[erlese]

I have strained my relationships with women, because I chose my tank set ups and dart frogs to compromise the living space. With racks and tanks. Has your hobby and habits challenged you with keeping up with your own relationships?? Very curious to hear your experiences. What has your wife, girlfriend or boyfriend told you? Let the honesty begin!

My girlfriend dumped me :-( she couldn't take my two racks in the living room!!

 

[D3monic]

After keeping and breeding marine fish my wife loves my frogs...not so much rouge ff's but at least the frogs don't take up ALL my spare time.

Fish had me waking up early in the morning , Feeding Mandarin fry, phyto cultures, rotifer cultures, copopods...going to work, getting home, cleaning the tanks, testing water, water changes, monitoring fish breeding, collecting eggs, getting pictures, videos, microscope shots.....ect ect oh and updating 13 fish related forums....


all i got to do with frogs is push a button to mist, feed every couple of days and wipe the glass off and feed the tadpoles once a week or two and dealing with only 2-3 frog related forums.

Shes much happier now

 

[Azurel]

That sucks bro....I have been there with an old girl friend and my marine reef hobby. She didn't want me to bring it to "our" apartment but wasn't a chance in hell that was happening.

We did end up breaking up due to many issues but one was the amount of money I was spending on corals. For months before we broke up I started having problems with my reef. Algae growing out of control corals dying, little did I know is she was/had dropped pennies into the back of my rock work slowly releasing copper into my system. I didn't find that out till it was broke down and I was moving out....I am now married and the reef display was not a problem nor the money I spent on it....The reef is now a main vivarium display and she loves the frogs and don't care that I have added a rack system to the basement and many frogs soon to come....

It will get better man, atleast you still have your frogs...Maybe the next one will like the frogs and not care.

 

[D3monic]

maybe he should start mingling at some local reptile shows....

 

[james67]

it can be a strain, but its also been quite helpful (for me at least) to have something to do, other than spend time with the girlfriend. gives me a nice balance that they appreciate as well. it can be hard to keep things in perspective, i know my ex loved that i had something to keep me occupied while she went and did whatever, but hated my working on anything frog related while she was around. im lucky enough to have recently found someone who appreciates my hobbies and is even planning my next tank w/ me.

as they say, there are plenty more fish in the sea, or possibly in this case, more frogs in the forest

james

 

[Ed]

When we bought the house we divided up the space.. other than my office and the basement, my wife has control of the rest of the house. Since she is also a ZooKeeper that helped right from the start.

Ed

 

[salix]

The man I was seeing lured me into moving in with him by walling off half of his workshop, insulating it, putting in a sink and turning it into a frog room.

He's now my husband,

To the OP, you just need to keep looking.

Deb

 

[ChrisK]

maybe he should start mingling at some local reptile shows....

Yeah there are some extremely hot girls at those, but they're usually with guys.

I got a rule of no perfume etc in my place, imagine how well that goes over for a single dude in NY not to mention the tanks are all in the living room so ff escapees are bound to get on them - they just gotta deal...............

 

[ruthieb]

maybe he should start mingling at some local reptile shows....

I have three vivs in my living room and plans for one or two more. Actually four if you include my plant start tank. I want them there so I can enjoy them!
This post reminds me of my own ex. We met while I was walking five dogs. Three were mine, the other two I was sitting for...long story short we moved in together, he complained about the dogs and after a few years we broke up. I never could figure out what it is with people who try to change their partners.
Anyway, the dogs are still here ;~)
I try to mingle at as many reptile shows as possible....!

 

[SamsonsFrogs]

I got lucky. I had three racks in my bedroom. I guess you could have called it the frog room with a bed in it. Lol she even stated at one point that I should move all my racks to the living room so people can see the tanks and frogs. It was under a 1k square ft. apt. Still can't believe howe much stuff I had crammed into that place.

Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using Tapatalk

 

[mordoria]

My GF loves the frogs. She says the tanks make her feel tropical (which is nice living in tiny apartments). I glad she supports it. If its important to you, I think your mate should enjoy it too. Maybe some are not as lucky as I but I think that if your hobby consumes a lot of your time, then you partner needs to accet that before moving into a bigger relationship. Some people raise frogs for 20+ years. Most relationships end in less then 1-2 years.

 

[Kaity]

I think it is important to have a partner that is equally passionate about a hobby as you are so you can both do your own things. I love the frogs. My boyfriend loves metal working for HOURS on end. When he is working in his shop...I'm messing with frogs. Works out great.

Side note: I had him babysit for a week while I was traveling and he fell in love with my Green Sips. They are the most bold frogs I have and he said he would just keep feeding them over and over so he could watch them. Moral of the story: to get your mate to like the frogs...make them babysit!

 

[DJboston]

I get hell all the time from my fiance. When I got back into the hobby, she freaked out when I set up a third tank. Now I have 30 plus frogs and she has her own. She drove with me to frog day and had a great time, so she's obviously starting to give in and embrace the fact that I have a hobby. It's gotten 10X better than it was at first. Once she felt involved, that was the end of it.

 

[SmackoftheGods]

You can find another girl, you can't find another hobby this awesome. Its all about priorities.... Then again, what do I know? I've been single for more than four years. If companionship is important to you, you should probably never take my advise about anything regarding your personal life :/

 

[stemcellular]

My wife was with me when I stumbled upon a pair of mantellas a few years ago...

Not only has she been awesome about my growing collection, she actually brags about it. While she complains about the occasional flies, i really couldn't ask for a more supportive spouse. Heck, she let me run off to Peru last year and this year to CR and Panama over our anniversary. That said, I'm supportive of her work, interests, etc. Successful relationships are always predicated on balance. Be yourself and you will find someone that appreciates you not only for your interests, ie. Frogs, but for the substance that is the basis of your interests (inquisitiveness, passion, etc). Good luck

 

[Groundhog]

Mixed feelings here:

1) I'm waay older than all of you, and you must believe that, back in the day, this was a truly chickless hobby--not unlike the "Triumph at Star Wars" skit.

2) Also, not only are most of the girls with guys, but no one seems to wear a $#@# ring. So I shall be chatting up some buxom skirt--ostensibly about agamids or epiphytes--when 10-15 minutes later, her man strolls by. I shall never get those 10-15 min back...

3) Um, is there a possibility of proportion and compromise? I mean, 8 tanks and not 80? Is it possible?

But as for sharing, remember: "A dame with a rod is like a guy with a knitting needle"--Which is another way of saying, some people really do have black thumbs.

 

[erlese]

You can find another girl, you can't find another hobby this awesome. Its all about priorities.... Then again, what do I know? I've been single for more than four years. If companionship is important to you, you should probably never take my advise about anything regarding your personal life :/

Hahaha. " you can find another girl, you can't find another hobby" Very true!! Almost a good Dendroboard themed slogan you came up with.

 

[BOOSHIFIED]

As with most hobbies in most cases it is not the hobby itself but the time Nd money spent on the hobby.

If your hobby has taken over your life to where you don't have enough time to spend with "family" then maybe it is time to scale back. Loved ones want to feel MORE love then you give to your hobby.

 

[erlese]

I get hell all the time from my fiance. When I got back into the hobby, she freaked out when I set up a third tank. Now I have 30 plus frogs and she has her own. She drove with me to frog day and had a great time, so she's obviously starting to give in and embrace the fact that I have a hobby. It's gotten 10X better than it was at first. Once she felt involved, that was the end of it.

That's awesome!! I should have told my girl " hey.. At least my hobby is not porn" you would think out of all the guys ( and girls too in the world that are obsessed with it. She would be proud I chose frogs instead. Ok. So there's some soft frog porn ( for non-competition breeding purposes. ;-)

I'm going to the zoo or reptile show in New England. Survey the areas. I need to Marry a zookeeper ( like Ed did) which I think is what I need. Girls that love animals are awesome!!

Love hearing your input everyone!! Seriously!! everyones experiences are unique!!

 

[earthfrog]

My husband couldn't care less for the frogs' brilliant colors and patterns. The only one he likes is the blackish melanistic one.
However, our three boys love the frogs!

I am also limited to the four frog and two plant tanks I have now.

While we are dimetrically opposed, I love him and would never choose a frog over him. He is a rarity, a gentleman in this world of punks I didn't marry him for his love of animals, but for his love of me.

I'd get rid of them if he asked me to. I'm also glad that he is patient enough with my tanks and FF escapees not to ban frogs completely. But soon I will have more space for frogs I think...

There is someone out there for everyone if they are patient.