nobleandpure
Member
have two gerbils and might be getting a third soon
Posts: 110
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Twigs
Mar 24, 2015 13:11:35 GMT -8
Post by nobleandpure on Mar 24, 2015 13:11:35 GMT -8
I was looking online and I read that you can give twigs to gerbils but it did not say how to steralise the twigs so that it is safe for gerbils to chew on. Dose anyone know how to steralise twigs?
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Twigs
Mar 25, 2015 0:05:51 GMT -8
Post by Jazzable on Mar 25, 2015 0:05:51 GMT -8
The best way is to bake them in the oven for half an hour or so to kill any bugs. Make sure that you're only using gerbil-safe types of wood (fruit trees and willow are generally good), and that you get them somewhere you know they won't have had contact with pesticides.
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Twigs
Mar 25, 2015 4:32:04 GMT -8
Post by vexorg on Mar 25, 2015 4:32:04 GMT -8
Maybe I'm fussy, but I'd only use shop bought wooden chew toys and gnawing blocks
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Twigs
Mar 25, 2015 16:06:43 GMT -8
Post by qtoffer on Mar 25, 2015 16:06:43 GMT -8
Bake branches 200oF for an hour in the oven to sterilize. Let them cool for about 30 min. I prefer fresh live branches cut or pulled from the tree - there's less chance of bugs, and the gerbils prefer the softer bark. I'll take branches off the ground if there's no holes in the bark suggesting insect damage. My gerbils will chew 1 inch thick branches into smaller and smaller pieces that they can drag around. Gerbil safe wood list: www.egerbil.com/safe_woods_for_gerbils--------------------------------------------------------------------- Eowyn (F) 11/12/2011 - 20 gallon with 20 gallon topper Goldberry (F) 11/12/2011 - 20 gallon with 20 gallon topper -------------------------------------------------------------- RIP Maire 11/6/2008 - 4/6/2011; Eithne 11/6/2008 - 10/10/2011 Lori 5/2/2011 - 7/24/2013; Mo 5/2/2011 - 1/14/2014; Carly 5/2/2011 - 5/21/2014 Arwen 11/12/2011 - 2/8/2015
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