Bad end to the year

[balders118]

After being away over christmas I had left my gerbils at home for 8 days while I was away. Not a problem, as their food bowl will last them 3-4 weeks, and likewise with the water (over a litre of water). I've done this a few times before. But, I had a friend checking in on them just to be sure.

When I get back, Crusoe is really poorly. Stiff, can't really control his movement and has no balance. He died that night. I seperated him, made him warm, hand fed and watered him with a syringe every half an hour or so, but it didn't save him. I thought a stroke maybe, as he was fine 2 days earlier apparently.

This was the night before last. Fritz was fine throughout this, and was fine last night scurrying around in my hands when I was feeding him. however this morning before I left for the gym I checked on him and he wasn't coming out of his hole like usual, so I dug him out. He was very week, slow, tired looking and really floopy. Also no real control, and no balance. Only different between him and Crusoe was that he was limp, Crusoe was stiff. Luckily my OH is a vet nurse, so I call her up and take him to the vets on my way to the gym where he was looked after on a heat pad, fed and watered. He also got some antibiotics but he seems to have got progressivly worse. He can't really walk, and can't even hold his head up. I didn't want him to suffer like Crusoe did overnight so the OH is putting him to sleep (probably about now---- befoee I finished writing this I got a call to say he has gone )

Vets say it could have been a virus. Or coinsendental strokes. Or Fritz not having his brother trigging a reaction. Who knows. I know they're "only gerbils" but i'm gutted. They were both 2.5 years old. I can't help feeling guilty putting him to sleep, but I think I would feel bad what ever I did.

Missing them both!

[mrmaggit]

Sorry to hear that, size doesn't matter with pets, they're still part of the family.

[itsnotarace]

balders118 said:

After being away over christmas I had left my gerbils at home for 8 days while I was away. Not a problem, as their food bowl will last them 3-4 weeks, and likewise with the water (over a litre of water).

Water goes stale - as does food, should be changed daily

[balders118]

itsnotarace said:

balders118 said:

After being away over christmas I had left my gerbils at home for 8 days while I was away. Not a problem, as their food bowl will last them 3-4 weeks, and likewise with the water (over a litre of water).

Water goes stale - as does food, should be changed daily

As a rule yes, but I would drink water that was over a day old so I don't see the issue with gerbils drinking it. It would have been changed every couple of days, and I have often left it longer than this when I am at home anyway.

Even if this is not best practice, it's got nothing to do with their death.

[Superficial]

Sorry to hear this OP. Don't feel you need to take the 'only a gerbil' attitude, all pets work their way into our hearts regardless of size.

[thegman]

The same thing happened to my gerbils when I was a kid. They just both died overnight. Little animals are very sensitive I think. Sorry if you very fond of them. However on the plus side the little gerbil babies are very cute, so at least you can get some more.

[tonym911]

Gerbils are the best small animals IMO, we've had a few along with guinea pigs and there's no comparison, the gerbs are just so feisty and full of fun whereas GPs don't seem to remember you from one minute to the next. I was gutted when the last of our gerbils died. Two of the poor little sods were eaten by the cat which was desperate, I tried to get one of them out of the cat's mouth but he wasn't letting go under any circs, my hand was cut to ribbons by his claws. Law of the jungle I suppose. Think gerbils are very sociable creatures and when one goes it does seem to affect the others. Still, on the good side, you can rescue some new ones from the pet shop for the new year.