h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

With the rodent collective languishing in the doldrums at the moment, I have decided that it is time to bring in some new blood to join Eddie the jird and the ageing mouse, Sodit.

Sadly Chandon passed on and Doobry disappeared in an incident that has been likened to the Bermuda Triangle or the act of Harry Houdini. One moment she was in her cage, the next gone with no visible means of escape.

Any way, tonight I am on my way to pick up two new jirds who are only babies. Ahhhhh!

Congratulations on the new members of your family!

And their names are?

Jirds? I thought they were mice!!!

They are Dogger and Crommarty - named after areas of sea in the Shipping forecast and they are soooo cute.

I did have mice Lifson but then I discovered Shaw's Jirds http://www.rodent.demon.co.uk/gerbils/jird.htm and haven't looked back since.

I felt duty bound to adopt Dogger, as he was the poor lamb who was introduced to my current jird Eddie a couple of weeks ago. Eddie didn't like him and beat him up. His mother did not take kindly to smelling Eddie on him and bit his tail off! This is standard behaviour among female jirds I am afraid, so they normally have to be kept on their own. Dogger is small and a bit runty but hopefully he will grow. His stump is healing nicely, though I am keeping an eye on it.

Cromarty on the other hand is the owner of a full length tail and is bigger then his brother. He is also braver and having no sense of gravity would quite happily walk off my shoulder / any surface should I let him.

Awwwww! So cute!!!

Wish my Mum let me keep a pet - I spent two years arguing to be allowed to have a fish - to no avail.

I know that feeling... they never come up with a rational argument as to why not. It is either that or they object to the tails!

Main argument - but what when we go on holiday?
My response - I'll get a friend to look after it for the week.
Their response - You'd inflict that on your friends? Some friend!
My response - IT'S A FISH DAMMIT!!! You used to send the dog to a friends when we went on holiday when I was 5!!!
Their response - that's different.

(Dog died following year by the way)

Hmmm have you tried just buying it and putting it in your room? That is what I did!

Ghost rodents?

Tiny skeletal rats?

I'd love to - but they'd make me get rid of it when they find out - and I don't think the fish would like hiding under my desk!!!

Abi, should you be condoning such behaviour?
Shouldn't you be being reponsible and adult and stuff?

On second thoughts, no, perhaps not

Of course, this argument's a bit late, Lifson, but for fish, there are time-release vacation-food things...