Unofficial Tex Murphy

Hope you feel better soon Cub...

Bafitis wrote:Hope you feel better soon Cub...

Thanks Baf!

I am going for a record for the most consecutive episodes of Stargate SG1. haha

-Cub. =o)

What's the current record and how many are you up to??? lol

I could go for the Record of consecutive Rescue Me episodes... I love that show...

I once watched an entire season of Farscape in one sitting. The second one, if you're inclined to ask.

Does that count as a record?

-Fred

My record is all of season 2 of Stargate in one day... 22 episodes, and a LOT of hours!

Did not come too close today as I had to leave to meet a friend for coffee for a little while... she wanted someone to chat to, and despite being ill I could not pass up a free coffee/tea.

Fred, that totally counts... its awesome!

-Cub. =o)

Relieved today actually. I had to present my dissertation proposal to the board of Academics today at University, it seemed to go pretty well. I think the force is strong within me

Hey what a convenient thread for me to pop by and say hi in.

Hi.

I've been busy with work and other 'stuff' in life.
In other news my gerbils are robbing me. Keep making me take them to the vets! Nah, I love them really And after the next visit that should be it for a long time (I hope....).
Been playing a lot of Little Big Planet and a few other games.

Looks like a lot of great stuff has happened around here with the release of 3 Cards and the 'secret fedora' project.

Hope you feel better soon Cub. Take good care of yourself. I once did an X-Files Maration in preparation for the new film that came out recently. Just incase the new film referred to stuff in the series or to the end I crammed the seasons (I think it was the last 3, can't remember) in plus the previous film. Not in one sitting though. It wasn't such a good idea though... had the reverse effect regarding 'making you feel better'. And then the new film referenced NOTHING.

Same to everyone else, I wish you all well.

Good to see you Sai, it's been awhile... Hope the Gerbils are okay...

As for that X-Files movie that just came out, I found it to be quite upsetting considering what X-Files is suppose to be about... It was an okay Movie once you stopped thinking of Aliens and stuff...


But anyway... I've got a Migraine right now, that's how I'm doing... Should go away by Wednesday... They usually last 2 to 3 days...

Hey there Baf

Bafitis wrote:Good to see you Sai, it's been awhile... Hope the Gerbils are okay...

Thanks. The gerbil came through surgery fine. He was looking a bit off the other day but looking well again now. He's going back for a post-op checkup soon anyway.

As for that X-Files movie that just came out, I found it to be quite upsetting considering what X-Files is suppose to be about... It was an okay Movie once you stopped thinking of Aliens and stuff...

Yeah. I mean I think I liked the individual Monster Episodes that made up a lot of the show often more than the alien-arc but even I thought it was going to tie up all the loose ends of the alien-arc which became the central pivot of the series. I think they picked doing an extended Monster episode to appeal to a wider audience but.... without a lot of advertising/incentives I think it was more nostalgic people/avid fans who went. Still I hear they're going to do another, possibly to coincide with that 2012 Mayan date thing and that *should* continue the alien stuff. I dunno if the first film's performance would of scupppered the alien-arc sequel though, we'll see.

But anyway... I've got a Migraine right now, that's how I'm doing... Should go away by Wednesday... They usually last 2 to 3 days...

[/quote]

Well its probably long gone by now, lol. But hope you feel better.

Well due to a bad Disc in my Neck I get Migraines quite often unfortunately...

My dog had surgery not too long ago on one of his back legs... I don't think the surgery took, I need to take him back in and tell them that they messed up... He had tore a Ligament and they were suppose to implant a new one made out of something like Piano Wire... He has never really walked right since, so I'm thinking the Surgery didn't take... 1,500 bucks for it, I better get some of that back or they better do it right... He had it done in late February, so he should be back to normal by now, but he isn't...

Sai, Glad your pet came through surgery okay... What did he/she need surgery for anyway???

Sorry to hear about your dog, I know how you feel, I think my gerbil (the same one) is gonna have to go back for yet more treatment even after they just had surgery argh!!..... Still I don't really think its the vet's fault... they are pretty good with operating on gerbils. Tough to find vets who can even do that for a reasonable price (quite a few still consider gerbils 'exotic pets') and have the confidence to operate on little gerbils.

It was a lump they had to have removed by the way. Gerbils have a risk of getting scent gland tumours (can be benign but usually best to get em removed anwyay) and males have a little higher chance because they have a little more skin there and Ive a feeling also they like to scent stuff more often but not sure about that.

To be honest though I think I have been getting issues with lumps far more often then the average. Both this pair and my last got lumps at around the same time.... I think its a sign of bad breeding since that kind of coincidence sounds like a genetics thing. Plus my gerbil got his scent gland removed to prevent anything coming back but..... he has another lump already.

I have asked on a very well-informed gerbil forum but at the end of the day there is many factors involved and reasons it could be happening, including maybe something they rubbed against whilst scenting so I will probably give a closer look to the type of wood and other materials thats in their tank when I get chance. Another factor is bad breeding though.
I got the pairs from different places but to be honest i wasnt totally sure about the last pet shop's methods who were breeding them themself (theyve since closed down... credit crunch? hmmmmm! ). Next time I get a pair I'm going to try a different pet store and after that if I still end up with genetic deficiencies I may take the extra mile and find a breeder. Id of done that sooner since if you find a good breeder the gerbils are usually friendlier too due to the better attention they get than being cooped up in a pet shop, but dont think there is anyone local to me. Oh well.

Anyway I don't want to put anyone off gerbils though. I am just monumentally unlucky with the quality of pet shop breeders around here I'm guessing. Gerbils are awesome pets, I love them.

Bummer... I sure hope the gerbil comes through okay... Just not kewl having to put your pet through that kind of thing... They don't have the brain power to know what they're having done or why... All they know is you took them to these people who made them fall asleep really fast and when they woke up they had this very very bad pain and can't seem to do as much as they could before...

Wow, I wish the best for both your pets.

It never ceases to amazing how un-alone we are in this world... there is always someone out there going through similar issues to sympathise with your own.

Just out of curiosity, a Gerbil: like a Hamster, Guinea Pig, or like that right? Same diff? Never knew if 'Gerbil' was a breed/species or slang for one of the above mentioned.

-Cub. =o)

Gerbils are a bit different from Hamsters... I believe they are a bit cleaner and smell better too, but I might be mistaken... They live longer too I'm pretty sure... Hamsters only live a couple of years, maybe 4 to 5 at the most...

Thanks Cub
Yeah a gerbil is a different species of rodent animal. Compared to other pets they were only domesticated in the last 50 years or so, I think somewhere around 1960s not sure. So they're still not as well-known or considered 'exotic' by some vets.

The domesticated gerbils are actually Mongolian Gerbils from the Mongolian desert. I wish I knew more about wild gerbils but not much about them around.
They are small rodents with kangaroo-like hind legs that they can use to jump very high up in the air to avoid a predator diving at them. They also use their hind leg to thump a warning message to other gerbils in times of danger, like rabbits this means all gerbils nearby dive for cover/underground. Like meerkats they will also stand up tall on their hind legs sometimes if they hear/see something strange and need to investigate.
They have long tails with short fur for balance and also if a predator catches them by the tail they are actually able to detach the tail from their body to get away. It doesn't grow back however so it is always advised not to pick a gerbil up by the tail, or if you *must* do it by the very base only.
Because they come from the desert they like to take a sand bath which keeps their fur from getting greasy. They should never have a water bath but water to drink though in a water bottle is needed however.
They are supposedly diurnal. So neither nocturnal or the other one. I think diurnal means they sleep at certain periods of the day although I don't know too much about that. Pretty much you see em up and around at various points and then they power nap (not necessarily both at the same time) and are up again.
They're highly inquisitve and active animals who are also social so best kept in pairs. They groom each other, playfight or 'eskimo kiss' (touch noses). They LOVE to shred cardboard tubes (like toilet rolls) into little pieces (their favourite thing!). Also you may occassionally see them wink at you, as far as Ive heard its just them being excited or a dominance/communication thing but not much is known about it.
If you tame your gerbil very well or get a particularly friendly one, they may even feel like they're vibrating in your hand, this is them purring (never had this but others have).

They are kept in a gerbilarium (a tank with no water in it) preferably with a decent amount of material to dig about in and some wood to gnaw on etc.
Typically you clear them out about once a month. So yes they are fairly clean and dont smell much.
They live for 3 - 4 years on average. 4 is a good age for them really, more is very good. Most of mine have lived to about 4 years. Compared to some species of hamster its longer (some species of hamster only live less than a year I think) but yes for a little rodent this is a pretty typical type of lifespan I guess.

Well If you ever want to know more about them just ask me! I'm on my 4th pair.

Here's a pic of a Siamese-style coloured one (random off the internet):


I have a Flash-based interactive gerbil guide that I did for University if you want a little more info:
http://portfolio.crossrealms.net/work/m ... index.html

Oh also I have a Cafepress store... with gerbil illustrations
http://www.gerbilgoods.com/

Yeah... can you tell I like gerbils a lot? My favourite pet

And thanks Baf. Hope your dog also pulls through OK. I know what you mean about it being confusing for them. Especially when I had to keep giving him medicine in his mouth, I doubt he very much liked me at all!