Peeps is still alive

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Michele and Peeps

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Monday morning I buried my elderly gerbil. His passing wasn't a surprise, he has been exhibiting severe elderly symptoms for about a week (that's like 2 years in gerbil life right?) But, I still mourned him.

My gerbils (a father/son pair - the father passed months ago) were a prized source of entertainment. About half of the running jokes in the house were about gerbils (out of the years I had them, I only found one thing they wouldn't eat - cooked egg whites. They loved pickles, cookie dough, peanuts, french toast, green beans, fried chicken, cooked corn on the cob, the list goes on - when new food was brought into the house, we'd make sure to see what the gerbils thought of it), and they even had their own terms around the house. Just for them, I purchased a bowl, which became known as the ger-bowl. Zoey the cat supervised them while they ran around in their exercise wheels. Peeps and Buddy would hide from them, as the gerbils loved running into cats and/or feet. It was a game of dodge the ger-ball when they were out and about.

I have numerous photos of Peeps looking at the gerbils in their cage. I may even have a few photos of frustrated Peeps with gerbils on her back.

So, when I woke up Monday morning to give Peeps her shot and saw my gerbil had gone, Peeps was watching him. My first gut reaction was to ask Peeps, "Oh no! What are you going to do now?"

Then I realized I will be asking that question to myself when Peeps is gone.
 
Hi Michelle,
I am sorry for your loss....it is always sad when something has been part of your life for so
long leaves....
 
Sorry for your loss; I was very attached to my little hamster "Sh##tles who lived to be 5 which is unusual in hamster years. He was a a great source of entertainment to humans and cats alike.
He was a very plump tan and white Siberian fighting hamster.
Glad Peeps is still hanging in there and doing o.k.
 
Oh I'm so sorry for your loss, I hope all of their antics and fond memories will help you and Peeps through.

I'm very glad Peeps is still with you, you'll have to give her some extra cuddles tonight.
 
((((Michele)))) I'm so sorry! We love our animals and it doesn't matter their size ..... but that love will be for always. And poor Peeps! don't even go down that road yet!! All we can do is love each and every one, every day.

Nancy and Payne
 
I'm sorry about your gerbil Michelle. It's never easy to loose a pet...no matter the size. :YMHUG:
 
I am sorry to hear of your loss Michele. Thank you for sharing the stories of your gerbils. Isn't it incredible that cats and someting they would probably try to eat in the wild can peacefully coexist? We had cats and squirrels in the house together when we were doing a lot of wildlife rehab, and even though there was a cage between them, the squirrels showed no fear, and kitties showed no sign they were wanting to get to them. We even had an opossum who had the run of the house, and the kitties just thought she was the ugliest cat in the world. "Olive" used the kitty litter box (though she unfortunately seemed to enjoy consuming cat poop on occasion). I know that you will miss the gerbils, as they were obviously treasured in your household. As will Peeps.

hugs,
Carl and Bob
 
Thanks everyone, for the words of support!

We have had amazingly good luck with our cats and the other animals they share the house with. In the early days of the gerbils, one of the exerballs opened up and freed a gerbil. I don't know how long my rodent sat next to his ball contemplating freedom, but I know it was long enough that if a cat wanted to, I would have lost the first gerbil a long time ago (since then the gerballs were taped shut).

We have also had free-ranging birds with the cats. Right now it's one cockatiel and 6 parakeets, and they have the run of the living room all day long. The cockatiel used to be allowed to be free all night long, until he started flying into the kitchen after bird bed time, screaming. Usually it was just after bed time, but it only takes one 2am screaming flight to remedy the situation.

Two of the cats are killers (Peeps is not). We will find half eaten mice. Buddy once brought a chipmunk in to share with his people. Zoey will spend all day out on her leash attempting to get wild birds and other animals (I believe she just wanted to play with our local woodchuck last summer, but luckily the little guy knew that Zoey's leash only went so far and stayed about 2 feet away from her). We're just fortunate that they know the animals people interact with inside are off-limits.

Peeps and I have caught each other staring at the hole left in the physical world from the gerbil. Zoey and Buddy use the newly "open" area to stage attacks on one another. I didn't want to fill in this place just yet, but the cats are telling me it is time.
 
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww :YMHUG: I am so sorry Michele. It is hard to lose your dear ones any time. It leaves a big hole. The gerbies sound like they were real charmers.

Hugs to you and Peeps. :YMHUG:
 
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