Sharing the fridge with roommates can be a nightmare situation.
There is rarely ever enough room for everything needed.
And some roommates store things in the fridge that can stir up some drama.
Fridge wars are a real thing.
Redditor Rare-Paint3719 wanted to discuss her experience and get some feedback, so naturally, she came to the "Am I The A**hole" (AITA) subreddit.
She asked:
""AITA for throwing out my roommate's 'collection' after she kept putting it in our shared fridge?"
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
"I (26 F[emale]) have lived with my roommate (27 F) for about 8 months. "
"She works at a wildlife rehab and is into taxidermy as a hobby, and it's fine cuz I don't care what she does in her own room."
"The issue is she started keeping 'specimens,' various birds and small animals she would find, in Ziploc bags in our shared fridge, the same place I keep all my food, condiments, and whatnot."
"I first found out about this when I opened the fridge and grabbed out what I thought was leftover chicken."
"I nearly threw up before I even processed what I was looking at."
"It was a dead bird, wrapped in plastic, with a sticky note on it that said 'DO NOT EAT. DAY 3.' "
"I told her to keep all her corpses in the mini fridge in her room and away from my food. "
"She said the fridge in her room isn't cold enough for 'proper preservation before the tanning process,' and that the bags were sealed, so I'm just overreacting over nothing."
"A few days go by."
"I was pulling some milk out of the fridge to brew some coffee when I saw one of her 'specimens' right next to the milk."
"That was it."
"I told her that I want all her 'specimens' out of the fridge by the end of the day, or I'm calling the landlord and reporting a health code violation."
"She was furious, said I ruined 'weeks of curing work' and that some of those finds were irreplaceable."
"I spoke to one of my friends, and she thinks I should've just spoken to my roommate about it more, rather than force her to empty the fridge cuz she works with dead animals for a living."
The OP was left to wonder:
"So am I the a**hole?"
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed in on some options to the question, AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You're The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
- INFO - More Information Needed
Many Redditors declared that OP was NOT the A**hole.
"NTA, she can buy another fridge."
"Would you keep hazardous chemicals in the fridge with your food just because they are sealed? No?"
"Then why dead animals?" ~ goofy-goober890
"Your friend says you should've talked to her first, but you literally did."
"She just didn't like your answer and continued doing it anyway. NTA." ~ OfficialBroccoliRob
"You can tell her that it's a rule/regulation in science that no food is ever stored in the same fridge as specimens."
"We have signs everywhere and regular inspections."
"Her specimens should be treated the same way." ~ dorsalhippocampus
"NTA -Dead dove, do not eat." ~ ineverbot
"I run an animal rescue from my house."
"We keep any and all animal-related items in a designated fridge/freezer."
"It’s just not sanitary to have that kind of stuff next to your food." ~ raptor_love
"NTA. Also, I'm a biologist."
"The Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the US prohibits possession of most native birds and their parts."
"There are similar laws in other countries."
"At best, she's creating a safety hazard (specimens should not be kept where food is stored)."
"At worst, she's committing a crime against federal law." ~ derberner90
"NTA. Look up the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (if in the US)."
"It’s very likely she is NOT allowed to possess these birds."
"Not to discount what you’re going through, but it’s beyond birds in your fridge." ~ xANTJx
"Dear Lord."
"She’s finding, presumably not killing them herself, dead things."
"Bringing them into a shared living space and forcing you to deal with them."
"Not to yuk her yum, but that’s a hobby for someone living alone."
"I bet you don’t even notice the smell anymore."
"Because it’s there." ~ Fromdustcomesdreams
"Hey there, OP. I would make a phone call to her superiors at the wildlife rehab where she works - or even pay them a visit - and discuss with them exactly what is taking place in your refrigerator so that they may have a conversation with her about animal law, appropriate licensure, and animal respect."
"What your roommate is doing is wrong on a very large scale." ~ _bufflehead
"NTA. You did talk; she tried to convince you to keep the status quo that worked for her."
"She can get a colder fridge for her room and keep specimens out of communal spaces where they risk a health and safety hazard." ~ lemon_charlie
"OMG NTA."
"I am a collector of a similar variety, and I also live in a shared house."
"I never even bring dead things inside (!!) until they are sealed in a bucket with their chemical bath for whitening (which means they are clean or all soft tissue)."
"ALL of the other steps are handled OUTSIDE and away from the windows."
"I’m a weirdo, and I know it; I completely understand that not everyone has my comfort with dead stuff."
"And even with that, I would NEVER bring dead things into my kitchen, let alone store them in my fridge."
"That is so, so gross." ~ magicmavenhart
"I guarantee you the place she works/volunteers would fire her a** if they caught her putting specimens in the break room fridge."
"That is so unsanitary and disgusting."
"All you did was clean the fridge."
"If she needs to keep specimens cold, she should buy a separate fridge for her room."
"So disgusting. NTA." ~ Cabanna1968
"NTA. If she is serious about her hobby, she can purchase the correct tools/materials for said hobby."
"A small deep freeze or better mini fridge is not a huge investment."
"This is such a crazy health risk."
"I promise you won't find lunch meat in a professional taxidermist's specimen fridge." ~ 2old2bThisDumb
"NTA. I say this as a person who also dabbled in taxidermy."
"We never keep our specimens in the same fridge as food."
"It's a serious health risk, and one of the most basic rules of the hobby." ~ Nocitae
"NTA. Every lab has a separate fridge for specimens, away from kitchen and food fridges."
"It's a health hazard."
"Tell her if she wants to be serious in her chosen field, then she can update her fridge for colder preservation but still needs to adhere to proper safety protocols." ~ marieskis
"NTA!!! Legit taxidermists do not keep their work in the same fridge as their/others' personal food."
"That's a biohazard and just plain gross."
"Also, is she doing the taxidermy in your apartment???"
"Cause, ya, no?"
"That needs to stop if so."
"If not, and she has a space she works out of, then she needs to get a fridge for there." ~ here_kitkittkitty
"NTA. She needs to get her own fridge to store outside or in a garage or something."
"One of my housemates also collects dead animals and stuff, and he keeps them in his own fridge outside." ~ 4lienviking
"NTA. NoNoNoNo."
"I know plenty of folks who’d have specimens to articulate or taxidermy or study."
"Specimens Do Not Ever go in the Food fridge."
"Especially specimens of animals that may carry pests and pathogens."
"No science in the food fridge."
"She can buy a dorm fridge for her hobby."
"Also, if you’re in the US, the birds are illegal unless they’re domesticated." ~ Meghanshadow
"NTA. The Department of Health would probably have a sh*t fit if this was done in your local restaurant."
"So why should the average person have to put up with it at home?" ~ PartyPlay5056
"NTA, and I'd also go as far as to report her to her workplace."
"There is no chance she is supposed to be bringing home dead animals, especially given the callous and irresponsible way in which she has done so."
"As other commenters have mentioned, she is very likely committing federal crimes." ~ wvlftooth
"NTA. I worked in a biology lab and a zoo, and you do not put specimens and food in the same fridge or freezer, ever."
"If they were 'irreplaceable,' she should have taken better care of them and put them someplace safe — which would not be the same fridge where you are storing food."
"Her actions are putting your health and hers at risk." ~ matchy_blacks
"As another person who works in rehab and has an oddities hobby, I would never keep my specimens in a shared room. NTA."
"She needs to replace her wonky fridge and stop overfilling it if it’s not keeping things cold enough." ~ RPG_add1ct
"Not only hell no, but aw hell naw!"
"That sh*t ain't staying near the food I pay for to eat daily!"
"No, no no, not only no, hell f**king no."
"I'm so grossed out by this, I feel the need to take a scalding hot shower... just... ewww!
"NTA, emphatically NTA." ~ XRaiderV1
"You're NTA for refusing to share fridge space with dead animals next to your food after she ignored your clear request to keep them out." ~ LacyFawnnie
"NTA: animals for taxidermy should not be in the same fridge as good food."
"That is absolutely unacceptable." ~ IGotOverGreta
Reddit is with you, OP.
Your roommate's behavior is not sanitary and rude.
You have every right to stand up for yourself.
Good Luck.
