BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hi so this is technically a bit of a rant, but I hope you'll bear with me. So me and my husband have been looking at owning a blue tongued skink for a few days. We'd been throwing the idea around since we got together but now that we have our own apartment we were ready to make the commitment since we have more space and can afford it. A bit of a preface to the situation: we got out apartment in February and since a month or so after we've moved in the neighbor next to us in our building has been making false accusations about our dog to the landlords, the most recent being that she "tried to bite someone's ankle", mind you we've been with her for every encounter she's had with anyone in the building and she has never tried to bite anyone once. The most she's done is bark. Due to it being winter at the time of move in we weren't able to pick up after our dog until after the snow and rain cleared up, but we did pick up what we could. The neighbor complained and we were told we couldn't have anymore dogs which is completely fine. Now this same neighbor has complained about our dog barking when we're not home (she has separation issues due to being taken from her mother too early when her original owners bought her). Our landlord has told us that if it doesn't stop we will be forced to muzzle our dog. Now onto the reptile issue. I called today to see what the landlords policy was on caged animals due to us wanting to get a skink. The landlord proceeded to scream at me for even asking because she is afraid of them (the landlords live over 2 hours away and only check in maybe every 4-6 months) and told me it would be "cruel" of me to have a reptile. She "apologized" to me saying she only screamed because she had recently found out some unfortunate news (I won't be sharing to protect her privacy) and began explaining poor care of other pet reptiles she's experienced that apparently effect our ability to take care of pets? She then changed the "no more dogs" to no more pets at all because of my neighbors lies. We've been given no chance what so ever to explain what has actually happened due the lying neighbor being the landlords favorite tenant. Me and my husband are entirely unsure what to do and are struggling to figure out what to do. We feel as though we are entirely being singled out and purposefully attacked at this point. Any advice at all would be great and I'd also like to know your opinions on the "cruelty" situation. Thanks so much to anyone who reads this all the way through!

UPDATE: Me and my husband have decided that at the end of our lease we will be buying our own home in order to keep our dog and be able to get a skink. Thank you to everyone who replied! I appreciate everyone's insight on the topic.

Well, I'm aware of your plight as I have been renting since moving from my parent's home in 1978. My current landlord I met and befriended at a herpetology club meeting, therefore there are no issues with reptiles. Obviously your landlord is ignorant and will not change, and if you are not totally attached to your new apartment, the only solution would be to seek another. Seems he or she already has a bug in his butt about you, and issues will only get worse. Believe me, been there. Good luck.

The idea of whether or not it is "cruel" to own captive herps is a complex philosophical issue that calls into question any usage of animals by humans.
However you should look at the wording of your lease. If the lease says no animals without permission, your choices are:
- Give up and don't get a skink
- Get a skink, and hope that you can keep it a secret
- Move

All herpers who live in rental housing grapple with this issue. Most end up buying their own house as soon as possible.

Owning a reptile is only cruel if you rip one out of a tree and throw it in a cage. Captive born reptiles for generations do not know anything other than captivity, and nothing would be more cruel than releasing one into the wild.