Post by pepandmax on Jul 17, 2007 18:21:36 GMT -8
Aspen—cedar--pine--paper--CareFresh--Megazorb--corncob--
The choices for litter to fill your gerbils' tank can seem endless! The purpose of this post is to describe how to use litter to enhance your gerbils' habitat, to outline the pros and cons of the most commonly used, commercially available litters, and to point out the litters that are inappropriate for gerbils.
Gerbils are burrowing creatures by nature, so they'll appreciate deep litter that they can kick around, dig under, and sleep in. If you can nestle their nest box or burrow on the bottom of the tank, they'll dig their way in and be quite content to hang out “under ground.” Try to use at least eight inches of litter. Some gerbil guardians will fill the tank nearly to the top! If you do that, make sure that the water bottle is hanging horizontally or otherwise will not leak into the litter, and also make sure that the tank lid is firmly in place (and your gerbils can't knock it out of place).
Since the Mongolian gerbil is from a desert habitat, it has evolved to be very frugal with water. Hence, gerbils don't produce much urine, which means that they have little odor, and there's usually no need to change the litter in the tank more than once a week (for a small tank, much longer for a larger one). The best guideline is your nose: as soon as you detect an odor, it's probably time to clean the tank out. For some gerbils, this is after one week; for others, this is after three. It depends on how many gerbils are in the tank, how big the tank is, how deep the litter is, the age and health condition of the gerbils, and even the weather!
Litters that seem to work well with gerbils are marked with an asterisk (*). Keep in mind that aspects like availability and cost are relative to where you live and where you purchase your pet supplies!
*Aspen*
Pros:
--Not dusty
--Structural integrity (can make great tunnels!)
--No aromatic oils, yet a pleasant smell
--Available in all major pet retailers
Cons:
--A very small minority of gerbils may be allergic to it
--Can be expensive (depends on retailer and size of package)
*Carefresh*
Pros:
--Good for gerbils with allergies to other types of bedding
--Available at many major pet retailers
Cons:
--Very, very dusty!
--Expensive
--Problems for asthmatics have been reported
--Burrows don't seem to hold up well, unless mixed with another litter
Pine Shavings (i.e. *Wood Shavings* in the U.K.)
DO NOT use pine shavings in the United States, as pine marketed in the U.S. is full of aromatic oils that can hurt your gerbils' respiratory systems. Pine shavings (i.e. regular wood shavings) sold in the U.K. are fine (much more about that here).
Pros:
--Inexpensive (U.K.)
--Nice smell (U.K.)
Cons:
--Absorbent
--Can be dusty
*Corncob*
Pros:
--Very excellent for gerbils with allergies to other types of bedding
--Available at many major pet retailers
--An interesting texture (your gerbils may love it or hate it)
--With the addition of hay or cardboard, possible to dig and burrow
--Zero dust
Cons:
--Expensive (if purchased in pet store, pretty cheap if purchased at a Feed Store)
--Heavy
--Does not permit burrowing, unless its mixed with other types of litter
--Fairly hard and coarse (need to add bedding to burrow)
--Allergic reactions have been reported
--Some have reported that it molds easily
*Megazorb*
Pros:
--Not dusty
--Absorbent
Cons:
--Not available in many locations
--Expensive
Sand
Pros:
--Reasonably cheap
--Can be reused
Cons:
--Cold
--Cannot make tunnels (very difficult to burrow)
--Gets smelly quickly
--Needs to be baked before use
--Can contain harmful chemicals or other substances which can harm gerbils
Hay
Pros:
--Improves structural integrity of other types of bedding, so gerbils can burrow
--Provides some nutrition
Cons:
--Not suitable on its own
--Not available in many locations
--Must be frozen before use (to kill mites)
Paper Towels
Pros:
--Suitable for sick gerbils to check how much is being eaten, how much/ whether urine and feces are being produced
--Also excellent after surgeries, when litter might stick to a surgical wound
--Zero dust
--Zero scent
--Readily available
Cons:
--Gets smelly FAST
--Permits no burrowing
--Once your gerbil feels better (hurrah!), he will rip up the paper towels in an instant.
Cedar
Cedar litter is inappropriate for gerbils, because the aromatic oils are harmful to their respiratory systems.
The choices for litter to fill your gerbils' tank can seem endless! The purpose of this post is to describe how to use litter to enhance your gerbils' habitat, to outline the pros and cons of the most commonly used, commercially available litters, and to point out the litters that are inappropriate for gerbils.
Gerbils are burrowing creatures by nature, so they'll appreciate deep litter that they can kick around, dig under, and sleep in. If you can nestle their nest box or burrow on the bottom of the tank, they'll dig their way in and be quite content to hang out “under ground.” Try to use at least eight inches of litter. Some gerbil guardians will fill the tank nearly to the top! If you do that, make sure that the water bottle is hanging horizontally or otherwise will not leak into the litter, and also make sure that the tank lid is firmly in place (and your gerbils can't knock it out of place).
Since the Mongolian gerbil is from a desert habitat, it has evolved to be very frugal with water. Hence, gerbils don't produce much urine, which means that they have little odor, and there's usually no need to change the litter in the tank more than once a week (for a small tank, much longer for a larger one). The best guideline is your nose: as soon as you detect an odor, it's probably time to clean the tank out. For some gerbils, this is after one week; for others, this is after three. It depends on how many gerbils are in the tank, how big the tank is, how deep the litter is, the age and health condition of the gerbils, and even the weather!
Litters that seem to work well with gerbils are marked with an asterisk (*). Keep in mind that aspects like availability and cost are relative to where you live and where you purchase your pet supplies!
*Aspen*
Pros:
--Not dusty
--Structural integrity (can make great tunnels!)
--No aromatic oils, yet a pleasant smell
--Available in all major pet retailers
Cons:
--A very small minority of gerbils may be allergic to it
--Can be expensive (depends on retailer and size of package)
*Carefresh*
Pros:
--Good for gerbils with allergies to other types of bedding
--Available at many major pet retailers
Cons:
--Very, very dusty!
--Expensive
--Problems for asthmatics have been reported
--Burrows don't seem to hold up well, unless mixed with another litter
Pine Shavings (i.e. *Wood Shavings* in the U.K.)
DO NOT use pine shavings in the United States, as pine marketed in the U.S. is full of aromatic oils that can hurt your gerbils' respiratory systems. Pine shavings (i.e. regular wood shavings) sold in the U.K. are fine (much more about that here).
Pros:
--Inexpensive (U.K.)
--Nice smell (U.K.)
Cons:
--Absorbent
--Can be dusty
*Corncob*
Pros:
--Very excellent for gerbils with allergies to other types of bedding
--Available at many major pet retailers
--An interesting texture (your gerbils may love it or hate it)
--With the addition of hay or cardboard, possible to dig and burrow
--Zero dust
Cons:
--Expensive (if purchased in pet store, pretty cheap if purchased at a Feed Store)
--Heavy
--Does not permit burrowing, unless its mixed with other types of litter
--Fairly hard and coarse (need to add bedding to burrow)
--Allergic reactions have been reported
--Some have reported that it molds easily
*Megazorb*
Pros:
--Not dusty
--Absorbent
Cons:
--Not available in many locations
--Expensive
Sand
Pros:
--Reasonably cheap
--Can be reused
Cons:
--Cold
--Cannot make tunnels (very difficult to burrow)
--Gets smelly quickly
--Needs to be baked before use
--Can contain harmful chemicals or other substances which can harm gerbils
Hay
Pros:
--Improves structural integrity of other types of bedding, so gerbils can burrow
--Provides some nutrition
Cons:
--Not suitable on its own
--Not available in many locations
--Must be frozen before use (to kill mites)
Paper Towels
Pros:
--Suitable for sick gerbils to check how much is being eaten, how much/ whether urine and feces are being produced
--Also excellent after surgeries, when litter might stick to a surgical wound
--Zero dust
--Zero scent
--Readily available
Cons:
--Gets smelly FAST
--Permits no burrowing
--Once your gerbil feels better (hurrah!), he will rip up the paper towels in an instant.
Cedar
Cedar litter is inappropriate for gerbils, because the aromatic oils are harmful to their respiratory systems.
), late 70s