31 days of March! - Page 11

fluffydd · 03-13-2014, 11:44 AM

Gerbils are definitely active critters. I've been keeping them for 4 years now and they are lovely and funny and busy little things. From the photos I can see that Gaga had a lovely tank and I'm sure she enjoyed your company. I had my gerbil Bart on his own for 9 months after his brother Homer died and he was much more relaxed and still very happy. He was the dominant one of the pair and spend much of his time bossing Homer about. So don't feel bad about her being on her own. In an ideal world all gerbils would live in pairs or groups but that isn't always possible. You did a lovely thing giving her a home when she was on her own. How old was she when she died? Gerbils from P@H often don't live as long as they should do. My first 3 gerbils were from there and the oldest of them only got to be 2 years 9 months old and all 3 had health problems. So please don't feel like it was your fault for keeping her alone xx

SinNyx · 03-13-2014, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluffydd

Gerbils are definitely active critters. I've been keeping them for 4 years now and they are lovely and funny and busy little things. From the photos I can see that Gaga had a lovely tank and I'm sure she enjoyed your company. I had my gerbil Bart on his own for 9 months after his brother Homer died and he was much more relaxed and still very happy. He was the dominant one of the pair and spend much of his time bossing Homer about. So don't feel bad about her being on her own. In an ideal world all gerbils would live in pairs or groups but that isn't always possible. You did a lovely thing giving her a home when she was on her own. How old was she when she died? Gerbils from P@H often don't live as long as they should do. My first 3 gerbils were from there and the oldest of them only got to be 2 years 9 months old and all 3 had health problems. So please don't feel like it was your fault for keeping her alone xx

She was from the P@H adoption centre, so I'm guessing she was alone in the tank for a while and no one was interested in buying her, I don't know how old she would of been, I had her for nearly two years I believe.
I guess I should learn from having P@H hamsters that get ill or have health issues...I just walked into the room one day and she had passed away in her tank, laying there, so I felt it was her lonely as I was told gerbils often live a lot shorted if they are lonely.

fluffydd · 03-13-2014, 12:21 PM

It must have been a shock for you finding her like that. I think it's more likely that she didn't live the longest life because of where she was from rather than because she was on her own. I've also heard that gerbils live shorter lives on their own but I've not seen the data that is based on and I'm not sure how true it is. I think it's become one of those things that people say. I know people who have had lone gerbils who've lived to 4 and 5 years old. Gaga looks busy, healthy and active in the photos so I'm sure she had a happy life with you, and getting to around 2.5 years isn't a bad age for a pet shop gerbil. Being on her own doesn't mean she was lonely as gerbils do really like people company and hearing other pets around too.

SinNyx · 03-13-2014, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluffydd

It must have been a shock for you finding her like that. I think it's more likely that she didn't live the longest life because of where she was from rather than because she was on her own. I've also heard that gerbils live shorter lives on their own but I've not seen the data that is based on and I'm not sure how true it is. I think it's become one of those things that people say. I know people who have had lone gerbils who've lived to 4 and 5 years old. Gaga looks busy, healthy and active in the photos so I'm sure she had a happy life with you, and getting to around 2.5 years isn't a bad age for a pet shop gerbil. Being on her own doesn't mean she was lonely as gerbils do really like people company and hearing other pets around too.

It definitely reassures me - thanks, fluffydd. I always seem to blame myself for a pet's death even if I know it was old age, I am bad with things like that. When I was younger, my sister would blame me for pets dying so I don't always cope with it very well.
It was great having the experience of owning a gerbil, they are very cute, but I think hamsters are my best option for now

**DrKMcK** · 03-13-2014, 01:56 PM

Hello SinNyx. The idea that a singleton gerbil would have a shorter life is just not so! I've had gerbils since the 1960's and my first three were singles and they were just fine and happy and lived to 3 and over. Lady Gaga had a really nice home and your attention and care. Even gerbils who are in pairs or a group may die young. You have nothing to feel guilty about.

SinNyx · 03-13-2014, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrKMcK

Hello SinNyx. The idea that a singleton gerbil would have a shorter life is just not so! I've had gerbils since the 1960's and my first three were singles and they were just fine and happy and lived to 3 and over. Lady Gaga had a really nice home and your attention and care. Even gerbils who are in pairs or a group may die young. You have nothing to feel guilty about.

Thank you DrKMck, I'm happier knowing I can speak to people who have owned gerbils and know them well, I shouldn't let myself get led into rumours, I know what it's like with hamsters anyway!

This cheered me up too, Leo has some of the strangest photo moments.

**DrKMcK** · 03-13-2014, 02:40 PM

LOL. That dog looks like he's laughing!

Laughing Leo!

**Bec** · 03-13-2014, 02:44 PM

Awwww Leo does look like he is laughing

.....and he his puppy photo is very very awwwwwwwww!!!!!

fluffydd · 03-13-2014, 04:00 PM

That's a brilliant photo of Leo

SinNyx · 03-15-2014, 03:36 AM

He did look like he was smiling in that photo

He isn't a very happy boy right now - parents have friends over from Holland to watch the rugby match today and Leo isn't very people friendly, nor does he like the muzzle!

So I have decided to finally move Roman to another cage.
My Alaska is arriving soon but I felt the ZZ2 was best for him as he would probably just bar chew as he did before in his tiny cage. I also wanted him to have that lovely bit of space to just run and as he seems to be very cage aggressive, it was the best option.

I have added a picture of the arrangement of the hamster room now and his set up. The toys are all quite low because I have yet to add mesh to the cage, and it's simple because I will be making him new toys and getting a new wheel soon.

I buried food around it for him for him to search, I also put little seeds in the ball toy so he had to move it about to get them and he seemed to enjoy having a little search around and dig.