We Have Bubonic Plague



Yes, yes, we have Bubonic Plague, B for short. Yesterday as K was walking up to the door he spotted the above pictured rodent skitter across our door step and under the wagon outside. He called me out to see and confirm that it was a gerbil. When he lifted the wagon the little rodent just sat there all wide eyed staring at us. Here comes the dilemma. What to do? I am a self professed gerbil disliker, but this little critter is obviously not wild and it's raining. *sigh* I can't leave it outside to get wet and snarfed up by a cat. I tell K to get something to put it in. The rodent and I stare at each other as K dashes inside to search for an appropriate container. I approach the rodent and extend my hand to which it walked half way into then decided to skitter off. I was appreciative for the rodent not biting me and giving me rabies, I pursued it as it went around the corner and scooped it up just as K was exiting with a suitable container and the Little People were descending the stairs. The little bugger was quite scared now with all the noise and commotion. I told K the container was too dirty to put the gerbil in, told the Little People to back off and quiet down and I grabbed their tea set container to put the gerbil in - hey it had a lid!

We anguished for a few moments as to what to do. We have two cats who would adore a little gerbil for entertainment and dinner. I'm planning on getting more fish in September so I'm not willing to give up the fish tank for a rodent. I fear stinky rodent smells in my house. Releasing it back into the wild was out of the question as it isn't a wild animal and would probably be an easy dinner for the many rodent eating critters in the area (cats, dogs, raccoons, snakes, etc.) - I could not bear the guilt from that. We headed to Pet Smart to procure the minimum of supplies for a gerbil. A small plastic cage/box, a small bag of food, a small water bottle and a small bag of bedding stuff for $13. Although EVERYONE else in my brood was looking at larger cages with toys, etc. I wasn't willing to purchase anything that even suggested that the rodent would become a permanent part of this household. If we find it's real owner I'll more than happy to hand it over. If it starts to stink I'm getting rid of it. If I just decide I hate owning it (kind of like my dog) then I'm getting rid of it. If my cat can't leave it alone and spends all her waking moments either plotting to get it out of the box or terrorizing the gerbil thereby causing it to develop a nervous condition, I'll get rid of it. I've explained to the Little People these points, I want them to understand that our possession of Bubonic Plague may be temporary.

Last night B spent the night in K's bedroom (heh, sounds like the lead into a bad gay joke doesn't it?) as my cat suddenly realized we had a rodent in a box on the counter. She figured it must be for her and jumped up to check out 'her' package a few times. I figured it was safer for the rodent to spend the night behind locked doors (and not in my bed room - that thing scratches and digs a lot and I'm a light sleeper, plus Sunshine spends most nights on my bed).

So now we tentatively have a gerbil. Bubonic Plague. Why the name? Oh, well I said in the car that since I was the one to run out into the cold wet grass in my bare feet and catch the little bugger I would be the one to name it. K didn't think my suggestion of Jesus was funny and refused to let it stand. Bastard. My decision, if it was a boy it would be Attilla and if it was a girl it would be Bubonic Plague. It's a girl, B it is.

Hard to believe that K is the first to bring a stray animal home and not one of the Little People.