Our First Gerbils. Twin Squeaks got its name from our first gerbils. Audrey and Ramona were a pair of red fox gerbils from the same litter (hence the Twin
in Twin Squeaks
). We adopted them when they were about 6 to 7 weeks old, and they were the perfect first pair of gerbils. They got along with each other great, they loved being held and interacting with people, and never once did either of them so much as nip.
Ramona was named after Ramona Quimby from Beverly Clearey's children's books. However, she had little in common with Clearey's spunky character. Ramona was a very calm and patient gerbil. She always calmed her sister Audrey, but she also was a very perceptive and affectionate rodent who could also calm her human caregivers. Among Ramona's achievements was her blue ribbon for Best Opposite Sex in the Self (aa) Class of the AGS' (American Gerbil Society's) 2003 Virtual Show.
Audrey and Ramona were very much like peas in a pod, so it's not surprising that Audrey shared many of her sister's personality traits. Audrey was slow to understand the concept of an exercise wheel. However, once she learned how to run in the wheel, she never stopped. In fact, Audrey was still happily running in her wheel just hours before her death. Audrey shared her name with my late grandmother.
Both of these sisters lived to a really good age for gerbils. Audrey lived to almost 3 years and 3 months, and Ramona was just three days short of turning 3 1/2 years old when she died. As my first gerbils, Audrey and Ramona have a special place in my heart, so it is only fitting that this Web site is named after my original “Twin Squeaks.”
Our Current Gerbils
Toby is a lightly mottled black gerbil who came from Black Wolf Clan in Missouri. We adopted Toby together with his late brother Mike at the 2006 AGS Midwest Gerbil Show.
As a pup, Toby wasn't quite as adventurous as his brother, but you'd never know it now! Toby loves to scamper up my arm and come out to play. Once you spend a little bit of time playing with him, he gets really wound up, and he just sprints across the tank to run up your arm and come out to play. :)
Toby is the second gerbil at Twin Squeaks to achieve an American Gerbil Society Championship. After winning Honorable Mention in the Pied Class in the 2007 AGS Virtual Show, Toby went on to compete in live gerbil shows, winning Best Of Opposite Sex in the Mottled Class in the 2007 AGS Midwest Gerbil Show, 2nd Place in the 2008 AGS Midwest Gerbil Show, and 1st Place in the Senior Class at the 2009 New England Gerbil Show.
Click here to see Mike & Toby's photo album.
Grace is a red fox gerbil who we just adopted with her sister Tori at the 2007 AGS Midwest Gerbil Show. Grace is a night owl who is up almost all of every evening, obsessively running in the exercise wheel. She is very adventurous and enjoys exploring outside the tank during supervised playtime!
Grace is also the most enthusiastic sand bather that we've ever seen! Every time I place their sand bowl in their tank, Grace leaps into it and rolls and rolls and rolls! You can see a video of Grace in her sand bowl on YouTube.
Click here to see Grace & Tori's photo album.
Tori is Grace's littermate. She is a spotted red fox. Tori is incredibly sweet. She will calmly sit still while you lift her out of the tank and just sit in your hand while you talk to her and pet her. When I lift her out of the tank, she always greets me by standing up on her hind legs to touch her nose to my face.
Grace and Tori have both grown up to be very beautiful adult gerbils. Their personalities are still evolving, and they both get sweeter every day!
Click here to see Grace & Tori's photo album.
Marco is an adorable little pup who comes from Black Wolf Clan Gerbils. He and his brother Polo came home with us from the 2008 New England Gerbil Show.
Marco and Polo's mother came from Garden Of Eden Gerbils and shares the same name as me!
Marco and Polo's father has ties to Herman's family, although he is not directly related.
Two of my favorite things about Marco are his personality and his soft fur. He is extremely friendly (as is his brother Polo), and he has fur soft and fluffy like a baby bunny. :)
Marco competed in his first live show at the 2008 AGS Midwest Gerbil Show. He did very well, placing 2nd in the White Belly class, behind the Best In Show winner! He placed 2nd again at the 2009 New England Gerbil Show.
He also competed in the 2009 American Gerbil Society Virtual Show. He placed 2nd in the White Belly Class and 1st in People’s Choice. We’re so proud of him!
Click here to see Marco & Polo's photo album.
Polo is Marco's brother. We adopted both of them from Jo of Black Wolf Clan Gerbils.
You can read more about Marco and Polo's family background in Marco's biography.
Polo is a honey cream gerbil and is very friendly. He loves to hop right into my hand when I place it in their tank. He and his brother both like to come out of the tank and spend time with me. Polo enjoys standing in my hand and reaching for my nose to give me an eskimo kiss.
Polo competed, along with his brother, in the 2009 AGS Virtual Show. Polo received an Honorable Mention in the Other Class and was a runner-up in People’s Choice.
Polo also received 1st Place in the Honey Cream class at the 2009 American Gerbil Society Midwest Show and went on to compete for Best In Show.
Click here to see Marco & Polo's photo album.
Hallie is a beautiful little nutmeg girl that we adopted from Kelly Johnson of Garden of Eden Gerbils at the 2008 AGS Midwest Gerbil Show.
Hallie is Herman’s granddaughter. She bears a striking resemblance to him in some of her facial expressions and mannerisms. Hallie is incredibly friendly couldn’t possibly be sweeter!
Hallie earned 2nd Place in the Nutmeg class at the 2009 American Gerbil Society Midwest Gerbil Show.
Hallie returned from the 2009 New England Gerbil Show with her niece Cassie. They are currently split-caged, and we hope they’ll be friends soon!
Click here to see Hallie & Liza’s photo album.
Click here to see Hallie & Cassie’s photo album.
We adopted Cassie from Sunset Starlet Gerbils to befriend Hallie after her sister Liza passed away. Cassie is a lovely little mottled black girl who is Hallie’s niece. Cassie loves to hop in my hand, run up my arm, perch in my hand, and examine her surroundings.
Cassie competed in the 2009 AGS Virtual Show, where she not only won 1st Place in the Mottled Class but also won Best Of Opposite In Show.
Cassie also competed at the 2009 Midwest Gerbil Show, where she not only won 1st Place in the Mottled Class but also won Best of Opposite in the show.
Hallie and Cassie are currently split-caged and sleeping next to the divider. We hope they’ll be best friends soon!
Click here to see Hallie & Cassie’s photo album.
Smurf is one of the first blue gerbils in the United States. His parents were born in Finland. We adopted Smurf from Shawsheen River Gerbils.
Smurf came to Twin Squeaks to keep Gobo company. Smurf is very friendly, has really soft fur, and paired up with Gobo after a fairly short split-caging period. The boys are now best buddies!
Smurf took part in his first competition when he entered the 2009 AGS Virtual Show, where he won 2nd Place in the Self Class and was a runner-up for People’s Choice.
Smurf’s still a pretty little guy and just cute as can be. It’s been a lot of fun to get to know him!
Click here to see Gobo & Smurf’s photo album.
Bach is a little black pup who came to Twin Squeaks from ABC Gerbils in New Hampshire. We adopted him at the 2009 Midwest Gerbil Show to live with Sebastian.
Bach is super friendly. He loves to hop in my hand and crawl up my arm. We introduced Sebastian and Bach after three days in a split tank, and they became instant buddies!
We’re looking forward to getting to know Bach better as he grows up!
Click here to see Sebastian & Bach’s photo album.
In Memory
A collection of memorial photos of our gerbils who have passed away is available at our dotmac site and our Smugmug galleries. All of our gerbils have left pawprints on our hearts, and we will always miss them and cherish the time we had with them.
© 2003 - 2010, Twin Squeaks Gerbils
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