their nest
Who needs hamsters when you could have gerbils? Meet Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry: the small rodents with the big appetites! I purchased Frodo, Sam and Pippin from a local pet store; they were "3 males." Well, within 2 weeks I had 4.
I first discovered the new pup when I was cleaning out their cage. You can imagine my shock... I had tipped the cage upside down to get rid of the old bedding, and I saw this tiny, pink creature squirming around. I screamed and ran downstairs to get my brother. I told him that I thought it was somesort of live (and abnormally thick) worm; a baby never came to mind. I was horrified that this thing had been living with them; I imagined that they would all be infected now. When we went upstairs to investigate, we saw, not some sort of a diseased monster, but a small, hairless, defenceless gerbil pup, struggling to crawl around and look for it's mother.
"I think they've had babies," was my brother's remark.
"I think they've had babies," was my brother's remark.
After discovering the new gerbil, I phoned the pet shop where we had originally bought our three. The man I spoke to told me to stay calm and asked if one gerbil ever seemed bigger than the rest. I said yes; he then instructed to put that one in with the gerbil pup, and leave them alone. After the conversation had ended, I, stupidly, put Frodo, the fat male gerbil, in with the baby... After about a week the baby was no more; we suspect it had died and was eaten. (I was told cannibalism is common among gerbils...)
Later, we had a second litter. This time, with 2 pups. As I was unsure of the mother, I left them all in together. This seemed to work, but because I continued to open the cage as normal, they both died and mysteriously "vanished."
Because of all this trouble, we decided that we had to do something. My dad and I took Frodo, Sam and Pippin to the vet, so that they could be sexed. The outcome was that Frodo was a boy, and Sam and Pippin were both girls. After hearing this, we made an appointment to get Frodo neutered. Luckily, he survived!
After this, we had yet another (last) litter. It had 3 babies this time. Learning from my mistakes, I didn't open the cage (with the exception of placing food inside) and did not play with them; I simply left them alone. Third time's a charm, because this time 2 of the 3 survived! I was left with a black one, and a brownish beige one. Sadly, the black one (who was a boy) died being neutered; leaving us with the fab four: Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and, the new addition, Merry.
Because of all this trouble, we decided that we had to do something. My dad and I took Frodo, Sam and Pippin to the vet, so that they could be sexed. The outcome was that Frodo was a boy, and Sam and Pippin were both girls. After hearing this, we made an appointment to get Frodo neutered. Luckily, he survived!
After this, we had yet another (last) litter. It had 3 babies this time. Learning from my mistakes, I didn't open the cage (with the exception of placing food inside) and did not play with them; I simply left them alone. Third time's a charm, because this time 2 of the 3 survived! I was left with a black one, and a brownish beige one. Sadly, the black one (who was a boy) died being neutered; leaving us with the fab four: Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and, the new addition, Merry.
Merry going for a jog on the wheel =)
Below, you can see a picture list of all of their toys. (And the food bowl!)
FRODO
SAM
(we think!)
(we think!)
PIPPIN
MERRY
(I wonder what lurks below?)
Hello!
Spider-gerbil!
If you want to see more pictures of the gerbils, please go to the gallery page!
(Use sound for the video!)