looks like he and his roommate keep a bunch of Ts in what looks like a dorm...

Just so everyone knows I understand

I can see that my plan of leaving them behind will not work out, can't blame a guy for trying though. I'm wondering if I could take them with me since altogether they only take up about five feet of space (vertically). It's risky though, which is why I'll still research other options as well.

HokiePokie727 said:

meh... i've known people to keep anything from cats to birds in their dorms (not that i recommend that). i feel you have a much higher risk of getting busted for drinking in your room or coming home drunk than you would w/ your Ts, esp if you were smart about keeping a low profile and being on good terms w/ your RA (smart to do regardless). check out dreychen's (sp?) recent vids... looks like he and his roommate keep a bunch of Ts in what looks like a dorm...

Click to expand...

Even if he gets on good terms with his RA, it would be rather hard to hide that large of a collection in a small dorm from the other RA's who go into your dorm for various reasons (whenever a fire alarm went off in a dorm where I was, every room had to be checked).

And to me, it just wouldn't be worth running the risk. If he was found out, he'd either have to scramble to find housing for himself or for his pets. Not to mention any other consequences that he could have agreed to in signing the contract such as the forfeiture of the deposit.

just put it this way if you where a pet T would want to be neglected for that amount of time.... it's just not fair for u and your pets.... just take every one else's advice sell most keep one or two till your on your own......... more than likely you'll still be keeping T's in the future....

PrimalTaunt said:

Even if he gets on good terms with his RA, it would be rather hard to hide that large of a collection in a small dorm from the other RA's who go into your dorm for various reasons (whenever a fire alarm went off in a dorm where I was, every room had to be checked).

And to me, it just wouldn't be worth running the risk. If he was found out, he'd either have to scramble to find housing for himself or for his pets. Not to mention any other consequences that he could have agreed to in signing the contract such as the forfeiture of the deposit.

Click to expand...

Another risk would be someone ratting you out. When my husband was in college he had a baby Ball Python, kept a very low profile with her, was on good terms with everyone in charge etc. However, his roomate innocently said something to another student who happened to be terrified of snakes and she gave him away.

With how scared so many people are of spiders etc I would be worried that someone may do the same if they discovered the collection.

Thinking about it, (roaches omitted), they could all fit quite neatly under a TV stand with closing doors...They are bugs after all...I don't think it'd be too big of a deal? I don't want to be doing anything against the rules and I'm not trying to brag, but I'm a semi-likable kind of guy and this seems sorta managable. I mean in all honestly, who's going to care? If anyone did find the cages, I could just tell them it's a little spider I caught on campus and since the pet choices are so limited, who would blame me? ...They are all (mostly) slings, and I doubt any fellow students are going to be experts (and even if they were, that would mean they'd probably feel my pain), so this seems like a likely option...

Shell said:

Another risk would be someone ratting you out. When my husband was in college he had a baby Ball Python, kept a very low profile with her, was on good terms with everyone in charge etc. However, his roomate innocently said something to another student who happened to be terrified of snakes and she gave him away.

With how scared so many people are of spiders etc I would be worried that someone may do the same if they discovered the collection.

Click to expand...

Sigh, gotta love killjoys, huh? I think the wild spider arguement could work...And if anyone had a problem, I could always throw them a "well would you rather it inside this little sealed jar, or out in the open where it could easily sneak into your sheets at night". Hm? Man, if only college gave you the freedom so many people take for granted pre and post secondary school :/

PrimalTaunt said:

Even if he gets on good terms with his RA, it would be rather hard to hide that large of a collection in a small dorm from the other RA's who go into your dorm for various reasons (whenever a fire alarm went off in a dorm where I was, every room had to be checked).

And to me, it just wouldn't be worth running the risk. If he was found out, he'd either have to scramble to find housing for himself or for his pets. Not to mention any other consequences that he could have agreed to in signing the contract such as the forfeiture of the deposit.

Click to expand...

i know, i know... just tryin to play devil's advocate since it seems like he really wants to keep his Ts. i would be torn, too, w/ such a decision. i do think that since they're slings they could be concealed relatively easily, but then, i guess, what would be the point in keeping them to not see them? or worry about being outed? oh well... i'm just bored and rambling...

Shell said:

Another risk would be someone ratting you out. When my husband was in college he had a baby Ball Python, kept a very low profile with her, was on good terms with everyone in charge etc. However, his roomate innocently said something to another student who happened to be terrified of snakes and she gave him away.

With how scared so many people are of spiders etc I would be worried that someone may do the same if they discovered the collection.

Click to expand...

Add to that all the drama that goes around in dorms. Tell one person that you're friends with, the next week they find you making out with the girl that they like but haven't made a move on (or any other little thing that happens whenever you put large numbers of people together like dorms do), and to get back at you they let the powers that be know.

Sometimes I miss living in the dorms until I actually think about certain things.

MD92 said:

Man, if only college gave you the freedom so many people take for granted pre and post secondary school :/

Click to expand...

let's resurrect this thread in about, oh, 6 months and see if your impression's the same

college is probably the most freedom-affording time in your life, on so many levels... you will see