Annnnd....Aphrodite!

So I've ended up with another gerbil. Aphrodite is 6mo and from a local breeder. I felt Perseph was lonely (that's how you get into gerbils. You just keep getting new ones because your singles are lonely...) Anyhow, here's Aphrodite!

Sad news. RIP Demeter.

I got Demeter about 6 months ago from the local SPCA. She was with two other gerbils, Hestia and Hera. I had always wanted a agouti gerbil, and now I had one. Demeter, my classic sp agouti.

^^Demeter with Hera at the SPCA

When I brought her home, she was a skinny little thing, and seemed to be the lowest on the pecking order. After a few good doses of Sarah overfeeding, she chunked up a bit to a nice weight. She lived in a 10gal for a few weeks until I was able to find a cheap 30gal. Unfortunately, that's when the trouble started. Maybe three weeks after I moved them to the 30gal, I noticed that Demeter was very nervous with her tankmates. She would run and thump when Hera came near. Not knowing much about declaning at the time, I let this go on for another week until I saw the Demeter was losing fur on her rump. A close inspection showed this:


Obviously something to worry about. She was removed at once and washed off. The poor girl healed up fine, but I needed someone to intro to her. I felt she was getting lonely. So at the 2012 NE gerbil show, I got Persephone.

Perseph and Demeter stayed in the split cage a long time, mainly because I've been away a lot and hadn't been able to switch sides on a regular basis. Perseph seem interested in Demeter, but D was aggressive when I held them together to test the waters.

I was in Canada for a week-long vacation starting on Sat the 4th. Two days before it was time for us to go home, I had a call from our petsitter. It seems that Perseph had broken in to Demetey's side of the split. When the petsitter found them, Demeter was dead, and Persephone was bloody. Perseph's injuries turned out to be shallow, and she's recuperating in a travel cage right now.

Demeter was always a little frisky. I remember her jumping out of my hands when I tried to check her...things...to make sure she was a girl. She loved pumpkin seeds and naps. I'll miss my little Agouti-a-cutie more than words can say.

Happy news! and photo contest

The site is finally done! Yippie! "Taming and handling" and "Toys and huts" have been completed.

On a sadder note, the photo contest is closing down. I just haven't had enough interest to continue it.

Sarah, the gerbil fanatic

June contest

No interest for June. I may shut the contest down if I don't get any more entries.

Sarah

PS I started the split between Demeter and Perseph a few days ago. No aggression!

EDIT: June canceled w/ no entries. I'll have the July, and if I don't get interest the contest will be shutting down

Photo contest and NE show

No entrys for the May contest. June is still on if I get enough interest.

I got back from the NE show a week ago, with a new gerbil! Her name is Persephone, and I'll be pairing her with Demeter, who is alone. More info on that later on on this post.

I had a great time at the show, and really enjoyed getting to meet other gerbil-crazy people. I'd really like to thank my Grammy for taking me to the show! I've got some pictures: http://photobucket.com/negerbilshow12

Updates on my gerbils:

About a month ago, Demeter had a falling out with her sisters, Hestia and Hera. She now lives alone, but once Persephone is out of quarantine I'll start the split cage. Persephone is a--as yet unmolted-- silver nutmeg: http://photobucket.com/persephone_gerbil

Hera and Hestia are doing fine in their 30gal.

Athena and Artemis are doing fine. However, Artemis has gotten rather chubby during my vacation so less seeds for her!

Jenny and Agger continue to live in a 29gal split tank with lots of bedding and treats.

So that's the news of my eight gerbils!

Sarah