Robinson and I felt that, at 3 and 6 - almost 4 and 7, our boys were old enough for their own pet. Something small, quiet, and interesting. Christmas was coming up and we scored a 20-lb aquarium and stand for $20 from a co-worker, complete with pump, light, and filter.
Arthur has a certain fondness for frogs, so we originally planned for a pet of the amphibious kind. As we began doing more research, it became evident that caring for a frog would become a full-time job: heat lamp? Humidity reader? Non-clorinated water?
But it was the "no petting" that finally decided it.
When the boys learned that they would be unable to take their frog friend out of the tank to play with it, they were disappointed. Then they learned that many frogs are nocturnal which means they would be asleep when the frog was awake.
Enter the rodent.
We had gone to the pet store to look, not to buy, but the boys were immediately captivated by two, small, furry mice. They fought. They played. They cleaned each other. The boys laughed and we knew then that maybe - just maybe - getting a little furry something would be a good choice.
So we researched: mice? Hamsters? Gerbils? Rats? If we got hamsters or rats we could only get one. Mice are nice but gerbils are incredibly friendly and social. Plus, they love to play in boxes and tubes.
Bingo.
We left the pet store and that night made a list of all the things our furry friends would need: bedding, water bottle, food, wheel, house, gnaw sticks...
The very next day, school was out because of high winds and frigid temperatures so I packed up the kids in the car and took them to Target (to get bedding, food, and Timothy hay) and then to Petco (to get everything else but the gerbils).
We got their new home ready that afternoon. The boys were psyched. They eagerly and impatiently awaited that night when we would go to another pet store and bring them home. Unfortunately, we learned that the pet store had gerbils but that they were under quarantine for three days. We would have to wait for Saturday to bring our new friends home.
Every day Balin asked if it was Saturday. Arthur grumbled, "I wish we could bring them home now!"
Then Saturday came and the boys went down to Rockford and brought back two gerbils: one black one with a white spot on its chin and a cream-colored one with reddish-black eyes. Balin named his right away. Arthur waited so that he could name his gerbil according to its personality.
Welcome to the family, Boo and Skippy. I hope you like it here. The boys are excited to have you as friends and want you to be happy here. The boys have promised to do their best to take good care of you.
Blessed be.
Arthur has a certain fondness for frogs, so we originally planned for a pet of the amphibious kind. As we began doing more research, it became evident that caring for a frog would become a full-time job: heat lamp? Humidity reader? Non-clorinated water?
But it was the "no petting" that finally decided it.
When the boys learned that they would be unable to take their frog friend out of the tank to play with it, they were disappointed. Then they learned that many frogs are nocturnal which means they would be asleep when the frog was awake.
Enter the rodent.
We had gone to the pet store to look, not to buy, but the boys were immediately captivated by two, small, furry mice. They fought. They played. They cleaned each other. The boys laughed and we knew then that maybe - just maybe - getting a little furry something would be a good choice.So we researched: mice? Hamsters? Gerbils? Rats? If we got hamsters or rats we could only get one. Mice are nice but gerbils are incredibly friendly and social. Plus, they love to play in boxes and tubes.
Bingo.
We left the pet store and that night made a list of all the things our furry friends would need: bedding, water bottle, food, wheel, house, gnaw sticks...
The very next day, school was out because of high winds and frigid temperatures so I packed up the kids in the car and took them to Target (to get bedding, food, and Timothy hay) and then to Petco (to get everything else but the gerbils).
We got their new home ready that afternoon. The boys were psyched. They eagerly and impatiently awaited that night when we would go to another pet store and bring them home. Unfortunately, we learned that the pet store had gerbils but that they were under quarantine for three days. We would have to wait for Saturday to bring our new friends home.
Every day Balin asked if it was Saturday. Arthur grumbled, "I wish we could bring them home now!"
Welcome to the family, Boo and Skippy. I hope you like it here. The boys are excited to have you as friends and want you to be happy here. The boys have promised to do their best to take good care of you.
Blessed be.
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