Dexter is Going to the Vet Tomorrow

Dexter is going to the vet sometime tomorrow. I noticed that he was acting rather lethargic. I was able to pick him up which is not normal for him. He has had a sore on scent gland for awhile. It has not gotten worse until now. He has really started licking it alot to the point of an open sore. It must be itchy to him. I gave him a little Metacam to help with any pain. I also put some of the salve that the vet gave me to help it a little. I know he is going to have to have surgery on it. There is no choice. I have seen this before with Buddy.

The vet office will call me in the morning for an appointment. I will keep you posted on what happened at the vet.

July 6, 2011 Update:  Dexter had 'minor' surgery. His little nipple sore (that he had for awhile) was lanced off. For some reason this time it was really bugging him causing him to lick and bite it. So no major surgery needed. Thank goodness. Dexter is a happy little gerbil now. Sleeping next to his buddy Toby. Vet said that sometimes this happens in male gerbils. Sometimes males get a nipple and becomes inflamed.

Baby Boys are Back and Happy Memorial Day

The boys came back to me last night.  The family is highly allergic to them. They got tested from their doctor to be sure.  They were ok with syrian short haired hamsters. So they are going to get a hammie from a local breeder that I recommended.  They named the boys Cherub and Rocket.  I am keeping the name Rocket but maybe changing the name from Cherub to Chip after my dad. It was his nickname when he was working.

Also, Happy Memorial Day from me and the gerbils:

Two Babies Got Adopted

My two 9 1/2 week old lilac pups got adopted by friends of ours  yesterday evening. They are good pups. Very friendly and tame. The family will take real good care of them. They recently lost their hamster. They  were really looking forward to adopting them. I will miss them. I watched them being born and grow up into wonderful little gerbils.They love to chew and run in the wheel. They also love their morning Cheerio. The family will send me updates and pictures of them once in awhile. I will let you know what their names will be.

Little Bear All Better

Little Bear my oldest (3 1/2 years old) has been real sick since last Wednesday. I took him to the vet Thursday evening.  The vet prescribed Baytril and the pink antibiotic that I already have. So LB has been on two medications twice a day.  He has made a full recovery. He loves his medicine.

I really thought he wouldn't make it Saturday. He was so sick. The Baytril must mus finally kicked in.  By evening he start acting like his normal self.  He is now a happy little boy again doing his normal gerbil stuff.  He will be on the Baytril until tomorrow morning and the other stuff to next Wednesday.

He is a strong willed little gerbil. He refused to give up. He is a nutmeg but no ticking in his fur. He was dark as a pup but his fur just kept getting lighter and lighter.

Gerbil Show Time

April 30, 2011:  I attended the AGS New England Gerbil Show in Bedford MA at the Middlesex Community college. I had a blast at the show this year. It was great seeing old friends and making new ones. The public looked like they really enjoyed all the activities and displays at the show. And of course all the gerbils in all their cuteness. Who can resist all the baby gerbils at the show. The crowd was light but there was always someone walking around. We had two Mock Shows and Tube Chew contests. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. We had gerbil races in the morning. We also had a special new activity this year. Maze timed running's. This was enjoyed by all. I hope it becomes a regular activity at future shows. I even entered my own Clarice in the competition. For fun, I enter my black boy Dexter in the afternoon Mock Show and Tube chew contests. Dexter tied for 3rd in his Mock show category. A beautiful Burmese girl won Best in Show. There was a gorgeous PEW boy that so reminded me of my Bud.

My favorite moment this year was Jennifer's Rafe. Last year was climbing shoulders. This year he wanted to jump. He could not get enough jumping from one set of hands to another. He was having a blast. Of course he got a new cozy for being so adorable. Jennifer was amazed at what Rafe wanted to do. There is no stopping this senior gerbil. He is great in the pet class competitions.

I have all my pictures and videos from the show posted on my showpage. The picture shown is my Dexter.
http://hhgerbilry.com/agsgerbilshowne2011.html

If you attended the show, what were some of your favorite show moments?

Bud has Passed

Our senior gerbil Bud passed on this morning a little after 6:30am. He died in his cozy (bonk-bonk) on my lap. Funny thing is though;  that about 5 minutes before Bud died, Dexter was thumping so loud that we heard it and knew something was wrong. Toby and Dexter's cage is right in front of Bud. They can see and can smell each other all the time. I do believe that Dexter was telling us something about Bud. I also think that these three might have been closer than we thought.

Bud was about 4 years old. He was at first paired with Trixie. He adored her. After Trixie passed, we tried pairing up Toby and Dexter with him. It never worked out so Bud ended up being a lone gerbil. He thrived.  Bud became our "people" gerbil. He answered to his name. Loved getting hand gerbil massages. Shoulder sitter and watch tv while doing it. Loved our laps. We were his clan. There were times that Bud groomed my arm like gerbils do when they groom each other. He was so gentle.  Bud liked being in the ball once in awhile. Wheel runner. Just a big wonderful 100+ gram white gerbil. We loved him so much. We will miss you.

Sam and Clarice Litter 2

"Bobby" (4 weeks old)

Clarice had her second and final litter this morning. So far three little pups. We took Sam and Bobby out last night. Clarice was showing signs that she was due very soon. Milly and Ginger are with Clarice helping to raise the second litter. They will take the place of Sam in the care department. Clarice was such a good mom with Bobby, Milly and Ginger. She will be a good mom to these pups.

Just pray the new litter will make through the next few days. This is the first critical stage of a pup's life.

Clarice had her litter too fast. I was going to clean the tank today. I will wait another week and do some spot cleaning. The wheel seems to calm her down so I left it in this time.  The wheel is raised so the new pups won't get hurt. This is gong to be fun watching these pups grow up with their older siblings caring for them.


Sam and Bobby are dong just fine. Bobby didn't know what do with his dad all by himself. He was used to his sisters around. They cuddled up last night in their new house. I saw Bobby eat out of the food bowl this morning. Bobby does know how to drink from the water bottle. I will probably put them in a 15 gallon later. Right now they are in a 10 gallon. They will be gong to the gerbil show in little over a month. Sam and Bobby will be competing.

Pups Now 3 weeks old

The pups are 3 weeks old as of March 14th. Their eyes are open. They are very active learning to be gerbils. They started sampling their parents food and chewing bits of cardboard. Their little teeth are coming in. So far their favorite is rolled oats. A nice soft food they can eat. The pups favorite place to play is in the chube.  They will be learning to use the water bottle soon as mom will start weaning them from the milk. Sam and Bobby will be in their own tank at the five week mark. Clarice is expected to have her second litter by then (if she is pregnant)..  The girls will stay with mom to help with the second litter and keep mom company. Milly is the calmest of the pups. She likes to be held. All the pups will be going to their first gerbil show to compete in the pup class April 30th in Bedford, MA.  Sam will be competing as well as my agouti Toby.

Big Day for the Pups

This is a big day for one of our girl pup. She opened her eyes today. We decided to call her Milly. She has a straight tail while her twin sister has a kink in her tail. That is the only way I can tell them apart right now. Bobby and his sister should be opening their eyes in the next day or two. They move so fast that it is hard to take a good picture. This was the best picture I could take of Milly today. She looks just like her daddy Sam.

12 Day Old Pups

The pups are now 12 days old. Fully furred in their premolt colors. Two orange girls are possibly argente and one gray boy probably sapphire. Sapphire is a beautiful color. It is lighter than lilac but darker than dove. The mom Clarice is a Dove.

6 Day Old Pups

The pups are starting to show their fuzz colors. One is clearly grey while the other two are orange. They are dark eyed. The grey will probably be either a grey agouti or a siamese. The orange ones have a few possiblites still. They could be nutmegs, DEH or others. Please let me know what you think. I won't know their sex until they are 7-10 days old.

4 Day Old Baby Gerbils

I just took this picture a few minutes ago. They are so cute. They are going to have dark eyes for sure. Can't determine colors yet. The skin tone is looking dark so their fur will be in the darker range. I think the fourth pup is gone unless hidden real well. They look strong, fed and healthy

.

2 day old Gerbil babies

Here is a picture of my little babies. Only two days old. There are four in there. Count the paws.

Clarice and Sam - 4 babies born today

Born today. 4 little baby gerbils. Parents Clarice and Sam

Snow and Knitting

I really hope we have a snow day tomorrow. I want to do some knitting and play with my gerbils. I heard and saw on the radar that is going to be bad. I heard on the scale of the 1978 blizzard. I vaguely remember that as a kid. We had no school and my sister and I had a blast outside in the snow. Mom took pictures. I live in Northern Ohio so it is coming. Be careful tonight and tomorrow if you are on the roads. I would avoid going out unless you really really had to.

HHG February Pet Photo Contest - Need Entries

I am going to start back up the photo contest for February. I only have 3 entries. I would like at least a few more. I am accepting entries until January 31 at 11pm. Open to all pets. Please email them to me directly or  gerbilcontest@hhgerbilry.com

http://hhgerbilry.com/gerbilshow1.html

Thanks!

Meet Becca Rose

This is Becca Rose (formally Adora from previous post). I adopted her from the APL Friday, January 14, 2011. I visited her the night before and I had to adopt her. I estimate her age to be about 8 months old. She is a PEW (Pink eyed White). She is family to my older PEW male Bud. She is so sweet. Loves to chew. We got her a wheel yesterday and loves it. We also found out that the petstore that she and Bud came from no longer have white gerbils as all the white gerbils from that store are Bud's descendants. So now she is the last. It was fate that I got her. She is currently in a 5 1/2 gallon tank until we can get her into a 10. She loves her new home now since her old home was 1/2 that size and it was one of those all plastic Habitrail type cage with a wire bottom.  The names comes from the character Rebecca (Becca) from the HBO show Californication and Rose came from my sister and mom. Since she was family to Bud, "Rose Bud". She has a mangled ear probably from squabbling with her tank mates at the store. She might also have a dust problem as her nose is very red.

Featured Shelter Critter of the Week - Adora the Gerbil

This is little Adora. She came to the Friendship APL on the weekend of January 8, 2011. She is a cute ruby eyed white gerbil. She is an adult. She looks like a very sweet little girl. She current resides at the Friendship APL in Elyria Ohio. Would you consider giving this little girl a home?

Details about Adora can be found on Petfinder.com

Simone has passed

We got little Simone when she was 5 weeks old.  She turned into a a girl at 6 weeks old. Her first partner was Mona. After a little more than 2 1/2 years with Mona, she passed. Simone was then paired up with Sam. Sam adored her. Sam took real good care of her. Simone showed Sam the art of bed making. Simone was a sweet and gentle soul. She loved to be picked up. A shoulder sitter. Simone would have made a good show gerbil but she had nose allergies all her life. She loved her peas and corn. She was on metacam the final two weeks. It helped her much especially when Sam was ill over Christmas. Simone was well enough to take care of Sam.  The last couple of days Simone was on the decline. She had a bad tumor. Simone passed at the vet this morning. She will be buried next to Spot in my parents backyard.  Sweet Dreams little Simone.

Simone is Still Here

Simone is still with us. She is on metacam. She gets a dose everyday now. Her tumor did go away once but it came back with a vengeance. Her normal weight was 75 grams. Her heaviest with the tumor was 90 grams. She is now down to 85 grams. She still eats when we feed her and sometimes from the food bowl. She still drinks when we offer her the water bottle. She has not really chewed anything in over a week. I hear her grinding her teeth. She likes to sleep in a fleece cosy on our laps. She does sometimes get a small burst of energy but she is sleeping more and more. She is peeing but I have not seen any poop. She is peeing where she sleeps but Simone is still keeping her underbelly clean. Sam is taking good care of her by sleeping close to her and groom her when needed. Her coat is becoming raggy looking. She still has the lip problem.

Simone is over 3 years old. Is there anymore I can do? Should I take her to the vet to at least get her teeth checked? She is day to day.

Take a look at her last few pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/gerbilgal/Gerbils2010

The pictures are the few last ones in the folder.

The Christmas Wish

Simone is a spotted Siamese. 3 years old.  Sam is a yellow Fox one year old.  Simone has been ill since early December. She has an abdominal tumor. She is currently on Metacam. She is back to her fiesty self. Doing all the normal gerbil stuff. Not 100% but she is happy. My first miracle this Christmas.

 

Sam got sick Friday morning on the 24th. We started him on antibiotics.  He did drink and ate very little all day Friday. He did take one or two long drinks Friday if I held the water bottle. This morning he was not looking good at all. Sam would not eat or drink. I did give him his medicine. The vet told me yesterday that I doing all I can for him. I even have a small reptile heater to help keep him warm. I was very hesitant to leave this morning to go spend Christmas with Steve's family 2 hours away. There was nothing else we could do for Sam so we left.  I did make a wish for Sam before leaving that he will be ok. We got back home about 5:30pm expecting the worst.  When there in the tank we saw Sam running about being a perfectly normal gerbil. The medicine worked! I have my Sam back. My wish came true. My second miracle.  

Sam is so happly that I have seen him sitting in the wheel twirling and swishing his tail. I have only seen this behavior done only once or twice before. I got some wonderful gifts for Christmas but my best gift was my little babies.

Merry Christmas One and All!

Gerbil Lovers Descend On Tulsa For Show - NewsOn6.com - Tulsa, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports - KOTV.com |

Gerbil Lovers Descend On Tulsa For Show - NewsOn6.com - Tulsa, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports - KOTV.com |

This looked like so much fun. I usually go to the the New England Show in the Spring.  Gerbils Shows are so cool.

Happy 3rd Brithday to Spot and Simone

Halloween Gerbils!

This is Spot and Simone. They were born on Halloween 3 years ago today.  I got them when they were just 3 weeks old. Tiny little pups. Spot is a 2 time blue ribbon AGS winner. Simone is just a sweet little girl that loves to be picked up. She is my last little girl out of 7 gerbils. I know have 4 gerbils that are seniors.

Wish my little ones a Happy Birthday!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Birthday Little Bear! 3 years old today

My Little Bear turned 3 years old today. I had him since he was a young pup at 7 weeks old. A big boy at 120 grams.

Sad, Sad, SAd Day

At about 4:50am this morning, Spot and Little Bear Declanned.

Steve was sleeping on the sofa chair last night because I am still getting over a cold. Steve heard a commotion. They were banging the plastic house around. It didn't stop. Steve got up and found them in a ball. Steve had a hardtime separating them. He got bit hard. He called for me. There was blood on LB and Spot. Spot immediately went into the 5 gallon. Started looking them over. Spot got the worst of it. His paw got bit hard. I cleaned them up the best I could. This happened about 4:50 in the morning. Thank god Steve was sleeping next to them or I might have had a dead gerbil in the morning. I think LB was the aggressor.

This morning. Not a scratch on LB. Spot on the other hand. His paw has swelled up a little. I put some Neosporin on it. He is not a happy gerbil right now. Little Bear is fine.

 Steve thought it was his blood on the gerbil but the proof was this morning. It was theirs. That means they cannot be together anymore.

If I wasn't sick and  if I didn't put that noisy plastic house in the tank, I hate to think of what I would have found in tne morning. Spot is now in a 10 gallon and recovering well.

Guinea Pigs Up for Adoption at the Friendship APL in Elyria Ohio

The shelter recently had a hording case and rescued 60 guinea pigs from a Lorain County resident. The pigs are all in good shape and ready for adoption. There are males & females and colors galore. Adoption fees for the guineas will be only $10.00. If you think a dog or cat is too much trouble and your child wants a pet, try a guinea pig!

Currently there are about 25 piggies that still need adopted. Go to the Friendship APL web site for more information, They are also on Facebook.

Friendship APL

Friendship APL Facebook

Toby and Dexter went missing

Dexter and Toby

I had a major scare when I got home today. Dexter and Toby were missing!  One of the tubes came off. Dexter somehow got into one of small trash cans that was next to one of the sofa chairs.  Toby was more difficult. We spread food everywhere and looked everywhere.  He was in the kitchen all this time under the cabinets. There are openings under the panels. Luckily I was able to scoop him up. Dexter was so happy to see his buddy again. I thought Toby was gone. Toby is so tired. He is sleeping. It was almost an hour before he ventured out. Toby must have smelled the sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

The loose tube is now taped up real good. It will not come off again. They were probably out all afternoon. We found signs of Toby in Steve's computer room. Poopies everywhere and found gerbil track on some of the dusty stuff. He was everywhere in that room. I am just happy that he is safe and sound and pray that he did not eat anything bad for him. We look around. I think he was safe but who know what is behind the panels. We are going to get those taped up tonight so it will not happen again.

Bud had a Fall

Bud was having some out of cage time with us last night. He was having a blast running all over our laps and on the sofa chair. He got to the top of the chair. Either I slightly moved the chair or something on TV startled him. He took a flying leap off the chair and landed right into the wooden magazine rack that is next to the chair. I am not sure if he hit the magazines or the wood part. He was pretty dazed.  Mostly likely in shock of what happened. We put him back into his cage ever so gently and let him recover. Steve stayed up with him for an extra hour. He did eat and drink but he definitely was not his normal self. This morning he looked better. We had his food and water bottled brought down to the first level. He ate his food and his morning cheerio. He was chewing some and even jogged in his wheel for a few seconds. We drove home for lunch to check on him. He is doing better. His side is a little sore. I had some leftover Metacam which I gave him. It is just going to be day by day. I read online that something like this takes 2-3 days before he is back to his normal self.

Little furry frenzy

Little furry frenzy

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One Week Until I Leave for the Gerbil Show!

One week until I leave for the gerbil in Nashua NH. My gerbils are all ready and cute to win ribbons. It  is such a fun event. Meeting gerbil people from all over.  The show is on May 1st at the Holiday Inn in Nashua NH. Click on the link in the title for details.  Who is coming? Look for me. I am the one that will be selling the knitted gerbils.

Woolly Knitted Gerbil

I think it is time for a blog update. I recently was in a Craftser swap and got some beautiful homespun yarn. Wool/Angora Blend 3 ply. I asked for gerbil colors. I knitted up some knitted gerbils from my pattern. I went down a needle size since the yarn was a little thinner. They turned up great. The angora really brings out the gerbil. I might enter this little guy in the local fair in the fall. They look so real. What do you think? I am slowly trying to wean myself off all acrylic and go for more wool or wool blend yarns. I am planning on taking these guys to the gerbil show in May.

I am On a Knitting Podcast!

I was interviewed via phone a couple of weeks ago about my knitted gerbils for a knitting podcast. Since they do have gerbils on the show occasionally. It was perfect. She found me through my Etsy store. The podcast is called The Savvy Girls Podcast. This was first interview ever!

My interview is about 10 minutes into the podcast. Her gerbils do a a little bit close to end of the podcast. It was Melanie's Birthday so she could do critters to her hearts content.

Listen to Episode 15 also. There some very cute gerbil bits.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

My New Gerbil Esty Store

I just opened my new store today. I have 3 of my knitted necklaces for sale and my hamster keychains. Go take a look. I will be having more items in the next few days. Excellent Holiday gift items and stocking stuffers.

Store Name: Squeaky Knitting Designs

What do you think? I welcome opinions and suggestions.

Gerbil and Hamster Update

Just an small update on my babies.

Sam is doing fine alone. He does get a little bored. He recently started purring when we take him out to play.

Bud is thriving on being alone. Not at all depressed.

Spot and Little bear now a tad over 2 years old. Starting in the senior realm of gerbils. Spot recently started jumping into my hand and climbing onto my shoulder without any bribery. Little is starting to do the same.

Toby and Dexter are doing just fine. We still need to work with Dexter more. Still a little skittish. Toby is as friendly as he can be.

Mona and Simone are also a little over 2 years old now. Simone still has her nose problem but it is under control. Mona is now a good friendly gerbil. I can pick her up with no problem. Simone loves to be picked up.

Fred the Hamster is now abut 1.5 years old now. He is still going just fine. Still loves his ball. Loves to be brushed. With his long hair. He needs it.

Bud and Sam Not Meant to Be

Poor Bud and Sam. Putting them together was not meant to be. Their personalities clashed. They won't even interact when I held each one in my hand. They have been in a split since the end of the July.

Last night Bud went to his own digs. I took the divider out and gave Sam the big 20 gallon for now. I will just have to give them extra toys and stimulation. Bud was always good with the ladies. I might get him a senior female to love. I might do the same with Sam later on. Male to female bonding seems to always work better.

Bud is about 1 1/2 feet away from the other two boys. At least he can smell them and know they are around. I am planning on putting Sam in the 15 gallon (where Mona and Simone are currently located) and give the girls the big 20 gallon to romp around. That sounds like the best option I have right now. This is my first failure in try to put two gerbils together.

Also, while I was cleaning an extra small cage, I found Trixie's last thing she chewed. A partial paper plate. It brought sadness to my heart.

Bud and Sam Intro Round 2

Well...this past Saturday on the 29th I tried another intro.

It went a little better. I managed to keep them together for about 1 1/2 hours before they wanted to hurt each other. I really thought it might work today. The split tank was cleaned out. It had to be cleaned. A tiny bug problem. There are wheels on both sides of the 20 gallon split now.

They seem to want to be together. They sleep in each others beds. They like the scent of the other gerbil but when face to face. Nope. They are both dominant type gerbils. One of their fights, I got bit hard with the gloves on from Bud. I think Bud got bit in the rump. No blood but it is tender to the touch.

The neutral territory seems to work for the short term. What do think? If anything, the split can be permanent so at least they won't be totally alone. I will still do the flip flopping and the butt sniffing.

Will keep on trying every weekend. I have never had failure of putting two gerbils together.

Gerbil Updates

It's been awhile since I posted. A bunch has happened over the month. A couple of days after this last post, Trixie passed on. She developed pneumonia.

We didn't want Bud to be left alone. So we got three wonderful 8 week old pups on July 24th.. We thought we might make a foursome. It wasn't to be. The pups were all too old to be put together. So we left two pups together. The other pup we are split caging with Bud. The pups names are Dexter (after the tv show), Toby, and Sam.

Bud and Sam have been in a split cage for almost 4 weeks. I swap sides regularly. I tried an intro last week. They ended up in a gerbil ball. No blood drawn. Alot of back arching and shoving and
tense nose to nose sniffing. Lucky I was wearing gloves. These two want to be dominate gerbil. Sam is over 12 weeks old now and Bud about 2 years old.

I know they want to be together but someone has to be the boss. Bud needs the company of another gerbil. Bud started purring in my hand when I take him out now. He really wants company. Even little Sam sometimes purrs when I take him out to hold.

I try using "hand" intros but they seem to don't want to really interact in my hand. There is plenty of butt sniffing though. They are both sleeping near the wire almost everyday now.

Any suggestions to help? By now, they have to smell alike. I want to try again this weekend. Would doing brief intros at night for a few minutes help? I have never had a split cage go this long.

Trixie's Weekly Update

Trixie is holding on. She still weighs about 60 grams. She has slowed down. Breathing is becoming more labored. She is still eating and drinking on her own with supplement food from me. She starting to like bread crust. So I have been feeding that also. She now likes to sit in my lap in her pouch where it is nice and warm. She is losing some muscle mass.

She still likes to chew on paper plates. She still grooms Bud. Bud grooms her and trys to keep her warm. I am still giving her twice a treatments. She is still peeing and pooing. The poo is getting a little less. Trixie will tell me when it is time to go. Not today.

I have not seen her in the wheel in the past couple of days. She is still very spunky. Eyes and ear bright as ever. Still purrs when I hold her. She still likes to sit on my shoulder when she wants to. She will sit there for minutes. My shoulder must be a warm place.

I know her time is coming soon. Her fur is starting to shed a little. Why do gerbils have such short lives? I wish Trixie could live to four (December 8 birthday) but I know that is not to be. I will cherish everyday that she is here with us. Trixie loves being with her people.

Send her comforting wishes.

Trixie - Weekly Update

I am going to keep a weekly posting on Trixie's progress of her condition. She did well this past week. We are still feeding her the extra food she needs to stay active so she can do as near normal gerbil stuff as she can. Trixie is still eating, chewing, playing a little with her buddie Bud. She gets cooked noodles everyday (one noodle at least 3-4 times a day) with a little bit of her favorite baby food. Gerber's Oatmeal, banana and apple.

She is still getting her twice a day treatment of her medicine and the Povidone Scrub for her sore. She still loves to come out and climb all me. Lately, she has been loving just to perch on my shoulder. She purrs more often now.

I think she is losing a little bit of her muscle mass in her back legs. She has to struggle just a little to climb on their wooden house. Trixie does not climb the Crittertrail tubes anymore. She trys to jog in the wheel a little.

I weigh her every week now. She is still maintaining her weight around the 60-62 gram mark. She has not lost weight since I started feeding her the extra food. She does eat her normal gerbil food when hungry. She loves her pumpkin and sunflower seeds (unshelled). I did see her drink from the water bottle so I know that she is not getting dehydrated.

Trixie Update

It's been a little over 2 weeks since Trixie was diagnosed with cancer. She is doing well. She is still a very active spunky little girl. She is thriving on the extra food we have been feeding her. She gets cooked elbow noodles everyday. At least 3 times a day. Trixie also gets a small portion of baby food at least 3-4 times a day. Her favorite is Gerber Oatmeal, Apple and Banana. She gobbles it right up. She has also been gaining some of her weight back. She is about 62-63 grams now.

I took her into the vet for a quickie checkup. I was concerned because her sore was a little redder than usual. Nothing to worry about. He said to continue the same treatment. The vet said he had seen sores on gerbils like this one last for months. Because it is cancer around the sore, it can't heal properly. Trixie is helping also by keeping the area around the sore clean.

I can't wait for my current craft swap package from Guam. I asked her if she would make Trixie a little play pouch for when Trixie comes on my lap to play. She is still purrring.

Senior Gerbil Trixie

This is my little grey agouti Trixie. She is 3 1/2 years old. About the beginning of May there was a small lump on her belly. Vet said to watch it. While I was away at the gerbil show. The sore opened. Took her to the vet the day after I got back. Vet gave me medicine and brown liquid stuff to keep it clean twice a day. Trixie seemed to respond well to the treatment.

After two weeks, I took her back in for a checkup. Vet was concerned that the sore wasn't healing properly. He took a small sample to send it to the lab for analysis. Trixie did lose some weight. Vet suggested supplement her diet with baby food. That was a week ago.

Vet called yesterday evening. It is not good. Trixie has cancer. Surgery is too risky. Vet and I agreed to continue the same treatment. Supplement her diet with veggie baby food and cooked noodles and any extra sunflower and pumpin seeds she want.

Trixie is still a very active little girl. Doing all the normal gerbil stuff. Trixie also purrs when I hold her. She only does it for me. I will treasure everyday that she has left.

Spot Won at the Gerbil Show!!

My Mottled Black boy Spot won a Blue Ribbon at the 2009 New England Gerbil Show in Bedford, MA on May 30, 2009.

Spot is a beautiful Mottled Black Gerbil about 1.5 years old. There were two groups in the Mottled class. Black and Other. Spot won the black mottled. This is my first gerbil that has ever won a ribbon let alone a blue one. I am so proud of my little boy. He did so well. He now has 3 points toward a championship. He needs 8 to get one.

The person that judged Spot said he was a beautiful gerbil the moment she saw him. The new Blue Gerbils were featured in the show also. The first ones in the US I believe. The gerbils came from a breeder in Finland.

I also entered my Nutmeg Male Little bear in the show also. He was a very good boy at the show. His coloring was just not right. He lacked the black ticking in his fur but otherwise he was a very good boy to the judges.

8 Days Until AGS Gerbil Show!

2009 New England Show
May 30, 2009

Middlesex Community College

Bedford, MA

Time: 11:00-5:00
Admission: $2 per person, $10 family max
Show Details: http://agsgerbils.org/Shows/NEShow/

I can't believe it will only be about a week before the Gerbil Show. I am so pumped. My two gerbils have entered the show. They are excited also. I hope they have a members only chewing and cute face contest. My little Spot would sweep the event. My "Little Bear" has the most adorable cute face ever. It would melt your heart.

I am getting stuff ready to take to the show. I am also the coordinator of the Gerbil Photo contest. The public gets to choose what photo they like the best. I am also coordinating the Silent Auction and Raffle. There are going to be lots of wonderful items up for auction and raffle.

I will also have a table setup selling my knitted critter stuff. I made knitted gerbils, rats, guinea pigs, mice, and hedgehogs. There will a couple of bunnies also. I will also have many critter cozies for your mice and hamsters.

If you going to be in the Bedford Massachusetts area May 30th, stop by. You will not be disappointed.

18 Days Until 2009 NE Gerbil Show!

2009 New England Show
May 30, 2009

Middlesex Community College

Bedford, MA

Time: 11:00-5:00
Admission: $2 per person, $10 family max
Show Details: http://agsgerbils.org/Shows/NEShow/

Meet the Author!

Holly Robinson Cookson appears with copies her brand-new book, The Gerbil Farmer's Daughter, which tells the story of America's largest and most successful gerbil farm. Kirkus Reviews writes: "Journalist Robinson cheerfully recalls growing up with a closeted gerbil-breeder....It’s a scenario that could have been lifted from a 1960s sitcom, but Robinson invests the narrative with pathos, good-natured moments of absurdity and plenty of keen humor....Daffy yet sweet and affecting." A remarkable story in the history of our beloved pets told with sparkling humor and affection!

Pet Class

In order to better serve the traditionally large public turn-out, we will break the Pet Class into two segments. The morning class (11:30 am-12:30 pm) is targeted toward younger children (ages 8 & under) and uses our traditional "Best Whiskers" format to acknowledge the things that make each gerbil special with a blue ribbon for every gerbil. The afternoon segment (1:30-3:30) will feature a Mock Show for gerbils owned by kids ages 9 & up. Trained AGS Asst. Judges (youth members ages 11 and up who have taken Judges' Training) will award 1st, 2nd and 3rd place Pet Class ribbons to pet gerbils, judging them by color class using the AGS Standards, exactly like the breed show. The Jr. Judges will describe the characteristics of the winning gerbils. This mock show will be an excellent chance for older children interested in showing gerbils to learn what makes a winning gerbil in a less-competitive, educational event.

Register for the Pet Class at the AGS Show site

Photo Contest

Can't come to the show in person? Send in a photo of your gerbil and we'll let the visiting public choose a winner!

Silent Auction & Raffle

Beautiful craft items, useful gerbil supplies, adorable novelties and more, to benefit the AGS! In past years we have had wonderful items from books to jewelry to quilts to gerbil supplies.

Exotic Pet Visitors

Rebecca Azer of Gerbil Parade will speak about rabbit care and the joy of owning a bunny. Meet Elvis and hear all about how much a fun a bunny can be!

Knitted Hamster Pattern Wanted

Has anyone seen a knitted hamster pattern toy/stuffie? I have been looking all around and came up with nothing. I would love to be able to make some for the upcoming gerbil show at the end of the month.

I will be bringing my knitted gerbils, rats, guinea pigs and hedgehogs.

Can anyone help?

Help My Shelter Win a Makover!!

Friendship Animal Protective League, Elyria, Ohio

This is a legit cause. Go vote.

Fred's New Hamster Cozy

Fred recently received this wonderful play pouch for him to play in when he comes out to play. It is now one of favorite toys next to his ball. he got this from a recent craft swap on Craftser.com. The maker of the pouch decided to use Fred's picture with him playing in the pouch as a model for her blog on how to make the pouch. With my permission of course. Fred is now a famous hammie! Click on the link in the header to see the whole article.

Isn't he the most adorable hamster in the world? I love him so much. So gentle. never bitten once. Now I have two famous crittters. The first was my gerbil Buddy. His picture was shown on Cleveland's Fox 8 news last year and now Fred!

Spay Day 2009 - Vote for Fred!

The Humane Society of the United States' and Humane Society International's Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest! To support Spay Day, The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International host the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest $1.00 a vote.

Isn't Fred the cutest hamster in the world! Go here and vote for this cutie.

Hamster - Feed Him

I found this cute little guy in google widgets. To feed him, jsut click on an empty space.

My First Swap on Craftser

My first swap on craftser was a Mini Holiday Swap. It was so much fun. I made my partner a pair of slippers, a gerbil stuffie in her favorite color, and some slipper ornaments in her favorite colors.

I got these from my first swap:

A little blue mouse stuffie, mouse earrings, a mouse stamp pin. The pretty little Christmas mouse card came with the package. Adorable! You can never go wrong in giving me a stuffie.

Meet Buddy 2 "Bud"

This is Buddy 2 "Bud". We got him from Pet Supplies Plus on December 16, 2008 at night. I was cleaning another gerbils tank when I realized I was out of corncob bedding. We were planning on getting Bud on the 17th but I was in the store Tuesday night and decided to get him. According to the store clerk. He is about a year old. I have been watching him for months since our Buddy died. He will be the perfect companion for Trixie. We lost Zoey recently and quite suddenly. I might give him his birthday to be the 16th. He is a sweet little boy. The clerk let me pick him up out of the tank. Bud didn't nip once. He is calming in quite nicely. We setup his temporary tank home right next to Trixie so they will be able to see and smell each other. We will do the normal introductions when we get back from vacation. I was afraidthat he might get scooped up for the holidays.

He loves his wodent wheel. He can't get enough of it. I also noticed that he likes to hold his tail up.

Since Bud is about a year old, my gerbil friend said that this gerbil might be from her line before she sold her gerbil kennel about a year ago. The AGS mentioned that he looks good enough to be in a gerbil show. I hope so but most importantly....a grooming Buddy for my 3 year old Trixie.

Click on he header link to see his photo album so far.

Merry Christmas! Gerbil Snowflakes

Merry Gerbil Christmas and a Furry New Year! My wonderful little gerbil boys made me this wonderful gerbil snowflake. It is so cute! Spot is my maniac gerbil chewer. He did most of the work. Little Bear helped. This is wonderful way to have your gerbils interact with the kids. Fold up a piece of whit computer papers. Have the gerbils chew for a couple of minutes and VIOLA! A Gerbil Snowflake. Watch this cute gerbil christmas video.

Loss of Zoey

I lost my beloved Zoey yesterday morning. It was very sudden. She was fine the night before and Wednesday morning my BF found her breathing hard, clicking and cold to the touch. I got her and warmed her up which I think helped. I got to my vet ASAP. The took an X-ray and could not see any fluid in her lungs. Not a respirary infection. I wish it was. Zoey had a mass in her abdomen which was pushing on her diaphram. The vet perscribed some medcine but I think he new she wasn't long for this world. Her breathing kept getting worse and worse. She died an hour later after bring her home from the vet. I has Zoey since she was 6 weeks old. Just a little baby! She was still my baby. She liked me holding her. She was my cuddle gerbil when Buddy died. A beautfil slate little girl. Hardly any white on her. I never got the chance to show her. Her companion Trixie is now alone. Zoey was going to be 2 years December 28th. She was named after a character in "Serenity". Above isthe last picture I took of Zoey on Halloween.

I made a photo tribute to Zoey. View it here.

Dream Hamster

This cute little robot hamster is the newest release in Sega's "Dream Pet" series. It is made in Hong Kong. I bought one off ebay. It takes one AAA battery. I am totally in love with this little guy. It got the one pictured above in that color. There are 3 colors available. The one color a above is the Golden Hamster. Everyone that I showed this too loved it. It does have that Awww factor.

Specs:

Measuring 55 × 55 × 90mm (width x depth × height), the "Dream Hamster" fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and runs on four alkaline batteries. The rest of the Dream pet series features the "Dream Cat" and "Dream Chick".

Sega Toys have launched the 'Dream hamster' toys that scream cuteness. Named the "Dream Hamster," the product would be released on August 8, 2008 for approximately $12 per robo-pet. Just press the switch on its abdomen and hold the Dream Hamster on your hand for it to start moving. Yeah that's all it does, what were you expecting for $12? It wouldn't help you with your chores. There are three different types available for purchase: the Golden hamster, Roborovski hamster (light grey) and the Jangarian hamster (brown) which is especially famous in Japan." Website

If you know anyone that loves little critters. These are the perfect holiday gifts.

Patches Passed on

Patches was a little trooper. Yesterday, he stopped eating and drinking at about 11am. He passed in a lap at 3:50pm. He lost weight overnight. The stroke was too much for him. I really thought he would make it. He is now up there with his cagemate and my Buddy.

I lost my Buddy on the 5th. He was over 4 years old.

Patches - Day 3 Recovery

This little gerbil ceases to amaze me. He was very hungry when I got up at 5:30am to check on him. He ate quite a bit from the syringe and was thirsty. He basically slept most of the morning. I held him in a towel for part of the time. I really thought it was his time to go with his shallow breathing but no. Right after lunch, Patches perked right up in the afternoon. He wanted to go. I had him propped up on the side of my sofa chair and off he went. His front paws were moving and pushing with his back legs. He was like this for a couple of hours. This is how a young pu is learning to walk. He was trying to doing the gerbil head butting that they like to do. I put him back in the small carrier of towels. He was strong enough to prop up his head a bit to drink a little bit from the water bottle. I saw three little bubbled come up in the bottle. I knew he was drinking. He also ate a little bit of baby food on a piece of paper plate with me holding the plate.

This doesn't look like a gerbil that wants to give up. I started a journal to keep track. He currently weighs about 52 grams right now. It will be my only indication if he is getting better or worse. I will also put blog entries here on his progress.

Patches the Gerbil

A new gerbil came into my life yesterday. A 3 year old male name Patches. I am fostering him as he is very ill and his owners can't give him the 24/7 care he needs right now. He suffered a stroke over a week ago and might have had a relapse Saturday night. They couldn't cope so I offered to care for the little guy since I am working at home for the time being. He lasted the night so I got him in to see my vet this afternoon. His teeth needed clipping. I think that would help him overall. Patches is helpless like a young gerbil pup. I have been feeding him with a syringe and his liquids also. He has responded well. He is much more fiesty than yesterday afternoon.

I got him to drink from the water bottle for a little bit. That is progress. I am switching his Karo/water solution to organic baby apple juice. He is still getting baby food with a syringe but I am hopefully once he gets strong enough that he can lap up baby food on his own.

I will keep all of you posted.

Gerbil Surgeries

I have had a couple of gerbils go in for surgery recently. A couple of months ago my little slate girl Zoey had a lump on her ear that was removed. I sent it in for lab work. It turned out to a melnoma (can't spell). She is perfect fine. The vet joked that now she is half doberman.

Our four year boy Buddy developed a abcess on his scent gland that got infected. The vet though at first it was tumor but it was a nasty abcess. He had to have stitches. The doctor prescribed Metacam antibiotic for his recovery. He came through great. healing nicely. Play with his boys. He is an older schimmel. His orange faded into white as he got older. The only indication of orange is at the base of his tail. He is "our" boy.

Gerbils, Hamsters and Knitting

Sorry it has been so long since I posted. The gerbil show was fantasic! My knitted gerbils and rats were a big hit. We came home with a new baby hammie named Fred. This is what Fed looked like when we got him home in May. My thumb has healed from all the knitting before the show. I am knitting again but not with as much fury. Now I am getting ready for the local fair and the fall craft shows. Here is a link to the crafts I have been working on this year. I recently finished up 2 knitted guinea pigs and a fun fur rat. I welcone you opinions on them.

No Way! Knitting Injuries

I just can't believe this. I have knitted so much lately that I have a knitting injury.

Have you ever gotten a knitting injury? My left thumb hurts. I must have poked it one to many times. I use wooden knitting needles. The skin is peeling off on the cushy part and there is a sore at the joint. I have neosporin on it now with a band-aid on it. I still want to knit so I either would have to take a break or I wrap up my thumb so I can knit. Any suggestions/opinions?

Come To The 2008 New England Gerbil Show!

The American Gerbil Society's 2008 New England Gerbil Show is rapidly approaching! This year's show will be in Nashua, New Hampshire and takes place on May 17th.

Gerbil breeders and owners from around the country will be at the show to show off their gerbils, sell gerbil merchandise, and even adopt out gerbil pups! It's a great opportunity to learn more about gerbils.

AGS members can also enter their gerbils in a gerbil show (just like a dog show, except with gerbils). Although judging occurs behind closed doors, at the end of the show, winners are announced.

There is a wonderful pet class where kids can bring their pete gerbils and compete for fun. Prizes awarded for best chewer, shoulder sitter and lots more.

Click the banner below to learn more about the New England Gerbil Show. Hope to see you there!

I will be there showing off my two little girls Simone and Mona. I will also be selling my knitted rodent merchandise (rats, gerbils, mice) in honor of the Chinese Year of the Rat.

Mona and Simone