tarantulas in apartment issues?

[ilovebugs]

hey everyone, been away for a while, but I'm back again.

I recently moved to an apartment that "doesn't allow pets"
the ownership of the apartments changed earlier this year. there are a few people that have dogs (2?) that were "grandfathered in" since they were pre-existing.I know one of my neighbors has a cat that the landlord doesn't know about.

they do allow pets if you pay a $500 deposit (non refundable) and $50/mo
As emotionally attatched to them as I am. I don't think my 3 T's are worth that.

but I think I'm going to try keeping them anyway. and if for some reason the landlord ever needs to come by (which they are supposed to call two days in adv.) I can just hide them in the closet or something.

as I said, one of my nieghbors has a kitten, so I think she's way more likely to get caught than I. spiders are silent and almost completely oderless(as long as they are kept clean)

any of you ever tried this? (I know it's been done, so share with me!)

 

[radicaldementia]

I was in a similar situation for several months. Just don't tell the landlord, don't even ask about pets, and be extra careful against escapes. When I moved out of my old apt I had about 5 Ts, a scorp and a few roaches, and my landlord was completely unaware. Now I have like 40 ts and scorps and hundreds of roaches, and my new landlord also is totally unaware (although he probably wouldn't care anyway)

I can say for sure that in my old apt, it wouldn't have even mattered if I payed the pet deposit, there is no way they would have let me keep "dangerous" animals. Some people suggest to try to explain to the landlord the situation, but for me the best option was to just keep quiet.

You only have 3 Ts, so hiding them should be easy.

 

[betuana]

I'd also be very careful about any possible pest treatments the apartment may do. Many apartment companies will by default treat for these things, and the products they use may hurt your Ts.

I might inquire about if they do any such pest prevention treatments, perhaps using the age old excuse of allergic reactions to such things. You might be able to get them to not treat your apartment at all, or at least agree to not treat the bedroom (the place where you sleep - most places that insist on treating will agree to avoid a bedroom if someone says they are sensitive). You could also ask that they please let you know before they treat so that you are prepared in case you have allergic reactions to it. This way, if you keep your Ts in your bedroom (or even a bedroom closet) they shouldn't be exposed to it, and if you can be informed ahead of time you can put a towel under the door to try and keep any of the stuff from drifting into the room, etc.

That would be my main concern with trying to hide something like Ts. They might not be found, but they could be hurt...

Good luck, hopefully you'll be able to find a good place in the future that will allow you to keep your Ts!

 

[Brian S]

In some instances "pets" refer to dogs, cats birds etc however it doesnt always apply to "caged" animals such as fish and bugs. Instead of trying to pull a Slick Willy you might just ask first. You might be good to go.

 

[hasani1408]

you should be fine. you could keep them in your bedroom and put lock on door in case they come in while you are gone. I live in a no pet apartment also but they make exceptions for small animals kept in aquariums . so my landlord is cool with my T's. best to use the no tell policy with most good luck!

 

[gvfarns]

They won't check. And they probably aren't including that kind of pets in their mind. Although they does sound pretty anal. They have to let you know if they are coming in your apartment and they won't be checking closely. if you keep them in your room you'll be fine.

Landlords have lots of rules that even they have no interest in actually enforcing even if they did know about your inverts. They probably have the rule so they can get mad if someone has a really destructive pet.

Think of it this way, what would they do if they did find out...worst case? they'd make you get rid of them, which is what you are contemplating anyway.

 

[Galapoheros]

I agree with what some people are getting at. The reason for the rule is that most pets cost the apartment owner money when you consider rug cleaning or rug replacement between renters ...scratch marks, junk in the grass outside, things like that. Caged animals don't cost the owner anything so if they are reasonable, they shouldn't have a prob with it imo. So you could ask something like this, "What about caged animals 'like fish', ..'something like that'." If they say "that's OK", bring a T in, haha. Kind of sneaky but I think it would cover you pretty well.

 

[quinquestriatus]

When I lived in an apt. I was told I was not allowed to have arachnids do to "liability issues". I owned around fifty. Anytime they needed to come in I hid all arachnids and all reptiles in a closet. When the time came for spraying pesticides I simply walked down to the office and told them I was allergic and they couldn't spray. They don't know any different and they don't want the potential for a lawsuit.

 

[testdasi]

You CAN hide the T's in the closet because I believe they will need a warrant to search. And I don't think they can get a warrant to search your personal belongings for a T, especially if they don't know it's there in the first place.

 

[fishwithoutabik]

I live in an apartment that has a "no exotics" policy. About a week ago, the maintenance man came knocking cause apparently one of my pipes in the bathroom was constantly running water or something.
I said, "yeah you can check it out, hang on just a second, I have to put something on" and I tossed my snakes, and all 40 something spiders into the closet. No issues whatsoever. It's much harder hiding a cat, and in my experience most apartment complexes aren't trying to "find out" about your pets anyways. Of course there are exceptions, however, usually the issues are from a property damage perspective as a few people have pointed out.

 

[Bazzgazm]

i live in an apartment with 500$ deductible and "pet rent" but it applies to dogs and cats


by definition a tarantula is not a pet since it is not domesticated and isn't frequently kept.


either way. they spray the doorway and not the actual apartment. so i've never had a problem with spray, found 1 dead escaped cricket one time near the door.

Other than that.. I keep mine in a closet like area near my bathroom, with a display cabinet, and i've never been bothered.

 

[Radamanthys]

i think they wont care about your T's at all.
but NEVER tell them you breed roaches.
trying explain isnt going to help (unless he is a very comprehensive guy, which i doubt. landlords doesn't seem to be that way, lol)

ignorance + fear of infestation = lots of problems

 

[Autonerd]

I wouldn't worry, I think those "no pets" rules are about pets that can cause damage or an annoyance. Tarantulas don't smell, they don't bark, they don't scratch the paint, they don't pee on the floor or on the neighbor's patio, they don't scratch the drapes, they don't go bananas when a squirrel runs by, they don't growl at the kids down the hall, they don't poo in the common areas, and they won't ruin the carpets if their enclosure gets a crack in it. Aside from the remote possibility of them getting out and scaring your old-lady neighbor into a heart attack, they really can't do much damage compared to most pets.

I would check the local laws and your lease as to whether your landlord can come in without notifying you, or how much notification he/she must give you. Even so, if you have the type of T who hides, you could probably throw a few plants into the cage and pass it off as a terrarium. We live in a (pet-friendly) apartment, and Fifi's cage is on a bookshelf in a dark-ish corner. People come and go and I think most wouldn't notice her unless she was pointed out. Hidden in plain sight, as it were.

Aaron

 

[the nature boy]

When I lived in an apt. I was told I was not allowed to have arachnids do to "liability issues". I owned around fifty. Anytime they needed to come in I hid all arachnids and all reptiles in a closet. When the time came for spraying pesticides I simply walked down to the office and told them I was allergic and they couldn't spray. They don't know any different and they don't want the potential for a lawsuit.

Sounds like the plan. I'd probably also put something on the door stating in large letters "Severely allergic to pesticides--do not spray!" in case word never gets to the company doing the spraying that your apartment is off limits.

--the nature boy

 

[jnfenrir]

Don't tell them. Just don't.

There is a chance that you have one of those ultra-hip, friendly, open-minded landlords who just wants their tenants to be happy and pay the rent on time. Or, you could be like the other 99% of us apartment-dwellers, and have a landlord who is an arachnophobic, misinformed, grouchy sewer matron who can't stand to let a tenant get away with even the smallest of things.

Also remember, you're not talking about some small, harmless caged pet. You're talking about a hideous, giant, evil spider with venom that can kill a man in thirty seconds flat; who will destroy everything in its path until it finds a victim to kill and devour. Yeah, some people think like that.

Think about it this way. If you tell them, they will have no problem just saying no outright, since it might sound like a bad idea to them. But if you get everything set up and they, by the odd chance, find out, you will already have evidence as to why it should no big deal that you keep your T's.

Also, I agree with Radamanthys; DEFINITELY don't mention roaches. If your landlord does find out and asks what tarantulas eat, tell them you feed your T's rats and "the occasional stray kitten", and that if they want your T's gone, they'll have to come pick them up themselves.

In any event, my vote is "don't tell them".

 

[betuana]

Sounds like the plan. I'd probably also put something on the door stating in large letters "Severely allergic to pesticides--do not spray!" in case word never gets to the company doing the spraying that your apartment is off limits.

--the nature boy

I'll second that suggestion. A sign on the door is a good thing. A friend of mine who actually was allergic (she had 1 cat, in a pet friendly place, so that wasn't the issue), had a sign on her door saying "No treatments in this unit" to remind the treating people not to go into her place with it. She never had any problems. But sometimes the people doing the treatment don't keep track of where they can or can't, even if its noted in the office somewhere.

 

[Twitch Boy]

My current landlord didn't allow pets. I mentioned I had a pet tarantula, and that they were a lot like keeping fish. Fish tend to be the exception to most "no pets" rules because they're pretty much stationary and won't harm anything. She let me keep her.

If you choose to get permission, be sure to get it in writing from the landlord in case there's a conflict later. (Mine just made a note on the contract and we both initialed it.)

 

[Hornets23]

Definitely dont tell them. I had six tarantulas for several years at my parents house and THEY never found out.

 

[Tuwin]

We are not allowed pets here including fish because of the water. we are not allowed water beds either.

I have had them in the office without a problem. The maintenance people came in a few times to change our doors and other stuff and never said a word about 'em. I just close the office door

 

[gvfarns]

We are not allowed pets here including fish because of the water. we are not allowed water beds either.

I have had them in the office without a problem. The maintenance people came in a few times to change our doors and other stuff and never said a word about 'em. I just close the office door

I've thought about doing this but I worry about exterminators. I don't know if they spray for bugs at my office. I've never seen it but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.