In Memory of Pan

[jeannie]

When I first set eyes on Pan at the pet store, he had been in a fight with Prancelot, and had huge scabs under his eyes. He looked up at me, like a victorious boxer who had won a prize - the beloved Phoebe.

Pan was the biggest rascal who ever lived in MsChiefmaker Haven. He impregnated Phoebe at the pet store and had 5 beautiful children through that union, but that was not enough for him. He was forever in the mood. Even when he was sick, he still had a rather large sexual appetite toward his friend Pyke.

Despite his appetite, and like all animals, he was really just a docile sweetie who would turn to putty in my hands. When Pyke had a mild seizure on his first night home, Pan comforted him by grooming him and sleeping on him. He was a great daddy with a playful spirit.

He had been slowly losing weight for the last couple of months, with no clear diagnosis other than old age. When I got home tonight he was dying in the corner of his tank. I took him in my hands and gave him Reiki to help him cross over. The Reiki made him twitch a little. I said, "It's okay, Pan, you can go home to Phoebe now." He stiffened and died. It was very peaceful. I thanked him for waiting for me and for letting me be there when he left.

He is survived by his tank mate, Pyke, who has lymphoma and will soon be joining him and Phoebe. Since they are in Heaven, there will be no fighting over love, just love.

Have fun, Pan. You are free at last!

[Die Fledermaus]

So so sad to read these. Although you phrased it all as nicely as possible. So sorry. I well remember Pan, and we expect photos soon, and I'll check your site for some also.

The longer I keep these guys the more I become resigned to my role: I am a temporary custodian of them, and they might go at any time without warning, as Onyx did.

Reiki: "Universal Life Force Energy" for purposes of healing. Exactly how it was used and intended for Pan in this context I don't understand. Anyway, there must be some benefit to my crew just from the good feelings expressed to them in various ways even if not in strictly Reiki style. If you know what I mean.

Seizures. I got a new gerbil, a youngster alone in a five gallon tank. The worker was solicitous of him, but his conditions in a nearly empty tank were not good. So I take him home and put him in a tank; I later picked him up. . . and his eyes closed, his ears folded back, and he literally passed out. I immediately put him back in the tank, and soon his eyes opened, but he remained motionless and stiff. In five more minutes he seemed OK, and has been with a bunch of guys in Twenty Gallon Number II doing just fine and sleeping with the bunch. I never saw that with a gerbil before, if that is what you mean by a 'seizure". (?).

I'll take some photos as time permits; he does have a unique color: the fur is lighter than an argente cream (spot also, in this case) and he has very dark eyes, bit clear nails. So he can't be a white-bellied cream, with those dark eyes. the tail is the same as the body color. I just looked at some color palettes without success. So, photos later.

Anyway, condolences on Pan, and best wishes for a comfortable passing for Pyke. Plan to find some needy hams to "replace" them, so to speak? Finding Prince a day after Princess died was immensely helpful for me, although it did not make me miss her any the less. It filled a hole. You know.

[jeannie]

Reiki speeds up the natural healing process of the body. Since his body needed to die, it sped up the process. It took less than 30 seconds, and he did not seem in pain - he went in peace with a final sigh of relief.

No more animals for me now or anytime soon. I still have 7 more, including a sick one who is seeing another vet tomorrow night. I need a break from vet bills, which have been consistently well over $300/month since last November. I just can't afford any more animals. The ones I have have about another year or so of life, and I expect many more vet bills this year. It's just too much.

As for holes, I am filling them up with people. They don't cost as much and they last a lot longer!

That sounds like a seizure, although it's not the kind that Pyke had. His involved some twitching. It only happened once though, on his first night home.

So much for the concept of animals from breeders lasting longer. Pyke is younger than my other gerbils (from pet stores) were when they went, and he comes from excellent breeding stock.

[Die Fledermaus]

So Reiki facillitated what needed to occur and was occuring naturally. Sure wish I could have applied it to Rainy.

Seems like you've had bad luck with chronically ill animals. No one here has been similarly ill with the exception of Rainy and she was incurable, terminal, and untreatable. I suppose I should have had her put down earlier, but the extreme symptoms and death came on very suddenly. I read elsewhere about using dry ice and CO2 for purposes of euthanasia in an emergency. Kind of moot: where do I find dry ice at 11 PM?? Or 11 AM for that matter.

Princess was uniquely special to me. She was the only one I felt the absolute need to replace, and there was Prince (looking like her son) waiting for me. I can kiss him on the nose too without a flinch just like those born here.

My new guy didn't twtich; he just passed out. I guess I was too scary for him. He's fine now and munching with the rest on "millet spray".

The six gerbs I got from the breeder in July of 2002 are very healthy still. So, I can only assume I got quality critters from him, genetically. Much of it is just random luck, though.

Everyone here seems normal other than Blanche having a slight foot blister that seems to have no effect on her, and Theodora acting slighty ancy, but she seems normal upon examination. Most odd is Boudicca, who remains a recluse in her Habitrail: I rarely even see her, but she is fine. I assume she waits until total darkness to come out and explore and forage.

Sorry again about Pan, and I will as time permits check your site for photos if you don't post some here. Heroic job by you getting them treatment.

[jeannie]

Tell me about it, re chronic illnesses. Now the vet wants to drain Pyke's cysts every week, because she thinks the problem is hormonal. He is on meds, which he will need to take indefinitely twice a day. I am bound to the apartment, can never go out of town, and am financially strapped with enormous vet bills that never end. And here I thought I would get a break...

Oh, well, at least she doesn't think it's cancer...

It never ends.

And Pyke was *not* a rescue - he was from a breeder. I just can't put him down, if he feels okay otherwise.

[Die Fledermaus]

Better hope you don't get sequestered on a jury.

I could not have put Rainy down as she just seemed wobbly; I made that cart for her tucchus. If I realized the inevitablity of it all, and how soon it would worsen. . . This relates to my parents, and espcially mom. You know how she went, very much the invalid and with the stomach pump and feeding tube, et al. But she was in no real pain, and always happy to see me. So the suggestions from the hospital that we avoid the tube (and let her starve, in effect) were non-starters.

(I am loooking at Pearl right now, a silhouetted back-lit figure sitting up on a block stuffing herself with millet from a hanging spray. It is very relaxing for me to watch. I hear little cracking noises from eight feet away. ).

Too bad there's no one you can trust with your place enough to tend to the critters, just as it is too bad you have no separate rooms you could lock if someone tends to the animals in a "rodent room". Of course, you have the other option of temporarily relocating their habitats to others' domiciles. Not easy, I know. With me, I just get worn out entertaining them every night, but I look at it as another form of exercise, not that I need more (down to 191 today ). Pearl and Penny are in the tank next to my bed; sometimes silicone earplugs are useful! ;D

Pearl is still eating millet, and she has gotten so big it is becoming hard to tell her from Penny if they are back-lit.

Photos of her and the new guy later.

Wonderful job you've done for your crew. Best to them.

[jeannie]

Well, I found a petsitter in my apartment building who said she would be able to give him antibiotics, if I showed her how. He is really easy to treat at least, because he just bites onto the syringe and laps up the meds as I slowly squirt them into his little mouth. He really is a sweety.

191 - skinny bones!

[Die Fledermaus]

Jeannie said:

191 - skinny bones!

11% body fat now. Time to find the size 34 pants. (Hope this isn't some pernicious malady! ).

People in this apartment who are gone all day have their dogs walked for them - ten bucks a walk is the charge. If I ever got one (not likely) Mary the lab lady could do it free. As for the rodents, I am on my own. I get six mice Monday; they should be easy to care for, unlike a few rats I saw and wish I had room for.