Hi there,
I have just joined this mailing list and I thought I would introduce my two
gerbs, BlackFarI and RedFarI. Both females, twelve weeks old and counting.
I am so glad that I have found this list server, cos I have absolutely
fallen in love with my babies and I want to make sure that I give them the
best life they can possibly have. They are the first Gerbils I have had and
so there is so much I am not totally sure of the best way to look after
them. Expect plenty of questions....
The main thing I want to do is to train them so that we can play together
with joy and happiness like. At the moment the only way I can get them out
of the cage (borrowed from a friend, I shall be getting an aquarium soon) is
to wait untill they go into a jar I have placed in there for them to use as
a toilet and then pick up the jar. As soom as I try to pick them up by hand
they run away or jump from my hand.
When they are out of the cage they are completely uninterested in food, even
sunflower seeds. Is this normal? They are just intent on running around as
much as possible. I have discovered that the only place they are content to
chill out on and stop running about is on my shoulder, they seem to love it
there.
What is the maximum height that they can safely fall from, cos BlackFari
especially seems to have no regard for height and will scramble off my hands
or whatever regardless of height. So far I have always been able to place my
hand a few inches below to catch them, but I am a bit worried that I am
training them to think that it is ok to jump from any height which could be
dangerous if I'm not there to catch them.
How long can their claws safely get? Currently they have grown to about 3
millimeters which seems a bit longer than any photographs I have seen of
Gerbs. I don't think I could keep them still for even a second to clip them
and I dont want to chop their legs off. Is there anything I could put in
their cage that they could use to wear these down. Currently they have a
hollowed out log to chew and stuff on and plenty of toilet rolls and boxes.
Often BlackFarI's tail feels wet. I haven't been able to keep her still long
enough to check if it really is, and I don't want to grab the tail too hard.
I have checked the cage and I can't find any leaking water or anything, the
water bottle seems fine. Could this be urine? Is that ok?
When I take BlackFarI out of the cage, she drops a lump of faeces quite
often. RedFarI never does. Again, is that normal?
Well, I think that's probably enough for now. Here's to many happy Gerb
moments in the future!
Many thanks,
Stephen
