Gerbils

Yrkoon · 27 Apr 2019 at 02:21

lnoton said:
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.

they are pretty easy to keep, i was quite a bit older when my sister and i got one each, from what i remember we had some wood things for them to chew on to stop their teeth getting to long and we learned to not have a plastic bottom cage, they chewed right through the bottom of the cage and escaped we got them back, also do not keep a cage near curtains as they will be chewed up as well.

i found them entertaining pets and rarely got a nip from them, they can be pretty fast though.

we had 2 cats in the house as well and nothing happened that way but we were careful to shut the gerbils room door etc especially if they were out the cage getting handled

im getting tempted to get some now

thenewoc · 27 Apr 2019 at 06:32

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.

Skynet5 · 27 Apr 2019 at 08:19

thenewoc said:
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 · 28 Apr 2019 at 00:29

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.

itchy · 28 Apr 2019 at 02:01

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.

Skynet5 · 28 Apr 2019 at 08:28

itchy said:
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?

Whitebear · 28 Apr 2019 at 08:35

lnoton said:
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.

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

Feek · 28 Apr 2019 at 08:38

itchy said:
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.

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.

Skynet5 · 28 Apr 2019 at 08:40

Whitebear said:
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 · 28 Apr 2019 at 08:42

Feek said:
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...

azazl187 · 28 Apr 2019 at 09:35

I have no idea why someone would want to keep a rodent in their house...

Skynet5 · 1 May 2019 at 21:08

Blackjack Davy · 2 May 2019 at 00:04

Small animals do have short lives and kids feel it very strongly I remember my sister's hamster first one escaped (that was my mother I think she got tired of cleaning the cage out - yes you will be the one who ends up doing it regularly - put it under a laundry basket on the patio one day for some reason, it chewed its way out that that was that never saw it again) - second one ended up dying one day I can still remember my sister bawling her eyes out. Never had another one I think the trauma was too much. It teaches kids that life is ephemeral I guess but its a hard lesson.

javv5 · 2 May 2019 at 13:24

Couple of points to mention:

They are noctournal so will be up in the night chewing their bars to keep their teeth sharp - this makes an infernal racket, so he'd better get used to it quickly;

Cage is good, but I'd add to it if possible. Make it really interesting for them as they are stuck in there most of the day. Fill the bottom at least a 3rd with sawdust - they like to burrow. Stck a branch in there so they have something to gnaw at. Create a partition on the bottom floor and fill it with hay - they chew it down and make it their bedroom. Food gets carried into there for midnight snacks. The sawdust will need cleaning, so be prepared for a mess. Id those platforms are wooden, they will get chewed to bits.;

On cleaning the hutch, either let them run round the room or contain them in a smaller cage. If the former be prepared for a chase taking some time. Pick them up by the base of their tale - easiest to catch them and they can't bite you;

Don't poke your fingers through the bars, they will bite, no matter how friendly you think they are, it will happen. My cage had a side door and I tought mine to run up my arm and feed off my shoulder - great laugh. They are shy, but through time spent with them they will earn your trust;

No harm in having a single one, as long as your son is prepared to give it time. I had 3 over the space of 9 years, each lasting approx 3 years, all called Tizzy...!

Good luck.

eddiemcgarrigle · 2 May 2019 at 13:37

itchy said:
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.

Trained both my hamsters to use the toilet in their cage. Makes cleaning very easy and as long as you clean out the toilet every other day, no smell.

Feek · 2 May 2019 at 13:53

javv5 said:
Couple of points to mention:

*snip*
Sounds like you're talking about hamsters, not gerbils. Gerbils aren't nocturnal and really shouldn't be kept by themselves, they're sociable creatures.
Hamsters are nocturnal and are fine by themselves.

Skynet5 · 2 May 2019 at 20:34

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.

Skynet5 · 2 May 2019 at 20:37

Feek said:
*snip*
Sounds like you're talking about hamsters, not gerbils. Gerbils aren't nocturnal and really shouldn't be kept by themselves, they're sociable creatures.
Hamsters are nocturnal and are fine by themselves.

Yeah that's my understanding ...apparently they hardly smell too..as the don't wee a whole lot and poo is solid. Sounds like me actually..we should get on fine.

javv5 · 4 May 2019 at 13:10

Feek said:
*snip*
Sounds like you're talking about hamsters, not gerbils. Gerbils aren't nocturnal and really shouldn't be kept by themselves, they're sociable creatures.
Hamsters are nocturnal and are fine by themselves.

Nope, Gerbils.

Skynet5 · 4 May 2019 at 13:13

Gerbils have arrived. Photos soon...