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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 7:39:45 GMT
Okay, in 30 minutes, we have to call the animal shelter about whether they would take our gerbils. We have tried sexing them, but it's impossible. They wriggle, they jump away and we're scared of hurting them because they are still so small. Besides, what we do see doesn't looke the way it does in the book. I'm really scared of our young ones making babies again. We'd have dozens then and they would probably be disfigured and ill since they're all siblings. If the animal shelter doesn't take them, we might have to give them to the shop around the corner that sells snakes etc. for snake food. I'd hate that and it would be cruel, but probably better than having a big colony of sick gerbils that bite each other to death because they don't have enough space. I definitely don't want us to turn into involuntary animal hoarders.
I put ads up, saying we're giving them away, but other people are giving away gerbils as well so we just don't get rid of them. The older ones are 5 weeks old and I saw a little one jumping one of the two older female gerbils that are in the big cage. It says the males only become fertile when they are around 50 days old, but I'm worried we might have an early developper.
This is really awful and should we ever want to get gerbils again, the only place I'll get them from is an animal shelter!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 8:29:45 GMT
Phew! We called the animal shelter, or actually, Frank did. They can't take them, but they said we could bring them over tomorrow and they can sex them for us which is just as good. We can keep the males separated from the females then and can try to sell some of them, but this time being able to tell people their sex so more people might be interested. This is fantastic and I'm incredibly relieved because it means we can keep them alive. Once we'll be able to keep the males separate from the females, things should be alright.
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Post by tangent on Apr 24, 2013 10:57:58 GMT
If the animal shelter doesn't take them, we might have to give them to the shop around the corner that sells snakes etc. for snake food. I know it seems cruel but snakes need to eat small rodents. It needn't be cruel if they are killed humanely.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2013 5:31:45 GMT
"Killed humanely"? You mean being put to sleep before? I don't think any vet would do that when they are perfectly fine. It would rather have been to get rid of them before the situation gets out of control and we end up with dozens of sick gerbils bititng each other or being born disfigured. We couldn't see another way of doing it. Now it won't be necessary and I'm relieved about that.
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Post by Mari on Apr 28, 2013 13:46:24 GMT
Actually, being eaten by a snake is supposedly quite painless, but I can understand your sentiment. Wouldn't want to have to give my kitties up to be snakefood either *strangles cats in protective hug*
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Post by tangent on Apr 28, 2013 14:03:27 GMT
We never gave our snake a live mouse because a struggling mouse could easily have caused serious damage.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2013 7:50:36 GMT
Update on the gerbils. We now have two big aquariums that we are using as gerbils cages. In one, we have our nine boys together. They get along very well and three of them will be taken to Southern Germany for the wedding. My sister and her son-to-be husband wanted them and are looking forward to them. In the other aquarium, we have a divider. On one side, we have Tiny and her four girls and on the other side, there is Pinky, her sister Onion and Pinky's daughter Cheerie. We tried swapping the saw dust etc. to get them all used to each other, hoping Tiny and her girls could be together with Pinky, Onion and Cheerie. But Tiny became very agressive and at some point, she chewed her way into the other side of the cage and attacked Pinky badly. Since then, we have just accepted having to keep them separate. Tiny has calmed down and Pinky was taken care of by Onion and Cheerie. They cleaned her up and she is very well now.
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Post by JoeP on Jun 12, 2013 8:25:06 GMT
That's good to hear (except for the aggressive episode of course).
How small are the small ones?
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Post by tangent on Jun 12, 2013 9:02:57 GMT
Taking three to the wedding? Are you going to dress them up as bridesmaids?
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Post by Alvamiga on Jun 12, 2013 20:30:11 GMT
Nearest I could find...
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Post by tangent on Jun 12, 2013 20:48:46 GMT
Nice
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Post by JoeP on Jun 12, 2013 20:53:09 GMT
Col posts a "save the date" image ... *wonders*
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2013 7:59:00 GMT
*grins* We're not going to dress the gerbils up, no. They will be taken to their new home immediately.
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Post by JoeP on Jun 15, 2013 9:37:30 GMT
We still wants photos!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2013 18:00:13 GMT
I'll take some soon.
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Post by Mari on Jun 17, 2013 16:56:28 GMT
JoeP, you can always just photoshop some dresses on them.
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Post by JoeP on Jun 17, 2013 20:41:38 GMT
Are boy gerbils comfortable wearing dresses to weddings? I want it to be realistic.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2013 7:37:08 GMT
Some of the boys in their cage. They like sleeping in a pile.
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Post by Alvamiga on Jun 18, 2013 7:48:15 GMT
Looks like they are bullying the one with different fur colour. Do they have laser vision?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2013 8:03:14 GMT
No, they are not bullying anyone. They keep warm that way.
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Post by JoeP on Jun 18, 2013 9:37:18 GMT
Gerblets!
*squee*
This has been a good day for EF photos ;D
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Post by tangent on Jun 18, 2013 14:02:34 GMT
Lovely photos
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 7:09:22 GMT
It's not easy to take photos, but maybe we can take more soon.
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Post by tangent on Jun 24, 2013 8:21:27 GMT
It's not but you've done a good job there.
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Post by ming on Jun 24, 2013 9:00:05 GMT
They look very cute! I've never seen gerbils before. I hope the three going to the wedding enjoy themselves!
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Post by tangent on Jun 24, 2013 13:13:49 GMT
Let's hope none of them catch the bride's flowers.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 6:58:48 GMT
We will bring them to my sister's and her fiance's flat from the station, so they won't be at the wedding. Better for everyone that way.
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