From: "Leenknegt-Lioen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
| Hi,
| I want to adopt two female gerbils, around six weeks old. But I don't
know
| how I have to house them, because all the books say something else. I
have
| two hamstercages, because I have had some. Is this convenient?
Hi and welcome. You will love those gerbils, if I am any example. I'm
not an expert but I can help you to get started.
Here's what I would do:
** Ignore expensive and tricky plastic habitats. Some people like them,
and others hate them. Perhaps later you will decide to get one.
** House them in an aquarium tank. Ten gallon size, but bigger is
better. You can find a used aquarium, even one that has cracks so is
useless for fish. Cages also work but gerbils scatter bedding all over
the room -- so use your hamster cages if you are willing to do some
regular sweeping. You need a top for the tank to prevent escapes. If you
don't want to buy one, you can make it. No heating or lights are needed.
** Choose a simple bedding. You can get fancy later, as some do with
peat etc. to enable burrows. For now (and I still do) buy a bag of
something. NOT cedar nor pine, which can cause respiratory troubles for
gerbils. I don't know what is available in Belgium. Here in US we
recommend aspen chips or a processed product called CareFresh. One of the
nice things about gerbils is that you need to clean tanks and change
bedding only every 2-4 weeks. Put about 3-6 inches of bedding in the
tank.
** A water bottle hung from the side of their tank. They MUST have
water. Pet shops have bottles. I suggest a kind that rests in a metal
guard because sometimes the little devils decide to gnaw their bottles.
Check daily to be sure that water is flowing from the bottle when you
press the drinking spout.
** Give them a place in which to cuddle. Your pet shop might have a half
log. Small cardboard boxes are popular, and they can chew them up also
(which is good for their teeth). Give them toilet tissue every few days
from which they will make comfortable nest bedding. Gerbils like to do
home improvements.
** Many use food bowls. I quit using them. If you get one, glass or a
glazed ceramic is best. Plastic gets chewed up. Be prepared to hunt for
bowls after gerbils bury them. Be prepared to acknowledge that gerbils
are smarter than we are about how they wish to live. I feed every other
day, so I'm pretty sure gerbils are getting all the nutritious components
of their feed, not just the yummy parts. Food supplements (like
vegetables) are good for variety, and you can read up on those.
** Gerbils love sunflower seeds or similar, and you will learn to also.
Be careful not to give them too many treats because they are fattening,
and that shortens lifespan. A few seeds in your hand is a nice way to
commune with gerbils. Both of you will enjoy it.
** You can add entertainments like a running wheel. (Please read
websites about dangers of usual open wheels, and how to modify the wheel.
Not absolutely critical, but accidents happen.) Gnawing material is
important although mine usually ignore expensive things from pet stores.
You personally can be their entertainment. Try taking them from their
cage to play in the bathtub. You and they will decide other fun
activities.
A few GML members have websites specifically about gerbil housing. I
don't think you need that until you all are settled in. But please email
me if you need those Web addresses. I assume you already know about
Gerbil FAQ and NGS Index sites -- but if not, please just ask me.
Enjoy ... Bill
