29 replies to this topic

[wonderz]

Oh I totally forgot that Robin had mixes! I saw her gerbil mix and I’m actually willing to try that out. It’s a lot less expensive and it would be better for them like you said. How should I switch their mixes? What should I do with the rat and mouse mix?

[daisy~]

You could try to return the rat & mouse food, or donate it to a shelter or rescue, or mix it with the new food.

 

You can switch them directly onto a new food. You don't need to introduce it gradually.

[wonderz]

Okay, I ordered a new mix on robins shop. I think I'll just mix the Higgins with the new food. Thanks again!

[peablossom]

Hi! I'm recently a new gerbil owner (I got them yesterday) and I just had a few questions about them. Also I'm still waiting to be approved on the gerbil forum yet that's why I'm posting here!

 

1. What would be the appropriate size tank for two of them? Currently I have them in a 20 gallon tank (long). 

 

2. What chews can they have? Or where can I buy chews because petsmart/co don't have very limited options that are safe. I'd also like to know the best place to find wooden hideouts and bridges.

 

3. What temperature should I keep their room out? 

 

4. What cleaner should I use to clean their tanks? I used a vinegar and water solution for both my chinchillas and hamsters but not sure it if its safe for gerbils. 

 

I think that's all the questions I have for now, but anymore extra information about gerbils would also be greatly appreciated!    

Hi there! 

20 gallons long is the minimum tank size although bigger is always better if you can!

 

They can have toilet/kitchen roll tubes, cardboard (like cereal boxes) or wooden chews. You can order willow balls and chews on amazon or zooplus or you could also find safe wood branches and bake them in the oven to sanitize them

vinegar+water is fine and probably better than any othere disinfectant

also gerbils need a sandbath in their tank 24/7 (no sepiolite sand bc it sticks to their airways) and 8in bedding

[daisy~]

I use sepiolite sand and have never had any issues. I find it better than quartz for odour control.

[wonderz]

Hi there! 

20 gallons long is the minimum tank size although bigger is always better if you can!

 

They can have toilet/kitchen roll tubes, cardboard (like cereal boxes) or wooden chews. You can order willow balls and chews on amazon or zooplus or you could also find safe wood branches and bake them in the oven to sanitize them

vinegar+water is fine and probably better than any othere disinfectant

also gerbils need a sandbath in their tank 24/7 (no sepiolite sand bc it sticks to their airways) and 8in bedding

Hi! They do have a tank topper, so all of the space below is just bedding. I would like to eventually get a bigger tank but I'm so worried about them declanning. They're brothers, so does that happen often? Also what size tank would you recommend? What is the maximum size? 

[peablossom]

I use sepiolite sand and have never had any issues. I find it better than quartz for odour control.

oh, i heard that it was very dangerous :0 but i never had problems with it when i used it either but there is probably some reasoning behind the things people say about it

[peablossom]

Hi! They do have a tank topper, so all of the space below is just bedding. I would like to eventually get a bigger tank but I'm so worried about them declanning. They're brothers, so does that happen often? Also what size tank would you recommend? What is the maximum size? 

Hello again! brothers are much less likely to declan than sisters or non-related gerbils so i wouldn't worry too much! there is a myth that too much space can make them fight, but it's not true so you can give them as much space as you like! i would reccomend a 40 gallon tank but 20-30gal is fine

[wonderz]

Alrighty! Thanks so much!

[peablossom]

Alrighty! Thanks so much!

good luck with the gerbils! i would love to see pictures of them if you can post some!

[wonderz]

good luck with the gerbils! i would love to see pictures of them if you can post some!

Thank you!! I think I’ll wait to expand the size of their cage because of how expensive tanks are (hopefully I can get one on sale).

Anyways, here they are! Dale is the brown one, and Tucker is the black and white
https://ibb.co/KXQ0bdX
https://ibb.co/hmVB3rK

[wonderz]

So sorry for all the questions… but I use these wood shavings for my chinchillas and I was wondering if it’s safe for gerbils too? It’s the bitterroot forest wood shavings. I get it from Murdoch’s. It says kiln dried, so I assume it’s okay but I just want to make sure!

[wonderz]

Hiiii! I’m just going to keep using this post. One of my gerbils is an extreme chewer (Tucker) while the other isn’t as much (Dale). I’m currently giving my them cardboard, pumice stones, and apple wood sticks to chew on but it doesn’t last long. When I give them cardboard, Tucker will destroy it all within 30 minutes or so and then start chewing other things like the corners of the cage, which is super loud. This sounds weird, but I think it’s starting to keep my dog up? She dreads coming into my room at night because of how loud they are. What else can I give them to chew on? What will keep them busy? Any suggestions would be great

Btw the only reason why I’m posting on here is because I don’t get many replies on the gerbil forum

[daisy~]

I'd still recommend posting on The Gerbil Forum. It might take a little longer to get replies, but you will, and if your post ever gets missed you can just bump it up by commenting on it. Also there are more people there who are very experienced with gerbils so you'll get better replies. It's like when people post hamster questions over there. They get replies but not as good as they would get if they posted here.

 

You could try weaving cardboard through the bars where he chews, wedging sticks in the bars, getting those chews that you bolt onto the bars or putting hanging toys in the areas where he chews the cage. Basically anything to catch his attention and redirect him from chewing the cage.

 

Never give him any attention or response when he's chewing the cage because it will reinforce the behaviour. Even if it's just to stop him, for example by tapping his nose, that will make it worse because all he sees is that he chewed the cage and he got a response.

 

What else does he chew that makes a noise?

Edited by daisy~, 15 December 2021 - 02:17 AM.

[wonderz]

Okay, I will definitely buy a hanging toy and try weaving things on the bars. The only problem is that it's happening below the cage topper in the tank. I just figured out that he is chewing the rim where the lid sits on. If he were to chew it all, the lid will collapse into the cage along with the tank topper. He doesn't really chew anything else execpt for that. Maybe the bars a bit but that's because I didn't put enough enrichment in the cage for him at the time. I haven't seen him chew the bars since.