I’m sad to report that little Hazel has passed away; I’m not entirely sure of her age but I think she was only just over two, so this is a very early death for me as I’ve only had a couple of others die before their third birthdays previously.

She was found looking fluffed and listless, I grabbed her straight out to see if she was cold. I kept her in my hands for a good while to warm her up and set up a hospital tank with heat mat. Sadly she didn’t pull through.

Hazel when she first arrived home

Hazel

Hazel

Hazel

And more recently, only around a week before she and Isi also declanned…

Sadly Paddy passed away on Sunday, he had gone further downhill a couple of days prior to his passing…

Goodbye old man…

Paddy soon smells me close-by and moves.

This of course now means I have no Gerbils… Something that hasn’t been the case for 9 years now… Strange.

Well, it’s the end of an era, our last home bred male died today. No more Siena or Dakota lines left.

I think he’d had a stroke, as so many Gerbils seem to die of. I’ve seen it far too many times, I guess there’s no nice way to ‘die of old age’. He was on top of the bedding, back legs unable to move (feet were), his sides were sunken and eyes bulging so I decided to give him some of my blended strawberries I have in my breakfast smoothie…

As I offered him the Strawberry puree on a spoon I could see he was gasping, sadly also something I have experienced too many times and knew he wouldn’t last long, at all. Past experience tells me not to try holding a Gerbil in this condition as they begin fitting and die in your hands. Again, not something I like and it’s very disturbing to know you killed your pet, so as cruel as it sounds to leave them there, the vision of them fitting your hands and dying doesn’t go easily.

So, goodnight Oran sweet dreams my grumpy old man:

There’s only Paddy left now, who sadly also looks very rough at just over three… I had expected him to leave us before Oran to be honest…