I know this is morally wrong. And I hate it. I’m only 15, and I obviously live with my parents. 3 years ago, I really wanted a turtle, done all my research, and was prepared for one. Keep in mind I also had a hamster and I have a cat. So one day, I saw this stand selling baby turtles in tiny little plastic boxes and I knew I wanted to save one. I knew it was a red eared slider and it was going to get big
I went out and got a 10 gallon tank and a few other turtle supplies. At the time, I didn’t know basking lamps and heat lamps were two different things, so my turtle lived with no UVB for one year. The second year, I noticed he grew less than an inch, which I was very concerned about, so I looked more into UVB. I realized I had been technically been abusing him because he had no was to absorb calcium, and so he couldn’t grow at all.
So I asked my parents if I could get him a uvb light and clamp lamp. They said no, because they said they are the same thing as normal lightbulbs. I kept trying to argue with them because I really did care about my turtle. I didn’t get one for another year. But I also tried to get him a larger tank. Apparently just because a turtle fits inside a tank makes it fine. Every time I tried to get him a larger tank, and we would go to the store they would say they needed to “think about it”. This also progressed for a year.
Every time I tried to make his life better they didn’t let me. Right now he’s only 3 inches and has a curled shell. I blame it on them, because they never let me care for him properly. He has been in a 10 gallon for 3 years and he was deprived of care for his whole life. I wanted to give him away to a home that knew what they were doing, but my parents wouldn’t let me.
So in the 3 year span, my hamster died and I got a fish. I loved that fish. But my parents never let me get it a filter for its tank. They said he was fine. So every day I did a 25% water change. He got very sick, and my parents blamed me. I was so upset. Them my cat ate him. I was devastated.
Fast forward to this year may. I was ready for another hamster. I built my own cage and I got glass for it. It was about the size of a 40 gallon tank, a little bigger. I had everything ready for my new hamster. I brought home a Roborovski hamster, which I didn’t expect to be cuddly. But she was. She was one in a million and she was my anchor to the world.
I struggled with depression since 6th grade, but my parents never understood. They acted it was my fault, and I used to self harm as well. They would tell me I was stupid for doing that, and when I told them I had suicidal thoughts, they didn’t take it seriously. My doctor told me I should be in therapy, but my parents never took me.
Through all this, I found that when I had a little buddy it really prevented my suicidal thoughts. Like I said, this little hamster was my whole entire world, and I loved her with al my heart. So you can imagine the pain I felt when my parents told me my cat killed my hamster. I never made a lid for my hamster because she was in a room and at night we would shut the door, but we fostered a dog that my cat was scared of so my cat lost interest in my hamster. A week after the dog was gone, my cat somehow jumped in the cage and brought my hamster out.
My parents told me she was dead in the middle of the floor. This was just two days ago. I know my cat played with her like a toy and when my Winnie died she was scared and in pain. And alone. I hate myself for it. I feel empty without her, but my parents never let me grieve. They told me she’s dead and there’s nothing I can do so I should stop being sad.
So today, I convinced them to buy a 40 tank for my turtle over the weekend. But, my mom said if I get the tank I can’t have any other animal. I don’t want to think about another animal right now because of my hamster, but I know I will want one in the future. I’m happy they’re letting him have a larger tank, it’s just he’s not the right fit for me because I know he can never have the right care.
This is horrible, but I was wondering if I should just give him away to someone that can give him care and love for the rest of his life and I can find an animal for me. I only have 4 years left with my parents but I don’t have an anchor anymore but I don’t want another hamster because I’m scared of hurting it. I was thinking of a rabbit but I don’t want to think of animals right now.
This is a really long post and it skips a lot but I really cried over this because I realized I shouldn’t have anymore parts and I tortured them for my own selfish needs. But I also don’t know what I would do without one because it really helped with my mental heath but my mom just thinks I’m greedy with animals but I’m not.
I’m sorry for making this long but I really needed to tell someone this.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/hvm6kn/is_it_okay_if_i_give_away_my_turtle_and_find_an/
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