>I also have noticed a huge shortage of gerbils in all
>the local pet stores in my area in New Hampshire and
>Massachusetts over the past four month. I am getting
>more response from people who find me on the internet
>looking for gerbils and cannot find them. The last
>two pairs I sold were to people who had to drive 45
>minutes to get to me. Hope gerbils are not falling
>out of favor in the small pet market, because, of
>course, they are the best.
To Mark and Donna....
It is about the time of the year where for about two months,
there are problems at the major breeders that supply most
of the chain petstores. It is spring down south, and diseases
run through the breeder setups. Both hamsters and gerbils,
if the stores can get them, will be full of wet-tail and other
diseases. (I know, gerbils don't get wet-tail, but hamsters do).
Plus I know since about mid summer of last year, there was
a disease scare (I think tyzzers, but I could be mistaken) and
the supply of hamsters and gerbils has been tight since.
Those two reasons may be why.
I don't know about rabbits, but last May, I had a store manager
at a place I did supply get down on her knees with tears in
her eyes and beg me to breed bunnies for her too. [I live in
town, so sorry, no.]
That could be why you're not seeing many. Large stores have
hidebound policies, and the small hobby breeder ( a lot of us
on this forum) can't supply the local stores because corporate
says no way.
Ask at feed stores (some have 'pet boards') check the bulletin
boards at your pet stores, and ask veternarians. Also see if
there are 'adoption fairs' at some pet stores and the like.
If you have animals, *now* is the time to go get a bottle or two
of dri-tail-if you have hamsters; and some ornacycline, and
hang onto it. Because until about late April, at least the dri-
tail will be impossible to get. [I go through this every year
here] If you don't use it, fine, the stuff has a shelf life of a few
years usually. Check the date on it when you buy it.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
