Siena, Madison and Sicily

The group of 3 females, mother and 2 daughters.

Siena - Red Eyed Honey - Genetics are AaCCeeGGpp. Siena is very, um how to describe?? She loves to come out and run around and is very hyper active with plenty of energy. She was an excellent mother, always on the pups and they were fat little things but she did also need her time out. With her second litter she was much better and didn't seem as frantic and much more relaxed with the pups. She is very strong too I've noticed recently, whenever we hold her you can really feel her strength, where as most gerbils will just sit there, you can really feel Siena's power! (as well as being able to see it!)

Madison - Dark Eyed Honey - Genetics are: A-CCeeGGPp. Madison is very much like Dakota, will just sit there on your hand when the mood takes her, but other times she's like most gerbils and wants to get free! She is very pretty and has a gorgeous long tail - I love it! Though I'm not sure if it'd be too long for showing ;) I still think it's very pretty anyway! Madison was probably the pup that took most interest in raising the second litter, she seemed to be the only one that would help out and it did worry me a little at first because she seemed to be dominant and I wasn't sure if she'd try to harm them!

Sicily - Red Eyed Honey - Genetics are: A-CCeeGGpp. Sicily is almost identical to Siena, only she's smaller and not quite as deep in colour. Perhaps once she's older her colour will darken so she will do better as any shows I might enter her to.

11 June 2006

Siena passed away today, she had managed around 3 weeks since we thought she had perhaps had some sort of stroke, she had recovered and was looking fine. Over the last few days I had seen very little of her, and was keeping an eye out to make sure she was still with us. Then on the evening of the 10th I noticed her in the back corner of the tank, underneath her wooden table, very cold and almost completely out of it. It was obvious immediately that she was not going to live much longer, I offered water, she did not register water at all, and instead bit at the nozzle.

My poor baby.

I left her with her two daughters to die in peace, by the end of the night it was more apparent that they considered her basically dead and were just digging on her/walking on her, which is normal gerbil behaviour, but normally the gerbil being stood on would squeak in protest. It was breaking my heart seeing them doing this so I removed her and let her die in peace in a hospital tank. At around 11am or 12pm on Sunday 11th she passed away, I hope it wasn't too painful for her.

Now I know I've said plenty of times with other gerbils how gutted I am, but nothing compares to Siena. I truly am gutted, we all have our favourite and Miss Siena was my complete favourite, always such a lovely, friendly girl. From the first day I brought her home she was licking me, climbing up my arm, sleeping in my hand or every time I opened their tank she would be out, hanging from the glass wanting to come play. Sydney and Kyoto were the two gerbils who started it all, but Siena was just... Well I can't explain. Anyone who has a special bond with a pet will know what I mean. It's been something I always knew, I always knew Siena would be the hardest to get over.

She was also my youngest to die, the only one not to have reached 2. I guess breeding your animals really does shorten their expectancy, just never breed from your favourite.

Two deaths a week apart from the other, one completely unexpected and out of the blue, the second a little less so. I expect all my animals to live to 3 or more, so Siena leaving us at 2 and 2 months is tough to take.

As it happens, my parents brought round a bleeding heart plant I had ordered today, so she has been buried under it. I should've known it was a symbol.