How to Convince a Parent?

[Ruby]

Hey! Sorry I haven't been on in a while, school and whatnot, you know? Reico's doing well, but I just had to clear an impaction of his! He didn't poop for several weeks! I was able to clear it by force-feeding him a mixture of vegetable oil and water with a syringe, and by giving him warm baths in the sink. It was cleared in around 2-3 days. Next month will mark our 1 year anniversary(ha ha). I love him to bits, and hope that he can be my college pet in a few years when i graduate high school.

On another note, and why I posted in this section of threads, I want a firebelly newt so badly. I've had 2 before, but both escaped, dried out and died. Christmas is upcoming, and I need help convincing my mom to get me another one. I know a pet store a 20 minute drive away from my house, and it is a local excellent place to shop for pets, supplies, etc.. An in-tank filter costs only $15, and that is essentially all that is needed, apart from the newt, of course. I have a secure 5 gallon tank, which I kept the first of my newts in for 2 months successfully, before unbeknownst to me my mom tried to feed him and left the lid wide open. I also have substrate, a basking rock, and a heater. I know how to feed them and what food to buy for them, too.

Obviously, I can see why my mom would be kind of unwilling to get me another. But the first time was, well, her fault. The second time, the newt escaped through the filter, which hung open on the back of the tank. Remember, this was when I was in grade 8, and I am now well into tenth grade. I've matured, and am now checking out how to prevent escaping, even though the five gallon is entirely secure. Any tips on convincing my mother? I know exactly how to house newts now, and will never allow that kind of mistake again!

 

[Ruby]

Isn't this tokay obese?

 

[Ruby]

One more post, the second accident happened out of a ten gallon tank.

 

[Ruby]

LAST POST
Reico will shortly be off of the calcium sand.

 

[Amanda1]

Could you possibly buy the newt yourself? Then you don't have to worry about getting permission.

Glad Reico's getting off the calcium sand. The sooner the better, especially if he's had an impaction already.

 

[Ruby]

That's a pretty good idea! I do have money saved up. Yeah, that sand has to go.

 

[Caleb C]

My parents would never let me get anything without their permission, even if i'm using my own money. Glad they let me get most fair priced items at reptile shows though

 

[Ruby]

Same here, actually. I could get a yes and just pay for it myself

 

[Caleb C]

My mom will pretty much only let me get it if she thinks they're cute.

 

[Geckomaster743]

Well, for one my parents regret buying me what ever they have bought me because all my pets are so time consuming. Each one of them has to be hand fed so I cant leave a bowl in there with out Worms escaping or them pooping in the bowl. What you have to do is just name the Advantages over the Disadvantages. Like, I can pay for it, They dont stink, They dont poop alot, They eat very little, They are very cute. Idk how you would prevent them from escaping! Good luck

 

[Ruby]

I've got a 20 gallon with a screen lid and no gaps, so that's what I'll house mine in. I think my mom's opening up to the idea.

 

[Caleb C]

Great, just google some of the cuter pics you can find, like for leos, i showed heer how they look like they're smiling.
Darkmaster, why don't you get a lee's mealworm dish? It's useful and cheap.

 

[Geckomaster743]

Yeah but my geckos dont really pay attention to food unless they see me drop it in there. I'll try it, Thanks Caleb

 

[Caleb C]

I usually leave the bowls in overnight, they're gone by morning.

 

[Ruby]

My mom is pretty much saying yes. There's a place called Big Al's near my house, where I'll buy the newt and filter. I've got some artificial floating plants, Terracotta dishes, rocks and an empty fish bowl to put in the tank so far.

 

[Amanda1]

Nice! Would you mind posting pictures of your setup when you're done? I had a couple firebelly newts when I was a kid, but they didn't last long so I obviously was doing something wrong. I'd like to see how to set them up right, since they're adorable and I'll probably end up with more some day.

 

[Ruby]

Nice! Would you mind posting pictures of your setup when you're done? I had a couple firebelly newts when I was a kid, but they didn't last long so I obviously was doing something wrong. I'd like to see how to set them up right, since they're adorable and I'll probably end up with more some day.

Sure thing! I'll probably add some living plants after the newt's adjusted to his water conditions, tank size, etc.. Did you ever handle them when you had them?

 

[Amanda1]

I did handle them, probably way more than I should have (I was about 6 years old at the time, didn't know any better). They may have been picked on by their tank mates too (fish and fiddler crabs).

 

[Ruby]

Both of those factors were probably what did them in. Newts have thin skin that gets dehydrated very easily, so the repeated handling took a lot of moisture out of them and probably stressed them out. The fiddler crabs may have pinched them, and depending what type of fish you had, this bugged them also. But you were just a kid

 

[Geckotopia]

Haha.... I reassure parents they are doing the right thing when they buy an appropriately aged child a crestie from me. I point out that my mother said "Absolutely NO!!" to letting me have a reptile growing up..... I now have a room full. ;-) Say yes now, and it will scratch the itch at a reasonable level, lol.