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Post by malabui on Feb 17, 2008 8:22:14 GMT -8
There are some reasons for giving a water bath to gerbils. Normally its medical, like if you need to use a special shampoo. Gerbils are unlikely to die from a bath, but of course you should keep them warm afterwards until they dry.
But just putting them in water or making them swim for no good reason is wrong.
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Post by karen on Feb 17, 2008 11:30:19 GMT -8
its not just that, why would people put that on youtube, who wants to see that anyway?? those people are messed up... i hope they do not own loads of gerbils and treat them like that  |
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Post by Boz on Feb 17, 2008 20:46:11 GMT -8
I don't see how any of that is cruel. Want to see cruel? Look at ferret videos were people have them in tubs that they can't touch the ground and no way out. Or even in a pool. I don't see how any of them are "tramatised" they seem to have the same reaction as my rats. They are doing fine. None of that is "suffering" in my oppinion. I've seen a lot worse and not everyone knows they take a "dust bath" and dust bath or not, every single pet that comes into this house, gets a bath. My gerbils will be getting a bath. We wash off the scent of their original home. A little bit of water won't kill an animal. Yes, they are laughing, its cute, its funny and its brief. Now if they had the sink filled with water and was making them swim and kept pushing them back into the sink and laughing at it. THEN it would be cruel. ...Washing them because they smell like another home is not a good reason.. Gerbils freak when they go in water, why put them through the stress? If you were more scared of water then anything else and I just dropped you in, would you like it? If you do give them a bath it mostly something medical, or they really got dirty (example: got lose and walked through paint). I wouldn't want to scare my gerbils, I love them too much.  not everyone knows they are desert animals That's true. But I think the people that should know this are the ones who own them, don't you agree? I don't think anybody here will disagree with me when I say that before getting a new pet, you cannot do enough research, for reasons just like what some of us saw on youtube. Agreed |
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Post by malabui on Feb 18, 2008 3:00:57 GMT -8
...Washing them because they smell like another home is not a good reason.. Gerbils freak when they go in water, why put them through the stress? That depends on the gerbil. I know Thunder will just walk straight though about 1-2 cm of water even though he doesn't need to go in there. |
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Post by vacampbell on Feb 18, 2008 3:47:02 GMT -8
...Washing them because they smell like another home is not a good reason.. Gerbils freak when they go in water, why put them through the stress? That depends on the gerbil. I know Thunder will just walk straight though about 1-2 cm of water even though he doesn't need to go in there. I would imagine it is the majority of gerbils that freak when being put in water. |
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Post by Jill on Feb 18, 2008 8:55:12 GMT -8
I would just like to make sure, that any new members just stumbling across this thread are not misinformed. I am not angry, I just want this to be clear, so I will make it bold
Gerbils should not be bathed in water, period. This is not a matter of opinion or preference, but is factual. If there is some confusion over this, if you think you may have a special case, and are not sure how to clean your gerbil, consult a moderator or experienced member. Gerbils are very clean animals, and RARELY do they need human assistance in maintaining this.
:-) Jill
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Post by rhaziel on Feb 18, 2008 14:46:24 GMT -8
gerbils live in the desert hmmm desert is there water there?
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Post by malabui on Feb 19, 2008 6:43:20 GMT -8
Of course there will sometime water in a desert.
Also all this 'no bathing' doesn't really take in account that as gerbils in the wild don't live in houses and so would get rained on and wet that way.
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Post by vacampbell on Feb 19, 2008 7:29:51 GMT -8
Of course there will sometime water in a desert. Also all this 'no bathing' doesn't really take in account that as gerbils in the wild don't live in houses and so would get rained on and wet that way. the average rainfall in mongolia steppe (where most of the wild gerbils live) is 150-500mm a year! (compared with the lake district in england which is over 2000mm a year) I'm sure in the rare times it is raining the gerbils are in their burrows which are pretty deep underground! Gerbils + Water Bath = unhappy gerbils with a chance of them dying.Obviously there will be some exceptions to the rule like with everything but in general you should not wet your gerbils coat. Water also strips natural oils from their fur. |
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Post by gerbiliser on Feb 19, 2008 8:06:23 GMT -8
when my gerbil has become a bit wet, (dont worry, not washed, just a few drops) it has smelt awful. as if they produce a kind of scent, orjust their fur goes funny when it gets wet. It goes away once they get dry
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Post by Jill on Feb 19, 2008 8:16:09 GMT -8
Have you ever a seen your gerbil after some water from the water bottle drips on them? Their reaction is quite indicative of their attitude towards getting wet!
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Post by SilverGerbil on Feb 19, 2008 14:37:57 GMT -8
Yes i have, my girls hate getting wet. Cyd knocked the water bottle causing a splash up Dixie...her face was so not amused lol!
I dont see why those girls saw the need to bathe a gerbil, letalone film it and put it on you tube...thats just ridiculous...really is.
xoxox
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Post by sisterluck on Feb 20, 2008 16:06:43 GMT -8
I think anyone that owns a pet needs to research that animal. Putting a desert animal in water can not be good. Who is to say that the animal isn't suffering. I think it looks very distressed. There is a difference in washing off another animals scent and laughing as your animal desperately trying to get out of a sink of water.  |
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Post by gerbiluv10 on Feb 20, 2008 17:47:08 GMT -8
Gerbils are not supposed to get wet, and bathing them is NOT good for them. One they can get a chill if not dried properly and it can KILL THEM. Never mind the stress. Please do not post any more links to animal abuse, many of the readers are younger and it can be quick disturbing. i know  thats horrible. all of them. they should be taken to court or something why do those animals have to live with them!?!?!? a lot of people posted bad responses so hopefully they learned their lesson... did you see how many there were!?!?  and NO animal should even come close to CHLORINE WATER. all that stuff is poisonous and can kill them if they get it up their nose or swallow it! its bad on a human, now think about those tiny animals... |
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Post by ninegerbiltime on Feb 26, 2008 5:21:47 GMT -8
If your gerbil really smells bad or something, can you use a damp cloth and wipe them off, then dry them? I've done that in the past and it works well, though they do smell bad when they're wet. But putting them in a sink with water, laughing at them, then putting it on youtube is ridiculous!
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