bad gerbil mom

[themousespeaks]

I guess I will let everyone scold me

yesturday I took cricket out of her tank to have ball time for ten mins. She loves her ball and started up running right away. my son and I giggled and laughed while she ran around the kitchen floor. I remembered I had to get something up stairs, lost track of time and checked some e-mails while my son played. My son was down stairs when I heard hysterical (sp?) giggles from him and remember "CRICKETS IN THE BALL?!?!?!!?". I ran down stairs and relaxed when I seen my son playing at the bottom of the stairs with some toys but, when I looked into the kitchen cricket was free running around the floor. her gerbil ball top had popped off.

She was running from behind the deep freezer to the middle of the floor and then to the baby gate. I climbed over to get her but, had no gloves on. it took me another min 1/2 to find the gloves. when I squatted down she ran right over and I scooped her up. Her eyes seemed larger than normal but, her heart was not beating fast. I felt soo bad for her and like such a bad mommy. She was very calm besides the huge eyes but, went nuts when I showed her coco in the cage. She was soo happy to be back in her cage, she ran down stairs and began cleaning herself.

I think she's forgiven me already because she ran to the cage bars to see me for a snack when I came over. I'll make sure next time to just stay put and hopefully she still loves her ball but, doesn't gain a taste for exscape artist freedom.

[caz]

Oh don't worry, I've been there and done that with our dearly departed hammie - it happens! The lid often mysteriously 'fell off' when I wasn't looking and then panic sets in as you don't know where the escape artist has got to lol! They're usually not too far away though ;D

Don't be so hard on yourself - you're not a bad mommy at all

I'll give you a little tip though if you want it - use a strip of masking tape to hold the lid in place! It's just sticky enough to hold the lid on whilst the ball is rolling, yet not too sticky (like sellotape) that you can't get it off again

Glad Cricket is ok ;D

Caroline

[angielouise]

Hey you're definitely not a bad gerbil mum ! It's happened to me too when I had a hamster years ago (none of my gerbils like the balls). The only thing you can do is what Caz says - a bit of masking tape over the lid.

Glad Cricket is back safe and sound! ;D

[themousespeaks]

I'm back, I haven't been able to enjoy the forum as usually. Cricket has indeed had a taste of freedom and has been trying to escape since the day after I put her back. She's been digging and biting at the glass corners and the bars on her tank topper.

[mona]

Don't feel too bad, gerbbies have the memory span of paper.

I accidently set mine loose and now he's got a buggered up paw and a black eye !

[malabui]

Always make sure that the ball lid 'clicks' into place to make it secure (and yes a hammy did escape from a ball and was found chewing the telephone wires)