> > So what do you do with the older gerbil? Leave him/her lonely for
> > the last
> > few months of life? Wouldn't it be better to introduce a new mate,
> > planning
> > a new pairing 6 or so months down the line when widow passes on? (If
> > it's
> > feasable for owner/gerbil colony of course)
> > This would seem to be more humane and compassionate.
> >
> > Ronni
> >
>
>Yes, you could introduce a new mate, and maybe they would get along.
>But adult intros are the most problematic, especially adult FEMALE
>intros. So you run the risk of having multiple unsuccessful attempts.
>For an older gerbil, it seems reasonable to avoid this risk, and give
>her some extra human attention to make up for her lack of a gerbil
>companion.
>Of course every gerbil is different, and every gerbil OWNER is
>different. You do what works for you and your gerbils.
I DO understand this, and there are risks. I just object to the concept of
"you don't do this no matter what". For newbies like me, the very
knowledgeable GML'ers advice has, in the past, been LAW! If other newbies
have a similar mind-set, it can result in missed opportunities for them AND
their gerbils because the owners don't have the opportunity to evaluate ALL
the data, and make a fully informed decision.
Ronni
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