One of my Gerbils died :,(

[Hannah B.]

My names Hannah and I had 2 gerbils named Tony and Bruce. We got them from a Pet store and I used them for a science project in 4th grade and them kept them for pets after. A day before Bruce died he was being oddly still and would sit still when i would hold him. I knew something was wrong because he never wanted to be held. Before I went to bed I noticed they he would keep nudging Tony the would stand very still. The next morning he was dead  . I don't think Tony could tell that he was died because he went up and laid next to him. I don't know what to do because they were so close and always snuggled and slept with each other.

Ps: We had them for about 2 years but they were probably older. I'm 11 and fell like a terrible owner 

[MTPetey]

Sorry no one else has replied to you yet. I just want to say, nothing you said makes you sound like a terrible owner. It does sound like you are having a normal reaction to losing a pet however. You will always wonder if you did something wrong, or if you could have done some things better. Fact is, all animals die eventually, and it is not your fault. The important thing is that you care. As long as you truly care about your pets, chances are you are a fine pet owner.

Gerbils seem to vary in age quite a bit. I am fairly new to owning them myself, but it sounds like they live between 2-5 years, averaging around 3. Over 2 is definitely what seems to be considered old. It may have simply been that Bruce died of old age. What you do with Tony is up to you. Definitely keep an eye on him for a while to make sure he is not sick or depressed. The following article may be helpful to you: www.shawsheenrivergerbils.com/elders.html

[crittercrazy]

MTPetey is right, don't blame yourself!! I was 11 when I got my first gerbil and 12 when one died. It was hard, but now I've had a few gerbil deaths and deal with it better. Or so I thought until my Peanut, my very first gerbil, died and I was sure it was my fault.
I now know that it wasn't, and you need to know the same thing!!! Just remember that you did your best for Bruce and it is not your fault.
I've found that its my remaining gerbils that get me through the loss of a previous gerbil, so love extra on Tony!!
Take care!!!