>2) Gerbils can jump pretty high. Make sure that the
>walls are high enough they can't jump out and that you
>don't put any tall plaything close enough to the walls
>they can use it as a jumping off point. Before we got
>the cardboard, we were just using the wading pool. At
>least twice we caught Frodo with his front legs over
>the top of the pool. We knew it was time to return
>them to their tank when Frodo started eyeing the sides
>of the pool. 8-)
A six week old can jump in excess of 14 inches straight
up with no problem (the height of a 5 gallon pail). I've
watched them pop out with no problem at all and not
even near touching the sides of the pail.
>3) If you have more than one tank/cage of gerbils, you
>could have fights if you use the play area for all the
>gerbils without cleaning it between groups. They will
>smell the strange gerbils scent and may confuse it
>with their cage mates. So either use a different
>enclosure with each group or get them out for exercise
>one at a time.
I use separate materials for each group. If there is
the smell of a strange gerbil or gerbil clan, it can
cause the next clan to fight amongst themselves!
(one gets some of the scent on themselves and the
others turn on the different smelling one).
I prefer bathtub or playbox time...a large cardboard
box with 220 sandpaper put on the SIDES of it...and a
paper bottom that I can change.
I also find that if I change bottom paper, contents and
put a hamster in the playbox between gerbils, it helps
mask any gerbil smells and the next gerbil or gerbil
clan will be less likely to be upset about a different smell.
The sandpaper on the side, allows them to trim their
own nails. :) Not to mention a few scraps of dimensional
lumber (short chunks of 2x4) covered with sandpaper
for them to climb on/over. Do not line the bottom as
it is not good for their feet to walk around on it continuously.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
>Sorry about the long message. Hope this helps you
>think of some good ways to let your gerbils get some
>exercise without having to force them into the hated
>balls.
>--- "Wong, Amy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> However I can't let them
>> run free in the house because of both the question
>> above and I cannot gerbil
>> proof my apartment well enough. But then how can
>> they get enough exercise
>> and how can I ensure they stay healthy?
>>
>> Amy
>
>
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