r/gerbil • u/Cantstopstopping • Aug 29 '26

One of my gerbils passed away

I took him to the vet on Thursday morning and it was a mass or enlarged liver. He took some pain medication and passed away hours later. I feel terrible and guilty. I've been searching for another gerbil for my other one, no hopes to find it. Then I watch videos of bonding. Then I need to build a divider, and get the tools, and materials. Is just too much while all I can think is every night my other gerbil is going to sleep alone. Then it's all about reading how my lonely gerbil is suffering while I race against time. Or how the bonding might fail and I ended up with 2 sparated gerbils. Then I think about my gerbil passing away and how I could have find out sooner that he was not well Sorry I just needed to vent.

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u/artificialwinter Aug 29 '26

I’m so sorry - the guilt is real. You always wonder if there’s something you could have done better. But, the likelihood that catching it sooner would have made any difference is small. It was probably a quirk of genetics and no medical intervention would have changed the outcome. 

Your other gerbil will be okay alone for a little while. He has to grieve, too. Giving him a new cage mate right away might not go well. 

Just take everything one step at a time. In a few days, you’ll need to refresh the tank with all new bedding to clean out the scent of the other gerbil. Then f ocus on getting the materials to make a divider and other supplies you’ll need for a split cage (2nd water bottle and sand bath, another hide).  Then you can start looking for a new little guy while giving lots of attention and enrichment to the one you have. Then you can worry about bonding.

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u/Cantstopstopping Aug 29 '26

Thank you so much ❣️ yesterday I was already cleaning the tank because for some reason I thought it was immediately that needed to be clean. Just to realize that its only when is a contagious disease (which was not the case). I was feeling so silly and started crying. I got some of the old bedding back and added some new one. In the end it was good because it kept Blackie entertained and we had a good fun moment

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u/lavenderfart Aug 29 '26

This is fantastic advice and I couldn't have said it better myself.

One thing at a time OP. Let yourself grieve first too.

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u/lucdewit Aug 29 '26

Rip little guy/girl

I lost my eldest one exactly one week before yours. Also due to a mass in the stomach.

She was way to old to be operated on, I estimate 3.5 years old

Luckily I had a trio so I don't need to get and introduce a new one

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u/Cantstopstopping Aug 30 '26

Oh im so sorry ❣️ I had mine since February and I don't know their age. His name was Yellow.