>just thought it might be helpful information! It's a good idea to be
>prepared for a gerbil escape BEFORE it happens.
I can tell you, I own a 'havahart' live trap, in 'squirrel' size. This is
too small for the cats to really get into and will trap other things
that are smaller, such as dwarf hamsters, syrian hamsters, and
gerbils...but.....
>The "Ketch All" trap looks like it would suit gerbils; cost $19.95.
>Dimensions are given in the description.
>http://www.realgoods.com/shop/shop2.cfm?dp=209&ts=1054493
>
>The cage trap is cheaper, but is QUITE small. The dimensions are not
>given on the website, but they are in the catalog, and it seemed TOO
>small for gerbies. I think it was about 2.5 x 3 x 6 inches. It would
>probably be suitable for smaller escaped rodents, such as mice and
>dwarf hamsters.
>http://www.realgoods.com/shop/shop2.cfm?dp=209&ts=1054667
>=====
>Julie & Michael (homo sapiens)
I purchased the Havahart about a year ago, as I have enough animals
to warrant the investment. The box was labelled 'squirrel' size; the other
one available (and prohibitively expensive) was labelled 'racoon' size
and was large enough to trap cats and small dogs.
I rebent the catches on the sides for the door that hook onto the pan
wire, to make it very hairtrigger. So delicate that I have trouble setting
it.
Why? Because a dwarf hamster under the age of four months is
very difficult to catch with it. They are too light and will not trip it.
Gerbils can raid it too, they have a very light touch to the snitch, and
can empty the pan even with a smear of peanut butter to hold the
sunseeds and other goodies onto the pan.
Syrian hamsters, it catches very well. From four weeks old on up.
I have to bait it with a 2 liter soda bottle cap full of water as well,
any rodent loose for two days or more will often get lured in by
fresh water. This has to be carefully put on the low side of the
pan AFTER the trap is set (which is really hard the way I have it
'set') so when the pan flips and trips the trap, it doesn't hang
up on the bottle cap.
My gerbils have laughed at the live trap. I get better results with
the pvc pipe chunks, and the 'dumb gerbil' approach.
Take some 18" (45 cm) long chunks of 2" (5 cm) pvc pipe,
and put near the walls of the room the gerbil's in. Put
something close to each chunk of pipe that will stop up
one end (a mite spray bottle works good, it plugs the
end easily and fairly completely). Drop a bar rag (large
cotton cloth like a small towel) near the other end.
The theory: gerbil romps around and ducks through pipes
and decides they're ok. Human has a bar rag in hand, and
SLOWLY follows the gerbil around. Sooner or later, the gerbil
will duck into one of the pipes, having decided that they're ok
to go through...and will go through at less than 'greased gerbil
lightning' speed. [this might take a whole day...] Human quickly
dumps bar rag at end that the gerbil should be emerging from;
then with lightning speed plugs other end (the one the gerbil
first went into) Gerbil who did about face when the bar rag
blocked the one end, will about face again and head for the
rag draped end. Human quickly grabs that end with the rag
in place, and carries fairly untraumatized gerbil in the tube back
to their cage. Unplug one end and gently tip gerbil back into
cage. Upend pipe if needed for gravity assist in unloading. Do
not let hard plug (spray bottle) follow the gerbil through the tube.
The other option is a tossed bar rag, over the gerbil, after
putting their mate on the floor for a few moments and either
the gerbil comes over to say 'hi' and can be grabbed....or
put the mate back and the errant gerbil will hang around that
area, smelling the other gerbil's smell.
Other's experiences may vary.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
