Very Sad News
I’m so sad to have to share this news, but a week and a half ago, we lost our beloved gerbil Herman after a gradual decline in health that started a couple months earlier. Herman’s wonderful vet found the right mix of meds that helped to control his condition and keep him comfortable for as long as possible, and so he got some extra time with us and with his son Sebastian. But even knowing that the end was coming, it didn’t make it any easier for us. . . Herman was one of the most special gerbils I’ve ever known. It was a wonder that his litter was born, because his mother was quite sick during her pregnancy, and his father died of old age shortly after he and his siblings were conceived.
However, the entire litter survived and thrived. On August 15th, 2006, I adopted Herman from Double Star Gerbils to come live with Buster, a charming nutmeg that I adopted from our local shelter. Herman was only five weeks and two days old when he came home. Barely larger than a peanut but full of energy... and one of the friendliest gerbils I’ve ever known.
As a pup, Herman always jumped right into my hand when I put it in his tank. As an older fellow, even in his final days, Herman would crawl into my hand and wait for me to lift him out of the tank.
Herman had a great show career and earned his AGS Championship at the 2008 New England Gerbil Show. He also spent a couple of months at Black Wolf Clan Gerbils, where he met a beautiful female gerbil named Kaden and raised a litter with her. Herman returned home with his son Sebastian.
Herman was a great dad when Sebastian was a pup, and he continued to be a great dad even after Sebastian was an adult.
Herman was quite the ham and show-off, always looking for attention. At gerbil shows, he would stop and pose in the judges’ hands. . . or try to jump back out of his carrier and into the judge’s hands if he wanted to be judged some more.
Herman also became a bit of an international celebrity after he learned how to show jump.
Despite all the things that Herman did to get attention, I always saw him simply as my “Hermie,” a friendly, loyal, and loving gerbil who could always make me smile, even on the bleakest of days. Herman always had an infectious grin and these large, beautiful, sparkling eyes. It was impossible to look into Herman’s eyes and not be charmed.
Herman was laid to rest at the pet cemetery, next to his aunt Nellie and his granddaughter Liza. He will always be sorely missed. Herman was truly one of a kind. A very special soul who made many people happy. We’ve posted a memorial video of Herman on our Smugmug site.
posted by Twin Squeaks Gerbils | 6:41 PM
7 Comments:
:(
I just watched your video. Thats one of the most touching portraits...
Oh Kylee, I'm so sorry! Both my sister and I have always thought Herman was a special little gerbil and are very sad to hear about his passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you!
Hi Linette and Sharon,
Thank you for your comments. It means a lot. We're reassured, knowing that Herman had a good, long, happy life. We just wish that he could have had a little more time with us. He was very special. . .
Kylee,
I am SOOOO sorry to hear about Herman! I know gerbils have always taken a special place in my heart and I know Herman does to you, too. Having a gerbil just die for me, now I really know what it's like to lose a gerbil. By the way, give your gerbils a treat from me, please!
P.S - I just watched the little slide-show/video - I love the pictures and especially the video of Herman jumping over the "fences"!
:( I wrote a book about my Cocoa, and I featured the beloved Herman in it. Herman is one of my favorite gerbils and I am very sad about his passing. Also, how do you train a gerbil to jump agilty?
Hi Lydia and cocoa,
Thank you both for the nice comments.
Lydia, I've given all the gerbils a Cheerio on your behalf. They all say thank you. :)
cocoa, that's so great to hear that Herman was a character in your book! I'd love to hear more about it!
As for training gerbils for agility, there are a few secrets. First, the gerbil should have a natural instinct to jump over obstacles. It's much easier to reward for a behavior that comes naturally than to try to train for a behavior that isn't natural.
Second, start with shorter obstacles and then work up to the taller fences.
And finally, the reward for successfully jumping over the fences should be playtime outside the tank... At least I've always found that to work much better than trying to reward a gerbil with treats. Herman figured out quickly that if he jumped over the fences, he got to enjoy some playtime in a gerbil-safe area. If he didn't jump the fences correctly, I put him back in his tank, and we tried again later. It worked very well!
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