RIP George The Gerbil

Derek coming downstairs on Christmas morning 2006

Santa brought Derek a gerbil and Derek named the gerbil George

Adam playing with George

George was a really cute gerbil, but he did bite. When we first got him, George bit me and his recessed teeth dug deep into my finger and wouldn't release. Derek was scared by that incident and was hesitant to handle George. Eventually Derek overcame his fear of George biting and he would take George out all the time and let George roam around his room or let George climb all over him while they sat on the sofa and watched tv.



Grayson our cat and Lulu our dachsund really wanted a piece of George

 

At first George lived in Derek's room, but he wasn't really part of the family up there so it wasn't long before George's cage became the centerpiece of our kitchen table. When we would eat we would put George on the ground which would give Grayson and Lulu an opportunity to get a closer look, but George wasn't afraid. He would come out and snap and hold his ground.

 

Earlier this year George's health started to decline. He started to lean to one side and we think he had a mini-stroke. Here Derek is holding George while I put some drops in George's ear.

 

George was really laboring the past few days and we knew his time was drawing near. When I came down yesterday Derek was crying quietly and said that George was really bad off. Derek laid George down softly on his bedding. George no longer appeared to be in any distress and slept quietly all day. We all would check in on him and pet him. George's breathing grew softer and softer and then in the late afternoon George quietly passed. Derek said he was glad we were able to be there with George on his last day.

Making bigger and better cages for George became a hobby for Derek. This is the latest cage. Derek cleaned everything up and now our kitchen table looks so bare.

Derek picked a nice spot in the backyard for George's final resting place