Well, if you've read my blog lately, you'll note that I've got a lot going on in my life. My brother was hospitalized, a friend of mine died, and to top it all off, Gamut has escaped, and I'm not sure if he made it outside or not.

While all this was going on, I had very little time or energy to devote to my cold-blooded friends. The person checking on them left a bit of a gap in the cage door, and next thing I know, I come home to dropped rat and no snake.

Believe me, I'm heartbroken. I feel like I was really irresponsible, and I really let the little guy down. I'm hoping and dreading that he made it outside. Hoping, because now I have to worry that he might make his way downstairs and attack the bird I was given when my friend died. Worried, though, because it hasn't exactly been an ideal temperature outside. I just want him to be safe and happy where ever he is.

I've left out some water in his cage and a nice source of heat for him. I'm thinking about getting a little hamster and closing it up in the cage with enough of a gap so that if Gamut is around and hungry, he can get in the cage, eat and hopefully stay in the cage. At least I would know he's still around. (I suggest a hamster because we already have one, so if Gamut truly is gone, we can keep him with the other hamster.)

Do you think this is a bad idea? The hamster would be fed and watered and have a place to play. It just also might become snake food. I hope that doesn't sound too callous to anyone.

But it has been several days since he disappeared, so I think he must have found a way outside (old house, lots of cracks). If that's the case, I doubt I'll ever see him again.

This absolutely will *never* happen again if I ever manage to get another chondro. I don't think I'll get one for awhile, though. Other than holding out hope for Gamut, I also couldn't afford another one at the moment. Plus, well, I can't just replace my pets like that. They're family to me. It's not going to be the same, even if I do get another one eventually.

*sigh* I really loved that little guy.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

Aww Typhanie I'm sorry to hear about your brother and Gamut! Hope things start turning up for ya. I would be careful with the hamster idea only because they can be vicious little buggers, and have a nasty bite....

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So sorry to hear, I lost a hatchling B&W tegu, and know what you mean by not being able to just replace them.
Just a warning, often two hamsters won't get along all that well. You can usually keep them with their littermates, but any others won't really get along.
They can do some serious damage to each other.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

Gotcha. Thanks for the warning.

I went to the pet store and got a tiny chinese dwarf. She's, so far, timid and extremely tame and calm. I kind of hope I do get to keep her, after all. One way or another, I've gained a pet, I think.

If I do end up keeping a hamster, I'll get her her own setup. Goodness knows I've got enough small cages locked away in storage. Since we've got everything for another hamster already, I think we'll be set.

Gosh I miss Gamut, though. I researched GTPs for *years* before getting him, then I really made a lot of effort to set things up and go and get him. I could just sit there and watch him all night long. I can't believe it ended so quickly over something so small. If I could only go back in time just a few days...

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

Aww, Typhanie, I am so sorry to hear that! Don't give up hope yet! Last year my hubby left Baby Dragon out when he left, when he came home he left the front door open. Needless to say, no Baby Dragon, I stressed out for days and it caused a lot of issues with our marriage. I was completely devastated, I just knew she was outside very cold, and getting rained on. Not to mention, that she needed her kidney medication, and without them her would kidneys would start to fail again. I couldnt sleep, eat. you name it! I was so stressed and heartbroken.
A couple of days later a bunch of kids told me there was a lizard in a tree , I climbed this humongous pine tree ( I dont climb trees, lol), and no lizard. I was again devastated, I came in and sat down and looked over to see her head just poking out from behind my armoire in the living room. She was trying to get to Oscars food bowl, which was less than two feet away and was stuck and couldn't get out.
Moral to this story, don't give up hope yet! I had just about given up hope and then there she was. I can tell you I looked back there a million times and did not find her! He just may turn up!

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

Watch your fingers! I had one bite me hard enough to tear open my knuckle. I almost needed stitches but they decided to use the skin glue instead. The was the last time I tried to give her meds without the bite glove on!

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If you do end up with another hamster, make sure she ends up in her own cage and that if there are bars on the cage that the spacing is small. A chinese dwarf can get out of bars that are spaced for normal hamsters. These type of dwarfs usually are pretty calm and docile. The russian dwarfs on the other hand are nasty!

I hope you find Gamut!

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yes i am a she ^_^

~My Babies~

1 Rosy Boa (male) Chaos
1 Snow Corn (male) Blizzard
1 Anertherystic Corn (male) Bullet
1 Senegal Parrot (male) Shadow
2 dogs (male) Spot and Bear

Typhanie, don't write off Gamut just yet. Check all kinds of crazy places: the coils behind the fridge, for example. Water pipes, curtain rods, picture frames. Any place that might seem safe, comfortable and warm. Keep water available and keep your eyes and ears open at night when he might be more likely to move around.
They can live for a long time without food, but keep an eye on your other pets, just in case!
The "hamster bait" is a good idea, IMO.
Good luck (with everything)!

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Andrea

Oh that stinks! I know how excited you were about finely getting him... I hope he turns up for you. I'll keep my fingers crossed, or as they do here in Sweden, I'll "hold my thumbs!"

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Yes my name is D... Yes as in the letter... No i wont tell you what it stands for!!!

And don't forget to look UP. Its been chilly outside. I don't think he would go that way. Good luck!

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.