Top ten ways to sneak a new gerbil into the house...

10.  Strategically rearrange the tanks onto shelves so it looks like there aren't so many
9.  "Honey, we've had Blackie for six months now.  Remember? Good 'old Blackie."
8. Oh, him? That's Hollis' brother. You fed him just last week, remember? Oh, and honey, remember that great fishing pole you wanted so much? It's on sale, and your birthday's coming, so I thought I'd.......
 7. You mean you don't remember the black one from Buttercups litter?? Really that's odd =-P
6. Add extra cardboard to all the tanks so you can't see how many inhabitants there actually are :).
5) Have one more tank set up empty, and occasionally stir up the litter. Then when you sneak in another one it won't be noticed because the tank was there all along. Hee hee.
4) Rehome anyone who isn't friendly or you held on to, a little longer then 8 weeks. Then put the new ones in their place.
3) "that's not a gerbil. it's an ethopian hamster.you never said no more  hamsters!"
2) "it's either this or another baby."
1. Honey I bought you a present, a new baby gerbil!!!

Other ways.........

Do it on poker night, so when he gets home he thinks he's seeing
double...

I always have extra tanks set up with houses and wheels and bedding, food, empty water bottle, etc... so when I add a new occupant, my dad doesn't notice because he thinks they were just in the house beforehand!

You know how some fathers forget their children's birthdays?
Daughter:( 6 months before birthday ) Daddy,you know how my birthday is coming up soon? 
Father: oh uh..yea,yea! how could i forget? so ummm.....what do you want? 
Daughter: oh daddy,i would just LOVE a pair of gerbils! proverbially black? 1 week later: oh thank you daddy, i love them!

Thank to all the AGS members that contributed!
-Diane Nott, October 2005.