Thursday, November 19, 2009

What to do?

Ruined Slumbers
Well, here I am again with a grumpy toddler at naptime. I'm starting to believe that our apartment staff knows my children's nap schedule and decides to do lawn care during those times at least once a week. Of course, as soon as nap time is over, lawn care ceases. How frustrating! Maybe I can build a sound-proof room for naps? And the kids aren't the only ones missing out on their sleep. Hubby and I have been tossing and turning 'most every night since we've moved (well, more him than me). I'm sure some of the restless nights are due to stress, but we're beginning to think that maybe he has a touch of insomnia? Looking into buying melatonin. Hopefully the all natural sleep aid will help.

Pet Woes
I'm not sure what to do with our gerbils. One of them has an open sore on her belly that just isn't healing. It's been there for at least a couple of weeks, if not longer. Some days she seems fine - up running around, eating, drinking, etc. - and other days she just rests and seems sickly. Her sister gerbil is doing well. We haven't seen any sores on her or noticed strange/sick behavior. But last night, I watched for a few minutes as Scurry (the sick gerbil) closed her eyes took in labored breaths while Scamper sat nervously beside her. Scamper knows something is up.

Dark Thoughts
The life span of a gerbil is 3-5 years, and we bought the two gerbils together almost three years ago. So, we don't expect them to live much longer. Hubbs has suggested we just let them go outside. But I'm sure they would be attacked almost immediately by one of the neighbors' cats. The only person who shows any remote interest in them anymore is C, and I highly doubt he would miss them terribly if they were gone. H will occasionally ask to play with them or feed them, etc. But mostly she has nothing to do with them. Basically, and I can't believe I'm saying this, we're just waiting for them to die. They are very sweet pets, and I know it sounds awful, but we just can't give them the attention they need and deserve - medical or otherwise. So, my question is, What should we do with them? Just continue to take care of them and see what happens? Let them go somewhere and hope they survive? I'm not sure. I am sure, however, that if something isn't done soon, Onyx will find a way to get the cage open. She has already discovered how to jump to the top of the bookshelf where the gerbils reside. I'm waiting for the morning we wake up and find two gerbil carcasses outside of the bedroom door.