----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 3:49
PM
Subject: Re: Mealworms and gerbie
love
Sondra,
I have heard that a lot of people do the mealworm thing, I dont.
Truthfuly I really dont think the gerbs are going to accosiate the worms
with there babies, so I think you are safe. I would like to tell you
though...We used to feed them to our iguanas and it is improtant you realize
that if they are in the tank and they for what ever reason dont get eated you
are gunna have a hell of a bug problem (pardon my french). They turn in to big
nasty black bettles, and I dotn know about you but that is the reason i would
not bother with them. I give my gerbs dry cat food and milkbone dog treats for
protein.
Now as for your gerbs behavior. This is for the most part how petstore
gerbs are at first. From now on when you put your hand in the cage offer a
treat ( fruit, sunny seeds, etc..) this will make than relate a pleasant
experance with your hand and they will be more willing to get in it. While you
are holding them never do anything to hurt or scare them and they will
eventualy come around. Food is always the best way to make a gerbil like you.
You should always wash your hands before and after you hold gerbils. Washing
befor will prevent any srange smells from bothering them. You should also wash
between different cages so you dont cause any gerbils to smell strange to
there mate/friend and get in a fight. You are not handeling them enough.You
should hold then as much as you can. Every timeyou walk by the cage if you
have time stick your hand in with a sunflower seed o something to make you
seem actractive. Your attention is the only way they will get used to you.
Hope thi! s helped.
Jocie Kessinger
The Titan Clan
Sondra Dorsey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi
everyone,
I started giving my gerbils two or three live
mealworms
a week to ensure they are getting enough
protein. Is this a good idea?
I've read that giving
gerbils flesh foods will make them more likely
to
eat/attack their babies....I've also read that giving
gerbils
mealworms will satisfy their protein/flesh
food urges so they _won't_
cannibalize their babies.
Ah, the conflicting info you can find on the
internet
these days! :) Does anyone have any advice?
One other
thing...we have two pairs of gerbs, one (M
and F)about 10-12 weeks old
and the other (M and M)
about 6-7 weeks old. Both were bought in pet
stores,
and none of them are all that friendly. They put up
with you
once you've got them out of the cage
(barely!), but they always run away
and hide when we
reach in to catch them. We have to trick them into
a
container an! d lift them out of the cage that way. Am
I doing
something wrong? I only handle them about two
times a week each because I
worry that I'm totally
freaking them out by going in their cages. Could
I
have a weird smell on my hands, or be handling them
too much or not
enough?
Any advice would be great!
Happy Valentine's Day to
all!
Sondra
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