-----Original Message-----
From: Jill <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Friday, November 03, 2000 1:53 PM
Subject: Re: C: tunnels-cage cleaning
[reply to my post, [EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>I agree that hamsters should be cleaned once a week. But I think 2 weeks is
>too often for gerbils- if they smell after only 2 weeks so as to require
>cleaning, a different bedding should be used. They need time to build up
>and mix up the bedding so they can make tunnels and burrows as they would
>in the wild. I use a combination of carefresh, paper and tissue and have
>never had to clean more often than every 3-4 weeks.
I have an allergic husband, and other considerations that require
the more frequent cleaning. I am stuck with shredded recycled
paper bedding (softly ripped not cut edges) as he cannot tolerate
anything else I can afford.
>Perhaps another issue is causing the smell to become evident so quickly-
>too many gerbils in a too small cage, or a wooden toy that is repeatedly
>peed on.
>Jill
No on the first-average of two gerbils per 10 or 15 gallon tank.
Toys consist of toilet tissue rolls. Small wooden chunks (clean
dimensional building lumber bits-white pine) given for gnawing
and changed as needed. Small cardboard boxes for them to
demolish also given on occasion.
They are given 2" or more of fresh bedding (5-6 cm) at a change,
and have enough to burrow about and dig, but not make full fledged
tunnels. Most would pile it all at one end and eat and drink and
that at the other with an almost bare bottom.
Hamsters, weekly. If chinese dwarf, twice a week and break the
cage down weekly for scrubbing. Else full scrub once a month.
Gerbils, every two weeks, full scrub once a month.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
