Gerbils
- Thread starter Skynet5
- Start date
Caporegime
They do that to get rid of the smell in case it attracts predators.we had gerbils, when one died the other one dragged it into its little house and ate it
They can bite hard if you miss-handle them, you have to pry their mouths open to get them off. They aren't great pets for a kid tbh. They are also very skittish and good at escaping.
Try degus, they are like big gerbils but much tamer and they are active during the day.
Try degus, they are like big gerbils but much tamer and they are active during the day.
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Caporegime
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 also only tend to bite if scared or hurt.
Soldato
Had gerbils and rats before.
Rats smell a lot more so need cleaning much more often. Gerbils, with a 3ft gerbil tank filled 3/4 with wood shavings (its also possible to use soil, has to be sterilised though) and a cage topper on, they need cleaning out quite infrequently. I used a ceramic dog food bowl on the upper shelf filled with a special sand (forget the name but theyll sell it in the pet shop). The gerbils used this bowl as their toilet so it was really easy to clean out without needing to do the main tank as often.
Also gerbils dont do well alone. If one dies then ideally you should introduce two new youngsters (following proper separation procedure) because otherwise the one left alive will be very unhappy.
Rats smell a lot more so need cleaning much more often. Gerbils, with a 3ft gerbil tank filled 3/4 with wood shavings (its also possible to use soil, has to be sterilised though) and a cage topper on, they need cleaning out quite infrequently. I used a ceramic dog food bowl on the upper shelf filled with a special sand (forget the name but theyll sell it in the pet shop). The gerbils used this bowl as their toilet so it was really easy to clean out without needing to do the main tank as often.
Also gerbils dont do well alone. If one dies then ideally you should introduce two new youngsters (following proper separation procedure) because otherwise the one left alive will be very unhappy.
They'll be looked after , by me if needs be. But I appreciate your concern.
Soldato
Rats and Ravens.
I had a few gerbils living all together after I bred a few, and separated the sexes, fish tank on the bottom with wet peat/compost every week for making tunnels, and a cage in top, use a solid wheel not a one with gaps in otherwise the tails gets caught, had 7 queing up to use the wheel at one point lol.
Caporegime
I’ve always wondered what makes a rodent use a wheel. It can’t be a natural instinct as you don’t get wheels in the wild. They must use their own intelligence to work out what’s it for.
I used to put my hamster in a ball and let her dart around. She loved it. Got to the point where she’d actually run to the cage opening when she saw it. much more intelligent animals than people think.
I used to put my hamster in a ball and let her dart around. She loved it. Got to the point where she’d actually run to the cage opening when she saw it. much more intelligent animals than people think.
Soldato
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- 13 Jun 2011
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Get a cat, independent and there also awesome
Plus side you dont have to clean them coz the scummy things crap in everyone elses garden
Caporegime
The phrase “Don’t **** on your own doorstep” could have been invented for cats.
Caporegime
My hamster lived 30 months. Got up one morning and found her dead. Looked like she had heart attack climbing through her house window. She had rigor mortis, so I couldn’t get her out. Had to bury the poor little thing still jammed in her house. How undignified
Commissario
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!
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.
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.
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...
Gerbils can last up to 4 years I think. Hamsters not so long...more like 2.
They will pretty much shred anything made of wood or cardboard in minutes. Plastic as well, so you have to avoid giving them any plastic things.
As someone said above though, the best thing is just get a deep glass tank and fill it with stuff for them to burrow in.