Gerbils

[Skynet5]

My boy is 7.

He wants Gerbils.

Is this a good pet?

Not sure he is old enough to appreciate the work that might be involved, even though I understand them to be pretty easy.

 

[Skynet5]

Better than a hamster, less likely to bite.

Just get a decent cage where you can put lots of sawdust in so they can tunnel into it, loud of cardboard to chew etc

This is one of the better cheap cages https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/gerbilarium?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&cm_mmc=Google-_-CPC-_-%20google_shopping-_-google_shopping&ita=1976&ito=google_shopping&gclsrc=aw.ds&&cm_mmc=&ito=GAG43872589883&itc=GAC206581566393&itkw=nil&itaexid=&itawnw=search&itawmt=&itadvc=m&gclid=CjwKCAjwzPXlBRAjEiwAj_XTER2CNVmg7xms_Q5fY_DsiS-D6PZUQKHJRkr_BPAGbk65Ct6IXW3x9hoCaUoQAvD_BwE

Would rather something larger still

Thanks.

I've looked at omlet and zooplus eco habitat.

And also a cage at petsathome.

I'm hoping my lad will be happy to clean out every fortnight (I think that is all that's needed) and feed and water every day.

He says he will....but...

I'm hoping in a way it might make him grow up a little. He is only 7, but sometime...grrrr

 

[Skynet5]

Thanks all.

Yeah I'm fully prepared to do the cleaning and feeding, and expect to. Hoping he does his bit though.

So we have a cat. British Lilac. Could be interesting.

 

[Skynet5]

Any pics or links would be good.

I've said we need to focus on making the gerbil home first, so the little guys have a nice place to go in to when they come home. He is busily adding stuff to his Amazon cart. Not that he has an account

Is petsathome really the only place you can buy a gerbil?

 

[Skynet5]

When I had gerbils as pets as a kid, my parents got an old fish tank to keep them in, half filled with a big bag of sawdust and (small) mesh lid and they were happy tunnelling away.

I think that is what my older brothers had too. I was too young to recall.

 

[Skynet5]

we had gerbils, when one died the other one dragged it into its little house and ate it

Grim.

 

[Skynet5]

I've come into this thread just to write that guinea pigs are stupid and I hate them. Many thanks.

Thanks bud.

 

[Skynet5]

If you think the kid is too young then don't get them one. It's not fair on the animal if it stands to be neglected.
They also only tend to bite if scared or hurt.

They'll be looked after , by me if needs be. But I appreciate your concern.

 

[Skynet5]

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hutches_cages/hamster_cages/hamster_cages/189556

This is looking like a good option. Can't find the large version so easily which is 25 cm longer, but I think small would be fine for two.

 

[Skynet5]

That's hamsters, gerbils are very active during the day.

Someone commented that they like to chew which is so true. We used ours as a disposal unit for toilet roll tubes and they could destroy one in minutes!

My lad and wife are terrible with toilet roll tubes. What is so hard with putting them in the recycling?

Hopefully they'll give them to the gerbils...

 

[Skynet5]

I've quite often thought of getting a gerbil or hamster but what puts me off is that they don't live long.

Gerbils can last up to 4 years I think. Hamsters not so long...more like 2.

 

[Skynet5]

Guinea pigs are awesome, their mad hair dos are hilarious

I had one as a kid. Punk rocker!

 

[Skynet5]

Don’t do things in half measures. Go all in and reintroduce a beaver to your local area. It is slightly illegal if done in an uncontrolled manner, but they require zero maintenance and your son will spend loads of healthy time outdoors looking for them but failing to ever see them. And they’ll deliver a positive transformation of the local wetlands too.

But do not be tempted into getting a coypu. Similar to a beaver in appearance but the polar opposite in every other respect. Highly invasive and destructive, they also carry some nasty diseases. Avoid.

Shall look in to this. Thanks.

 

[Skynet5]

Doesn't all this keeping vermin in cages teach kids the wrong thing about animals. Creatures were not made to be kept in cages or fish in tanks. Dogs are the only pet anyone needs.

I have similar thoughts at times. But as long as they're happy animals, what's the problem? We have a cat. I'm very clear to our lad that we don't own him, he doesn't belong to us. We merely give him somewhere nice to stay. "If he doesn't want to sit with us one evening, don't go and grab him."

 

[Skynet5]

Ordered.
https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hutches_cages/hamster_cages/hamster_cages/189556

Got it for £85 with codes.

We're all excited.

 

[Skynet5]

They stink like hell, had one once and bloody hell the smell.

Also had a hamster once same again that smell. Hate both of them as they smell so bad.

Really? Like hell?

 

[Skynet5]

Looks good. Just be aware, if it's chewable it will get chewed. Basically any wood will be eaten eventually.

Cheers. I upgraded my thinking from the pets at home habitats. They're plastic bottoms with wire mesh floors. This one is glass base with solid floors. Yeah they'll nibble it but at least they won't hurt their paws. I'll give them plenty of stuff to nibble on so hopefully that will prolong the life of the floors.

 

[Skynet5]

You're supposed to clean their cages from time to time. I can't comment for hamsters but we had generations of gerbils and they never smelt.

That seems to be the view. My older brothers had them, I was too young to really remember, but I do recall them cleaning the fish tank they were in infrequently...

 

[Skynet5]

 

[Skynet5]

Thanks for the pointers.

Yese, I need...

Sawdust
Hay for bedding
Food bowl
Water bottle (already bought)
Hammock
Wheel
Some other things to knaw on.


Slightly concerned on where best to by the gerbils. Petsathome don't have a good rep.

There is a breader in Stoke. Not call him yet. And a petshop in the nearest big town to me that actually have them too.