Gerbil Related Issues

Oh no.

It is my sad news to report that one of Mini's beloved Gerbils, known as Gerbillie Ee (after the Tombliboo from Night Garden), has died today. Or it may have been yesterday, as I didn't spot it climbing up the cage then.

Gerbil Related Issues

Hmmm. What's a really bad way to wake up in the morning? 

I now know.

There I was, sleepily sipping my morning cup (read bowl, my first drink mug is huge) of coffee, when I glanced up on top of the CD cabinet. That's where we plonked the Gerbil cage after Mini decided to open the cage and stick a Barbie in and we didn't realise until I found what was left of the doll when I cleaned their cage out 2 days later.

I glanced and thought, something doesn't quite look right there. What is it?

I first of all thought that one of the German Lava wear jugs we have next to the cage had been moved. No.

Were there more CDs on the shelf than before? No.

Then I screamed and jumped on the couch, narrowly avoiding spilling my coffee and landing on a Thomas train that had been left on the seat.

The pipe which connects the bottom of the cage to the second level was MISSING. Leaving two gaping holes in the cage sides.

And, the thing is, the Gerbils are quick. When I clean them out it's all I can do to stuff handfuls of bedding in before they try and do a runner out the door.

Elder had a quick feel round the bottom in the bedding, and counted 1,2,3- they were all there. I told him to make them get their lazy butts out the hay, so I could see them.

And only two little cream heads poked out the bedding. Uhn and Ooo were still in residence. Eee was missing.

Now, the problem is that he is black. As is our carpet. So you couldn't spot him hiding behind stuff. Also, we had no idea when the pipe had fallen off, and Elder had been in the garden taking the bins out, leaving the door open long enough for a possible Gerbil escape into the garden and certain "eaten by cat" death.

Image courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu/profile/lockstockb

So, off I decamped to the stairs, taking the brats with me to watch TV in my bedroom.

Elder then had the unenviable task of moving over 3,000 records, a three seater sofa, stereo and computer equipment as well as huge speakers, and loads of cupboards and other furniture out the way so he could look for the Gerbil.

How could you deny that face? Easily if the bugger gets out again. Sorry Mini

2 hours passed, and Mini was getting increasingly upset about her Gerbilie. She has had them a while now, and has grown quite attached. Her sad little face was heart breaking, and she was lamenting how she liked to talk to her Gerbilies. They are nice Gerbilies, she said, quite forgetting how they had eaten her Barbie and bitten her finger on more than one occasion.

I, on the other hand, was talking about moving out my house, or getting one of the next door cats in for a McGerbil Happy Meal. Which didn't go down well with Elder ( though he laughed lots).

He moved into the kitchen, and still there was no sign of Eee anywhere. 

After 3 hours, we'd almost given up, and Elder had made a humane trap of a bucket with a water trough and food to catch him if he happened to still be in the house. By this time I was imagining the bloody thing crawling up my legs and worse, eating through wires and setting the house alight (its happened. Not to me, but it has happened).

I asked Elder had he checked the washing basket in the corner under the units in the kitchen? Its a big gap between the cupboards in the far corner of the kitchen. And its warm, and dark. Just right for escapee Gerbils.

I was right.

Bloody thing. It still tried to do one when Elder tried to grab it, running up the kitchen floor, trying to get back in the living room, so I shut the door, and got it, Elder picked him up and shoved him back in his cage.

Which I have now stuck a whole role of Electrical tape round, and half a roll of Scotch Tape for good measure. 

Chez Gerbilie now has only two floors, and sellotape and cardboard covering where the pipe used to be. They have eaten the inside of both the pipes of the cage. We've only had it since April, so I am so not impressed. You'd think they were never fed, but as well as nuts and seeds specially for them from a packet, they get fresh carrots, hay and other fruits and veg too. They are pampered, truly.

And if they get out again? 

Its McGerbil Happy Meals for Bella the Cat for sure......

*No Gerbils were harmed in the making of this post. Although I was very close to it....

2 Toddlers+3 Gerbils...oh dear.

Yes, we have gerbils. 3 of them.

God darn my sense of kindness. And Freecycle. We're both responsible.

Today I logged into my other email address, the one I keep purely for Freecycle messages , as I get about 100 a day, as well as a ludicrous amount of spam considering Yahoo claims to have a spam blocker wotsit.

Anyhow, a message came up offering 3 gerbils, a cage and food too, and explained that the lady who was offering them has a daughter who is sadly going into longterm hospital care due to illness, and can't take her pets with her.

So, wiping the tear from my eye (I'm a sucker), I gave the number a call and left a message, offering the gerbils a new home.

I went off with Mini to do the shopping ( she looked adorable today, walking alone holding my hand in her little red coat and with her denim and sequined handbag on her shoulder, which she moaned until I put the shopping list and 50p in), and when I got back, found that she'd called, as we'd been the first to offer a new home.

So, off I went again, in a cab to collect the gerbils.

Can I say now, I honestly have never owned anything but a guinea pig and several dogs in my life- I thought gerbils were small, round and furry fluffy.

I think I may have confused them with Hamsters.

Well, when I got in I told Ed that I thought we'd been given rats, but he cast a speculative eye over them and pronounced they were indeed gerbils.

Mini, was in love straight away. She thought they were mice, but after repeating to her about 30 times in a two minute period that they were gerbils, she got the idea. Although she says Gebils instead. Edward's interest was non-existent after he realised he couldn't eat them, and that I wouldn't let him chew their cage either.

She called them Un, Oo and Ee, after the Tombliboos, although other names she came up with were Mis Mouse and Teddington, and for a short period Ninky Nonk, Pinky Ponk and Ha Hoo, but the general feeling was that they were too long.

The other thing is, well, two of them are cream and so working out Un from Oo is quite a challenge-although after closely lookingat the two of them, one has a small scar on his face.

They are quite quirky though. One of the cream ones (Un) is not shy at all, whereas Ee is petrified at the moment, and has burrowed into the corner. Un and Oo like to share the water bottle. They seem to be bezzy mates.

So I have spent the afternoon looking up gerbils and how to look after them. And a mention goes to Daddacool for his informative answers on twitter too.

So, I give you Un, Oo and Ee, the newest and smallest edition to the household. God help us.

And them.....