Hi!
I (like Will) am placing gerbil pups and was interested in a "Vital
Information Sheet" (I did provide info on good web sites, but one of the
girls is not a big reader so I wanted to provide a summary page, too.)
I built off Gary's list and wrote up a sheet of basic Do's and Don'ts. Did
I leave out anything major?
(Note: I did not specify details of tank setup and accessories as I put all
that together for them from good deals on the web e-petstores for a total of
$25)
-- Donna
******************************************************************
Gerbil basic do�s and don'ts:
Do keep gerbils in pairs -- gerbils need to have a gerbil companion.
Do not put stranger gerbils together without careful and gradual
introduction; they will fight. Two gerbils separated for more that 24 hours
are strangers.
Do give your gerbils sufficient food, water, toys, and cardboard so they
won't fight.
Do feed a good seed mix for gerbils/hamsters that doesn't contain too many
(fatty) sunflower seeds.
Do give your gerbil plenty of cardboard or wooden gerbil/bird toys to gnaw,
otherwise their teeth will become overgrown.
Do not keep your gerbil's tank in direct sunlight or exposed to drafts.
Do not hold your gerbil's tail (except at the base), it could break off. Do
not use a wheel with open slats, as it could catch your gerbil's tail and
break it off.
Do use for litter a few inches of Carefresh or Aspen or corncob. For
bedding add cardboard, paper, tissues, napkins, and paper towels. Avoid
cloth materials which can get caught in their toe nails, or cedar shavings
which have harmful oils. Pine isn't good (may cause respiratory problems)
but can be made safer by having it sit in an open box for a week before
using.
Do clean out the cage every two weeks. Leave some familiar items in place.
You can use water with a very, very little bleach in a spray bottle to clean
the tank. Then rinse well.
******************************************************************
"g. m." wrote:
> Two baby males or two baby females are best for pets. Gerbils are social
> animals.
>
> You will need the following supplies-
>
> 1) Litter -- Aspen, corncob, Carefresh. For bedding add cardboard,paper,
> tissues, napkins, and paper towels. Avoid cloth materials, or cedar
> shavings. Pine isn't good but can be made safer by having it sit in an
> open box for a week before using.
>
> 2) A water bottle with a holder that protects it from getting chewed.
>
> 3) A ten or twenty gallon aquarium with a secure wire mesh lid.
> Habitrail/ SAM type enclosures eventually get chewed on. A Food dish
> isn't needed because gerbils will cover it. You can put a cupful into a
> pile. If you want to use a food bowl use one that cant be chewed and set
> it on the floor of the tank not on the litter. It may topple on the
> gerbil while digging.
>
> 4) A good seed mix for gerbils/hamsters that doesn't contain too many
> sunflower seeds.
> Here are some good ones--
> http://netxp.com/rick/gerbils/nutrition.shtml
>
> 5) Read the Gerbil FAQ to start, and the care sections of gerbil web
> pages.
>
> --
> Gary's web pages -
> http://home.talkcity.com/StudioDr/go5
