Rental Policies and Ts

357wheelgunner

Arachnobaron
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I live in an apartment. Two months ago I got into the hobby of keeping "bugs". Today I realized that if my apartment complex finds out about my two Emporer scorpions, two Giant African Millipedes, and small B. Lateralis colony, I could be kicked out (most likely they'd just tell me to get rid of them). I'm not too worried about it, I'll just cover my "bug shelf" up with a sheet or something if they come by for maintenance, but I don't like breaking rules, even stupid ones.

Anybody else live in a rental property with similar policies?

Anyone ever get in trouble for their collections?
 

cacoseraph

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what are the policies exactly?

most places that say "no pets" also have an exception for reptiles and *things* that live in cages, barring dangerous or large snakes and lizards
 

357wheelgunner

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what are the policies exactly?

most places that say "no pets" also have an exception for reptiles and *things* that live in cages, barring dangerous or large snakes and lizards
The policy reads, basically, "no pets without written permission".

They will never give written permission for scorpions, millipedes, and especially roaches. The complex is an expensive snobby place ran and populated mostly by rich snobby people.
 

cacoseraph

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well, i would try to find the exact policy, not just a verbal answer from someone. usually ppl write for crap and their are exploitable weaknesses

also, you can be sneaky and get a little lizard in a cage for $5-10 and get some crickets and get a write off for "caged lizard and bugs" or something like that
 

357wheelgunner

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I'm considering going to the office and asking them what is acceptable, but I think I might be better off just keeping quiet until I move in October. Maybe I could show them the setups and they'd see that the pet holes and veggie eating millipedes aren't causing any problems.

What do you think?
 

Drachenjager

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The policy reads, basically, "no pets without written permission".

They will never give written permission for scorpions, millipedes, and especially roaches. The complex is an expensive snobby place ran and populated mostly by rich snobby people.
simple, ask permission to keep aquarium pets.
 

357wheelgunner

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Everytime I'm indirect, problems ensue.

Right now my plan is to sit down with the general manager and explain to her that I got these pets a few months ago, and that I didn't even think of the policy. Then explain that they are harmless, can't escape, and can't infest. Then I'll tell her that I have 2 millipedes, 2 might-as-well-be-venomous little pet hole scorpions, and some crickets.

Do you think she might blow up at that? I'm thinking that the worst thing to happen would be that I have to give them to a friend to hold onto for 6 months.
 

radicaldementia

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I also used to live in a snobby apartment complex, they were only ok with cats, and that required a $500 deposit. I never told them about my Ts, I know if I did I would have been immediately evicted. My advice is to just keep a low profile about the bugs, put them in the closet if people come by to look at the apt. It's not like you have something like a bird that's noisy or could make a mess. If you ask them about it, even hypothetically, it's going to raise suspicion.

IMO, its not really breaking the rules, they were designed for people who keep things like dogs or ferrets that could potentially cause damage or bother neighbors, they weren't written with inverts in mind. But ignorance + fear = intolerence and I would guess that the majority of landlords would react negatively.
 

David Burns

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Well I would lay low until someboby complains to you.

Then maybe you could tell them you caught these inverts in the apartment when you moved in and havent got around to complaining to the healthboard.
 

357wheelgunner

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I also used to live in a snobby apartment complex, they were only ok with cats, and that required a $500 deposit. I never told them about my Ts, I know if I did I would have been immediately evicted. My advice is to just keep a low profile about the bugs, put them in the closet if people come by to look at the apt. It's not like you have something like a bird that's noisy or could make a mess. If you ask them about it, even hypothetically, it's going to raise suspicion.

IMO, its not really breaking the rules, they were designed for people who keep things like dogs or ferrets that could potentially cause damage or bother neighbors, they weren't written with inverts in mind. But ignorance + fear = intolerence and I would guess that the majority of landlords would react negatively.
That makes a lot of sense, but then I read your signature and I'm inspired to just be straight with the complex manager :) I can't stand not knowing how something will turn out, and if I don't address this now I won't be able to relax.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.
 

Drachenjager

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Everytime I'm indirect, problems ensue.

Right now my plan is to sit down with the general manager and explain to her that I got these pets a few months ago, and that I didn't even think of the policy. Then explain that they are harmless, can't escape, and can't infest. Then I'll tell her that I have 2 millipedes, 2 might-as-well-be-venomous little pet hole scorpions, and some crickets.

Do you think she might blow up at that? I'm thinking that the worst thing to happen would be that I have to give them to a friend to hold onto for 6 months.
or just ask about keeping them, i would not recommend telling that you already have them , just that you want to get some. and tell them how they cant escape and even if they did they are harmless and cant infest. If they say no, then get someone to keep them for you till you move.
Like they said no pets generally are pointed toward the pets that mess up a home. Like dogs and cats and other mammals. Dog pee in a carpet is never going away lol
 

Don&SallysZoo

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Well the proper thing to do is to sit down and talk with the manager. I know that at our place our lease says no reptiles of any kind and that's it. So T's aren't reptiles...although we do have reptiles, but I should also mention that we're the managers here too :D Typically rules are in place like this for insurance reasons.

The other option is to just do nothing and hopefully nothing happens, don't say a word to anyone about what you have in your apartment. The management staff by law needs to give you notice before they enter your apt. Then you could just move out what you need to before they enter.
 

357wheelgunner

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Well the proper thing to do is to sit down and talk with the manager. I know that at our place our lease says no reptiles of any kind and that's it. So T's aren't reptiles...although we do have reptiles, but I should also mention that we're the managers here too :D Typically rules are in place like this for insurance reasons.

The other option is to just do nothing and hopefully nothing happens, don't say a word to anyone about what you have in your apartment. The management staff by law needs to give you notice before they enter your apt. Then you could just move out what you need to before they enter.
So, to clarify, you allow people to keep Ts? What if someone sat down and admitted to having a reptile (small inside a secure tank) would you let them have it?
 

jen650s

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Be careful, more people have unreasoning and unreasonable reactions to arthropods than anything else. For many people it wouldn't matter if it was in a screwtop container with bricks on top and encased in lead. They still want to know what will happen if it gets out and chases them down.

Keep this in mind when fessing up. Apartment owners have been known to fumigate with less cause than a renter has captive roaches in the apartment. And although they do have to tell you if the fumigate, they don't have to ask. Better safe than sorry, if you are moving soon keep it quiet or ask about aquarium pets. If the reaction is terribly negative find someplace else to keep them until you move.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
 

Don&SallysZoo

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So, to clarify, you allow people to keep Ts? What if someone sat down and admitted to having a reptile (small inside a secure tank) would you let them have it?
T's are allowed because they are not reptiles :D . I should also mention that we manage a senior building and none of our tenants keeps our cold blooded friends. But if a tenant sat down with us and said they had a small reptile inside a secure cage we most likely allow it, but of course this would be done on a case by case basis.
 

arachyd

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You could start adding some orchids and small exotic plant species (your new hobby;) ) to your T habitats and then if anyone asks about them you honestly tell them you must keep your plants in sealed containers for heat/humidity purposes. They're exotic tropicals so it wouldn't be unheard-of for a small stowaway spider to appear in one of the containers.
 

jen650s

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You could start adding some orchids and small exotic plant species (your new hobby;) ) to your T habitats and then if anyone asks about them you honestly tell them you must keep your plants in sealed containers for heat/humidity purposes. They're exotic tropicals so it wouldn't be unheard-of for a small stowaway spider to appear in one of the containers.
I can see it now...a small stowaway T. blondi {D {D



Apologies 357wheelgunner, but I just couldn't resist.
 

barabootom

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This is a true story from 10 years ago you might find humorous. I was keeping about 50 adult tarantulas in my apartment without ever telling anyone. I lived in a 8 plex with 7 elderly (60-80) year olds. I had the T’s homes neatly stacked in a large closet and kept the door closed when I wasn’t home. I never had a problem. Except… I live in a cold climate during the winter months and I was ordering 1000 feeder crickets every couple of weeks. I had no way to unpack the crickets because they came in a box with egg cartons and once I opened the shipping box it was crickets everywhere. I couldn’t open the crickets outside because it was freezing. So I used a tall aquarium, put it in the bathtub and dumped the crickets as fast as I could into the aquarium. The crickets that missed would fall into the tub. I didn’t need 1000 crickets but it was the most economical way to feed my T’s. Since I didn’t need all of them, I would wash the extras down the drain. I lived on the second floor. One day in February the ladies were having a get together and all started complaining about adult crickets climbing out all of their drains and running all over their apartments. They couldn’t sleep because of the cricket chirping in their apartments in February. They were totally confused. I could barely keep a straight face but decided to unpack my crickets at my parents place after that because I didn’t want them to fumigate. I lived there a couple of years and no one ever knew I had the T’s except my close friends.
 

357wheelgunner

Arachnobaron
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This is a true story from 10 years ago you might find humorous. I was keeping about 50 adult tarantulas in my apartment without ever telling anyone. I lived in a 8 plex with 7 elderly (60-80) year olds. I had the T’s homes neatly stacked in a large closet and kept the door closed when I wasn’t home. I never had a problem. Except… I live in a cold climate during the winter months and I was ordering 1000 feeder crickets every couple of weeks. I had no way to unpack the crickets because they came in a box with egg cartons and once I opened the shipping box it was crickets everywhere. I couldn’t open the crickets outside because it was freezing. So I used a tall aquarium, put it in the bathtub and dumped the crickets as fast as I could into the aquarium. The crickets that missed would fall into the tub. I didn’t need 1000 crickets but it was the most economical way to feed my T’s. Since I didn’t need all of them, I would wash the extras down the drain. I lived on the second floor. One day in February the ladies were having a get together and all started complaining about adult crickets climbing out all of their drains and running all over their apartments. They couldn’t sleep because of the cricket chirping in their apartments in February. They were totally confused. I could barely keep a straight face but decided to unpack my crickets at my parents place after that because I didn’t want them to fumigate. I lived there a couple of years and no one ever knew I had the T’s except my close friends.

That's friggin hilarious!
 
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