Empty Tank Syndrome...

[Foofy_Miru]

This odd-sounding compound noun is possibly the best thing I've ever heard to describe the horrible, tearing feeling a herp/fish/rodent/bird keeper may get when s/he receives, empties, or finds an (uninhabited) enclosure. Nearly every true small animal "keeper" has experienced this feeling, and fully understands the dangers that come with it. ETS normally results in a new addition (or additions) to the family, though some brave few are able to suppress the urge and hide or sell the problematic enclosure.

For some not-so-strong keepers, ETS kicks in even before the enclosure in question is emptied or acquired. I know I'm one of those: the prospect of clearing up 75 and 20 gallon aquariums excites me and drives me to contemplate what to put in such an enclosure for days on end--even months before the enclosure is emptied.

If you have not yet experienced this, and wish to know the feeling, take a moment to imagine upgrading your current small animal to a new, larger enclosure. Then try to imagine what you would do with the newly vacated enclosure... Do you feel it now? Do you feel that terrible pull?

So? What do you folks do with your empty enclosures? Do you suffer from ETS?


I believe a support group should exist for this terrible Syndrome.

Hello, everyone. My name is Taylor, and I have Empty Tank Syndrome.  

[Shanna66]

hello, my internet name is shanna66 and i have empty tank syndrome too.

as ive said before, ive always got ETS, im one of those who plans months ahead of having a spare tank for what to put in it. my solution is to hide my spare tanks in the attic where i cant reach them. sadly though alot of times they dont make it to the attic in time and end up getting filled with someone or something.

with my spare rat cages i have to keep reminding myself that i need them to be empty because they are perfect travel cages. ive got 6 rats and alltogether 5 cages, one being the huge critter nation that 5 of them live in, and one being a decent sized cage for my loner. the other 4 are the vacation cages. its hard to keep reminding myself that i cant use them. im also a victem of GGMR, gotta get more rats, and have to keep reminding myself that the 6 i have already take up most of my free time with their cuteness whee

the tanks are the worst for me though just because there are so many tank animals that i love, hermit crabs, fish, and of course herps


but ive read about a safe solution to ETS. there is this woman who makes small animal enclosures for tiny stuffed animals that she makes. she even makes felt backgrounds and waterfalls, even containers of food. all you do is tell her the size of your tanks and what you want. i cant remember her name or her web page but once i find it again i may be ordering quite a bit of stuff from her. andits great because then all your tanks are filled and none of the animals need any sort of attention  

[Sarahmooo]

Hello.
My name is Sarah, and I used to have ETS.
But, I've recovered from it.
It was so hard D:
lol, me and my mom really used to be baaad about that.
But since she got sick we've had to learn to control ourselves xD

 

[Foofy_Miru]

Hello, Shanna and Sarah!

Shanna. It's so good to find someone who understands my other "Syndrome." Alongside ETS, I also suffer "PMS"... Please More Snakes. As for the woman with the fake tank-fillers.. I think that would make things worse on my end. I would stare. And stare. And want it to become real. Until, one day, the stuffed animal and its felt furnishings would mysteriously become a living herp and its wood and plastic furnishings. o.O

Perhaps a solution to your traveling cage... Dilemma. Break them! Make them good for travel.. But unsuitable for long-term inhabitants. That's how I've solved my FTKKWC (Fill That Kritter Keeper With Crestie(s))... I have 3 "Kritter Keepers", in addition to various tupperwares, that I use as feeding tubs for two of my corn snakes and a boa. The solution? I accidentally (seriously!) dropped each of them at least once. Two have "busted" corners and the other has a cracked corner and various chips and scratches. (I'm very clumsy.)

Sarah. I someday hope to be as strong as you. (Or do I???) How do you do it? Resist ETS like that?


But, yeah. I've got a serious problem on my hands. I have a 75 gallon and a 20 gallon High that are soon going to be unoccupied... And I don't know what to put in them. Dangerous stuff, man. Dangerous stuff! I'm leaning toward a Crestie for the 20H.

But, I'm torn on what to do with the 75. Do I sell it and a disused stand for some extra monies, or do I go against all better judgement and get some sort of lizard for it??? I DO need something to help keep Man Ray's roach colony in check when I get it going--Lord knows that sickly little beardie can't handle it on his own... But what do I do??? Do I get a BTS? Do I split it in half and get two fat tails??? AAAGGGHHH! The biggest curse of ETS! Indecision!!! *sob*  

[ParrotTamer]

o-O
Ya'll have problems. Lmao. Jk.
I gave my empty tank to my step-dad's, brother's, daughter.
She's getting a snake soon.
-shrug-

 

[Foofy_Miru]

Make sure she researches first! Snakes are the beeest. =D  

[Sarahmooo]

@ Foofy,
They really are.
Omg! What item is that snake?
I must have it!

Annnnyways lol
I have to get used to empty tanks.
If I don't I'm just going to get a new pet and have to re-home it a week later lol

 

[Foofy_Miru]

Skittleo

@ Foofy,
They really are.
Omg! What item is that snake?
I must have it!

Annnnyways lol
I have to get used to empty tanks.
If I don't I'm just going to get a new pet and have to re-home it a week later lol

"Boa Constrictor". (What an original name!) It's from the Animal Quackers thing... (Though I cheated, and just bought the item on the marketplace for about 60k less than buying and dealing with the "Animal Quackers" bs) Isn't it great??? =D

Aww, that would be sad. I've thought about going a similar route sometimes when I see boas and the like in need on CL... Getting them out of the bad situation, "fixing" them, and then turning them right back out to capable keepers--active rescue, basically. I don't have that kind of time/money/facility, though, and I'd probably end up keeping everything. Maybe in 10 years when I hit the million dollar lotto, I'll do it. xP  

[Sarahmooo]

They really are =D
I have to learn to have empty tanks lol
It's really frustrating xD

 

[Foofy_Miru]

Skittleo

They really are =D
I have to learn to have empty tanks lol
It's really frustrating xD

Yus, it is. I keep trying to tell myself I have to sell the 75 gallon when Man Ray is done with it. The last thing I need is another lizard/big snake!!

I also need to sell most everything else, and a few snakes... I WILL have my crestie and a fat tail gecko, but that's IT for right now. You know, other than the keepers when I breed Yelina and Hansel (corn snakes) this year. (Hey, there's another one for the Christmas thread--Hansel is getting sex for Christmas! I brumated them super-early so I could breed them this month... Though their babies are still going to be too late for the school project I was going to use the results for...)  

[Sarahmooo]

Oh no..
We found empty bird cages.
Now my empty cage syndrome is acting up.
But then.. We did just have to board the birds yesterday, so I'm definitely not getting any new ones.

 

[Foofy_Miru]

Skittleo

Oh no..
We found empty bird cages.
Now my empty cage syndrome is acting up.
But then.. We did just have to board the birds yesterday, so I'm definitely not getting any new ones.

You can fight it!!!

Just...

Whatever you do...

Do NOT go on your local Craigslist or Kijiji to look at homeless birds! o.o  

[Sarahmooo]

I've never heard of Kijiji! D:
Now I want to look.
But I know better.
-self control-
Wooooooosaaaa

 

[Foofy_Miru]

Kijiji is kind of like CL but a lot less strict and more welcoming to "breeders". I don't go on it much... There's rarely a snake there, let alone one that hasn't already been posted on CL. (In my area, anyway.) Not a huge, horrible temptation unless you're resisting puppies and kittens. Check it out when you have all empty enclosures (temptation) removed from the house and no money in the bank...  

[Sarahmooo]

Foofy_Miru

Kijiji is kind of like CL but a lot less strict and more welcoming to "breeders". I don't go on it much... There's rarely a snake there, let alone one that hasn't already been posted on CL. (In my area, anyway.) Not a huge, horrible temptation unless you're resisting puppies and kittens. Check it out when you have all empty enclosures (temptation) removed from the house and no money in the bank...

But..
I'm trying to get a German Shepherd puppy D:
Well.
I say I am, but I know if I don't wait at least a few months before getting him I'll just have to re-home him or kill my mom. .__.