My friend won’t let me bring my gecko to her house. Aibu?

[IndraOnTheMountain]

I’m going to visit my friend for the weekend soon with my kids.

We have to look after the school gecko for half term, so I asked if we could bring him with us. He’s very small and his tank is only shoe box sized so this seemed quite reasonable to me.

She responded in an extremely abrupt way to say that I couldn’t bring him and would need to find another arrangement. She was particularly irate about the idea I would need to bring live crickets to feed him with. I reassured her that feeding geckos crickets is totally ethical, and that they are in an escape proof container but she was resolute. Tbh I think she was drunk.

I feel really hurt that she wouldn’t allow what seems like quite a small request! If she wanted to bring her gecko to my house I would be totally okay with that. It’s very inconvenient for me too, I think that she just doesn’t value my time or friendship. I’m already having to make arrangements for my dog and chickens when we go to visit so the gecko is just a step too far.

Aibu?

The thing is not everyone adores animals and wants them in their house. And that's okay.

I would probably be all right with the gecko but I'd be bloody horrified if someone brought crickets!!

@MintyGreenDream I had the exact same thought, I suspect it is an episode of Peppa!!

The man and the chicken cross the river, (the fox and corn are safe together), he leaves the chicken on the other side and goes back across.

The man then takes the fox across the river, and since he can't leave the fox and chicken together, he brings the chicken back.

Again, since the chicken and corn can't be left together, he leaves the chicken and he takes the corn across and leaves it with the fox.
He then returns to pick up the chicken and heads across the river one last time

Sorted if for you ⬆️

🤣🤣🤣

Are you having a laugh, it is her house and her rules, you and your gecko would definitely NOT be welcome to my house ever.

Is it just me, or has the word Gecko begun to lose all meaning now it's been used about a thousand times?

gecko
gecko
gecko

It's like Weebl/Badger Badger Badger and 2003 all over again.

I hope when it's time for her to visit yours, it's her turn for the school lion

No photo of the gecko. Interesting.
Can anybody else see the gecko, or is it just you? Have you been inhaling chicken feed?

YABU to keep a Gecko in a shoe box sized enclosure!!!

@Pownumb

YABU Pj mask can stay at home with chickaletta and the paw patrol

Who told you that thing on the sofa was a chicken?

My friend will look after it for you, she brought one back from Barbados in her luggage, it was asleep in her massive bra lol

Hypothetically though - if she had a gecko I would be very welcoming to it.

Well of course you would - you like animals in your house. But not everyone's the same, OP.

She's entitled to set her own boundaries, especially in her own home, and she is perfectly reasonable for telling you she doesn't want you bringing random animals into her home for the weekend.

Our chickens like to come inside and lie on the sofa (see the picture!) so it had never crossed my mind that a small gecko in a tank wouldn’t be welcome!

I'm you do realise that her house isn't your house don't you? And that people have different limits on what they have in their homes? For example I'd rather shit on my hands and clap than have a fucking chicken on my sofa but each to their own.

@Pownumb

YABU Pj mask can stay at home with chickaletta and the paw patrol

🤣🤣🤣🤣

This thread has to go into Classics

A friend brought a gecko to my house when she stayed, I thought it was adorable. I didn't mind at all.

@GlitteryUnicornSparkles

YABU to keep a Gecko in a shoe box sized enclosure!!!

Ah bugger, I was going to say this!!

People can be weird when it comes to some animal species. Where do you live? I'm a petsitter and would love to look after a little gecko 🥰

@BruceAndNosh

Can't the person who is looking after your unicorn also gecko-sit?

well played, very well played!

Good god no. I don’t even want my guests to bring their dogs and I love dogs (other people’s dogs, and not in my house). I wouldn’t have a lizard and I would not have a box of insects brought into my home. Utterly bizarre that you a) think this is ok and b) find it strange that no one wants a lizard and crickets in their house.

If I was a parent at that school I’d be unimpressed at a class gecko being sent home. I hope parents get to opt out!

Presumably you're also bringing the chickens?

Well it’s the class gecko so I don’t have him here yet.. when I do I’ll update with a photo.

The situation has deteriorated. She’s messaged me to say “absolutely no alive animals” - it’s a bit beyond the pale to make jokes about pet death. Especially when it comes to animals we’ve been given such a big responsibility for. I’m quite shocked.
She did apologise for this comment after but I’m still quite upset about it, it seems a bit much really.

Most odd, you’re not usually allowed reptiles in schools.

You’re really missing the point aren’t you - you’re going to HER house so it’s completely up to her what’s acceptable and what’s not. You might find it completely fine to host a menagerie for the weekend but she obviously doesn’t so on that basis, she isn’t being unreasonable and you definitely are. Her house, her rules.

As as evidenced by the replies on this thread, I think most people would feel the same!