# Apartment



## ThomasR (Aug 14, 2011)

I'm planning to get a B&W Tegu and will soon be moving into an apartment. Do landlords let people keep Tegus?:huh:

Thanks


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## JohnMatthew (Aug 14, 2011)

Some do, some don't.. your best bet is to ask them.


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## ThomasR (Aug 14, 2011)

does anybody live near Chapel Hil, NC(sorry if this is a little personal)


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## jdpFL (Aug 14, 2011)

My rule as a renter has always been, if it's not a dog or a cat, it doesn't count. Lol. But seriously, you don't want to get one and get attached only to have to rehome it later. I'd definitely get permission in advance.


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## Neeko (Aug 14, 2011)

I don't recommend doing this but. A bed is about 8x4x4 so just make the enclosure and put a bed on top and cover the front with sheets. You should be responsible but life obstacles and there's always a solution.


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## kellen.watkins (Aug 14, 2011)

I have never had a landlord who cared, like sated above its not a dog or a cat


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## ThomasR (Aug 14, 2011)

ok. I just wanted to know if lanlords actually let people keep Tegus. I'm going to college in a couple of years and dont want my mom to take up its work so I just basically wanted to know. 

Thanks


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## Rhetoric (Aug 14, 2011)

It depends, I never told my old apartment about Guru. It was through a property management company though so there was no one on-site. We moved into a house and I had thought it didn't count if it wasn't a cat or dog but this landlord cared that they were tegus, because of the size and the enclosures. I keep 'em in the garage, he doesn't like the tegus but will let me keep them. 
The underbed enclosure might work, one of my enclosures was previously used as an underbed and its pretty neat. I would have used it as an underbed myself but I can't have the tegu enclosures inside the house.


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## Neeko (Aug 14, 2011)

If a landlord only cares about dogs and cats.... He must be uninformed. If there was a louder macaw or cockatoo I'd hate my neighbour. I be worked with birds, and you can hear them more then a house away and they can destroy. Reptiles don't chew wood or make sound really.


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## ThomasR (Aug 14, 2011)

Yeah, I want one really bad. Whats the probability that the lanlord will discover the Tegu under the bed, could he kick me out right away or would I get like a month to leave?


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## Neeko (Aug 14, 2011)

I got no clue. Its just something that you could do hypothetically, if its a 2 room apt and your only using one and you have a "guest" bed or something,.


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## Rhetoric (Aug 14, 2011)

We only had a week when they found out about the pit bulls lol. They did end up letting us have a few more days to finish out the month. Some landlords do walk through's now and then. If there needs to be work done for whatever reason, the landlord might stop by to check in on things.
I think with larger reptiles its also a matter of them getting out, water damage, pooping on carpets/tile/whatever. We feel more comfortable because we keep them but a 4ft lizard isn't too common to have as a pet.


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## jtpowers (Aug 14, 2011)

When the landlord asks about pets, you could always go with the response "just a lizard, and he has a secure cage." No sense using the words that indicate you have a flesh eating dinosaur.

Seriously, having friends who are landlords, I know that if you deal with them personally (as opposed to property management folks whose job it seems to be to micromanage and collect extra deposits and have something in their back pocket to claim you aren't a fully cooperative renter later)....the property OWNER is really only worried about getting paid on time and not having his property damaged.

My advice, if asked be honest that you have a lizard, don't volunteer lots of excited details about size of the enclosure or how big he is (or gets)...ask for permission and if you have to pay a pet deposit, so be it; that shows later that you have disclosed and gotten permission so it isn't as easy to create an issue later where none exists. If you can casually get it in writing that the lizard is approved with or without the deposit, all the better. The best insurance is to pay your rent on time, keep the place clean and neat (not just the tegu's area) and generally keep yourself from being a nuisance otherwise and the landlord likely won't care.

If I owned a property I was renting out, I would be more concerned about things like feeding live insects or rodents with escape potential, a fire hazard from lamps that look ratty, or things like that than the lizard itself. If you make sure these aren't a concern, your landlord isn't nearly so likely to care (but again, all bets are off with 'property management' personnel; you may encounter some difficult folks where even the landlord himself wouldn't care.)


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## Rhetoric (Aug 14, 2011)

If you get a baby and they ask how large it is thats a plus lol, "its only a foot long".


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## ThomasR (Aug 14, 2011)

So is it actually impossible to sex a Tegu at a young age or is there kind of a chance to tell the difference between male and female?


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## jtpowers (Aug 14, 2011)

I think it's possible, just not 100% accurate. If you reserve a hatchling with Varnyard, I've heard Mr. Hill will do his best to honor your request for a particular gender, with the caveat that it may not be definite...and from all that I have read, if anyone is likely to know short of DNA sexing, it's him.



ThomasR said:


> So is it actually impossible to sex a Tegu at a young age or is there kind of a chance to tell the difference between male and female?


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## jd61285 (Aug 14, 2011)

ThomasR said:


> does anybody live near Chapel Hil, NC(sorry if this is a little personal)



I live about a hour from Chapel Hill. Is there a reason you asked?


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## ThomasR (Aug 14, 2011)

jd61285 said:


> I live about a hour from Chapel Hill. Is there a reason you asked?



Yeah, wanted to know if anyone knows of any apartment that does allow tegus. Now thinking back I guess I should not have asked the question cause I guess nobody would really know,but, thanks for answering


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## dragonmetalhead (Aug 14, 2011)

Just ask the landlord. The worst they can say is no. When I was in college and got my first apartment, the lease didn't allow cats or dogs on the premises. I was worried so when I went in to review the lease I asked the landlord if I could bring my ball python. Not only did he not care since it was not a cat or dog, he proceeded to tell me about a previous tenant who left a 6.5 foot boa constrictor behind. Seeings as reptiles make minimal noise and are easy to contain, they are the ideal pets for an apartment IMO.


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## Kebechet (Aug 14, 2011)

Just ask if they allow reptiles, because you have a lizard. It's that simple. Explain that it will be contained, and that it eats things like chicken and blueberries (Link sure loves both of those things) It humanizes the animal to the people who hear about it and makes them less apprehensive. Honestly if the apartment allows cats and dogs, there isn't usually a problem with reptiles, except for snakes, because so many people are afraid of them. Explain that if they're concerned, that you would be willing to put down a pet deposit. If you act like it'll be a problem, they'll act like it is a problem. People pick up on subconscious cues, and if you're nervous, they'll probably get a little nervous too.


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## tora (Aug 15, 2011)

Well, we had a little issue with the people that run the office at our apartment complex. They told me I wasn't allowed to have them and to get rid of them, but then was told to just give a list of animals I had so they could ask the boss. I still have my animals and haven't heard back since! I bet they just wanted to make sure nothing was too dangerous. I am a good renter, though. So they probably didn't want to make a big deal out of something that wasn't and kick a good, reliable family out.


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## ThomasR (Aug 15, 2011)

Thanks a lot


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## herpocrite27 (Aug 16, 2011)

I was told caged animals including lizards were OK at my apt. I got my down payment sent in and all the paperwork done. They called and said I could come and pick up the key and while I was on the line they asked what type of lizard, so I told them Tegu. They called back an hour later and said I was denied because they found out they get 4ft long. I hope you have better luck.


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## adam1120 (Aug 16, 2011)

should of told them you had a blue tegu and when it was 4 feet just told them it wasa monster blue lol


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## Neeko (Aug 16, 2011)

Sorry to hear that.


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