Daughter begging for gerbils. Have questions. . .

[peggys]

My daughter is wearing us down. She wants to get pet gerbils. We already have a dog, three cats, and three aquariums so we are fully aware of the responsibility of pet ownership and take it very seriously. So, we are doing our research, reading about gerbil care (lot's of conflicting info out there, by the way!), and visiting local pet shops. Now for our questions, assuming we take on 2 gerbils:

1. We already own a large cage that we are hoping will work for gerbils. It is the type sold for small rabbits or guinea pigs, with a plastic base and a cage top. It is much larger than a 10-gallon aquarium but everything I read says that aquariums are best for gerbils. Can we use it? Will they squeeze out through the bars?

2. Expenses are a concern. We will buy the best food we can find but wish to economize on other things, as we can. We bought 50L of Carefresh Ultra, on sale but still expensive. How long can I expect that to last? Can I use less Carefresh and provide lots of cardboard for the gerbils to shred to add to the bedding?

3. I would like to use a glass canning jar, on its side, with sand. I'm hoping the gerbils will use it as their toilet. Sand is cheap and I can clean and replace the sand daily. Will this work? Would they be more likely to use a small bowl with sand?

4. How much do gerbils typically cost in the US? Do you have any recommendations on where we buy?

Thank you very much. I look forward to seeing any replies I may receive.

PeggyS

[pixytwinkle]

hi ;D
Without knowing how big the space is between the bars i cannot say whether they would get through or not but a tank is definatly the best option. I used to keep my two gerbs in a cage and recently changed to a tank i feel they are alot cleaner, safer and you can see your gerbs alot better too. Im not sure about the cost of gerbils things in the us as i live in the uk. Please try and get your gerbs from a breeder and not from a pet shop. Both mine are from pet shops and i was told i had too females but now i have 4 babies so they were obviously wrong. Gerbs from breeder will also be tamer im not sure how much they will cost. How old is your daughter? Im only 16 and i think gerbs nake great pets.
pixytwinkle

[clyon]

I am still relatively new to this but here are a few things I have learned already. You can buy a Wal-Mart version of carefresh (I think it's called critter care) I use corn cob myself that I purchase from Wal-Mart and it works well.
I tried the jar with sand in it and theuy kicked it all right out. (Mine are unimpressed with sand altogether). I just moved them from a Crittertrail cage to an aquarium and I have to say I actually liked the crittertrail better. I think they did too, but she is going to have babies and they couldn't raise them in the critter trail.
There is a breeder in Plant City listed on the ags website but I had contacted them with no success. There is also a girl in Gainesville that did answer. The url is agsgerbils.org. If you don't have any success with breeders I have found Petsmart to have the healthiest most varied colors in our area as they come from out of state. They are pricier there but it's worth it. They run $8.99 there. A lot of the other pet stores sell for between 3.99-6.99 but also sell feeders (snake food).

Anyway they are more fun than work so enjoy!
Hope that helped!

Christi

[clyon]

I just read over that again and I don't know why I thought that you were in the Orlando area... disregard the Plant City, Gainesville thing if not and you can still check for breeders just looking at agsgerbils.org or typing rodent breeder in google.

Christi

[doomgerbiluk]

I keep two colonies in small rabbit dunas
you need to adapt it though
First you need wire mesh over the bars.
Second all those little bits to clip hayracks in etc must be covered (I use small metal plates and stick on with a glue gun) or the gerbs willa d dnew exit holes!!
after that they make wonderful gerbil homes

[doomgerbiluk]

I just reread
it isn't a duna is it?
not suitable then I'm afraid
a tank or a storage box converted is best

[RW]

Hi, Peggy!

1. We already own a large cage that we are hoping will work for gerbils. It is the type sold for small rabbits or guinea pigs, with a plastic base and a cage top. It is much larger than a 10-gallon aquarium but everything I read says that aquariums are best for gerbils. Can we use it? Will they squeeze out through the bars?

If a gerbil can get its head through the spacing in the wires, the rest will follow. If you get pups, their heads are very small! Also, if they can get their teeth around the edge of the plastic base, most gerbils would chew it to pieces, which isn't good, because ingested plastic can cause intestinal problems. Better to stick with an aquarium or even a plastic storage bin. Whichever you choose, it will have to be absolutely dog and cat-proof.

2. Expenses are a concern. We will buy the best food we can find but wish to economize on other things, as we can. We bought 50L of Carefresh Ultra, on sale but still expensive. How long can I expect that to last? Can I use less Carefresh and provide lots of cardboard for the gerbils to shred to add to the bedding?

Carefresh is compressed, so it expands a good bit when you take it out of the package and should go a long way, depending on how large your housing is and how often you change it.

3. I would like to use a glass canning jar, on its side, with sand. I'm hoping the gerbils will use it as their toilet. Sand is cheap and I can clean and replace the sand daily. Will this work? Would they be more likely to use a small bowl with sand?

Most of my gerbils have both a sandbowl and a canning jar in their tanks. The jar probably would work for sand, but most gerbils like to dig and kick it, so it probably wouldn't stay in the jar.

4. How much do gerbils typically cost in the US? Do you have any recommendations on where we buy?

Gerbils are very inexpensive most places. I've paid between $4 and $9 each for mine at the local pet stores. If you have a breeder near you, that would be the best way to go. If not, pet store gerbils may take more time and patience to tame, as most aren't as well-socialized as a breeder's gerbils should be, but it can be done and I've seldom had a problem.

Check here for AGS registered breeders in your area;

www.agsgerbils.org/Breeders.html

Good luck!

RW

[PeggySS]

Thank you for all the information and advice. We have a 20-gallon-long (30" x 12" x 12") aquarium sitting empty and we've decided to use it instead of the guinea pig cage. What is the easiest way to make a top for it? I'm assuming the regular aquarium hood won't work as it won't let much air circulate.

We will be putting the cage in a room that will be closed off to the other pets. They are entirely too curious for the safety of small rodents.

Oh, I did attempt to contact the two breeders that were listed at the American Gerbil Society website for my state. One replied that she no longer raises gerbils and the contact info for the other one is no longer valid. I guess a pet shop is our only avenue.

The reason I asked about the cost of gerbils is that the pet stores around here charge from $8 to $13 per gerbil. I was just curious if this was typical.

Someone asked for the age of my daughter. She just turned 5 and her sister is 8.

PeggyS

[andrea]

Hi

Firstly wlecome to the forum!.

As I am in the UK I will let some of our US member give you some advice regarding the bedding as whats availble here is different to whats available in the US.

I am glad you have decided to use the aquarium as it is a much better option than a wire cage. I have a pair of pallid gerbils in a aquarium (pallid gerbils are a smaller more dainty exotic species of gerbil you will find some info on here about them), anyway for a lid I just us the regular plastic lid that came on the aquarim - you know the cheap one without a light in it and just cut some holes in it for circulation. The water bottle is attached using garden wire wrapped around the bottle and making a hook over the side of the glass. The other option is to make a lid using wire mesh and some wood, something I was gonna do but never got round to it, but the aquarium lids worked well with no escapees - well of the gerbil variety.. I have some bushy tailed jirds that do nothing but plot there escape from there tank but thats something you will not have to worry about lol ...

you and your daughter will get great joy from the gerbils and they make wonderful pets. Yes I agree there is a LOT of conflicting information out there. You will find that every gerbil is different and what someone says doesn't work for them may work for you. for example some give food bowls, some spread the food around, some feed twice a day, some feed once. once you get to know your gerbils you will be fine and half the fun is getting to know your new furry friends.

Andrea

[RW]

A 20-gallon long tank is a great size for two gerbils. They're what I use to house each of my three male pairs. There are a couple options for lids: 1) Most pet stores and online pet places sell ready-made screen lids for aquariums. Look in the reptile section. A lid that fits a 29-gallon will also fit a 20L. 2) You can make your own lid, using hardware cloth (a metal mesh sold at most home improvement or hardware stores).

You could check out the AGS Classfieds to see if anyone near you has gerbils, or place an ad yourself asking about it:

www.agsgerbils.org/classifieds/

I think $13 is a little high for a pet store gerbil, but if the gerbils are really nice, healthy, and somewhat tamed, I'd probably pay it. I drove over 1400 miles to pick up my one and only ever pair of breeder's gerbils!

RW

[Sami]

Carefresh is a more expensive bedding- aspen and corncob are also choices. I buy a huge 14$ bag of aspen and it's so compressed taht itlasts for at least 6 months- cleaning 10 tanks regularaly (most at least 20 gallons in size). With about 2-3 inches thick, more for the taller tanks. I also buy 40 lb bags of corncob for cheaper prices. The aspen bedding my gerbils seem to prefer as tehy can really burrow in it- especially when mixed with alfalfa hay. Corncob is also nice, I tried carefresh for awhile but it got dusty so I stick with corncob and aspen mixes now.
Gerbils around here cost 5$ each. But I once rescues a poor gerbil at pet co for 13$- he wasn't in good shape,huge red nose, thin fur, dull eyes, and he bit every hand he saw. Poor guy was only about 5 weeks old (at the most) when I got him and he'd been tehre for awhile, probably separated from mom to early. If you have to buy from a petstore go with Petsmart- they take much better care of the animals. I was told at petco when buying the gerbil that Males have to be kept apart or they will fight to the death!! Also told that to handle the gerbil either pick him up by the tail- or cup him in both hands: both of which are wrong.

Gerbils would probably bemore likely to use the bowl as a toilet, but mine go either in the highest location in the tank (often a tube set), or in the glass pasta sauce jars- their favorites. Either way it would work out as a toy. The pet stores around here sell a lot of different options for 20 gallon tanks meant for small mammals(wire/mesh tops, flipping tops, tops that allow tubes), all about 20$ each, tanks at about 24$ (perfecto).

Most toys are inexpensive as tehy can be found at home. (Kleenex boxes, toilet paper/paper towel rolls, ramen boxes, food boxes, tree branches- only safe ones, wicker baskets, coffe jars, sauce jars, stones, flower pots, etc). Making mazes, tunnels out of cardboard is great to.

Nesting material canjust be shredded unscentedtissues and TP. The only thing you'll have to buy regularly is food, and every few months or more- bedding. Everything else is inital purchase only (unless you keep adding toys, ie: wheel, ball, logs).

There is a lot of bad advise for gerbils on the internet- care that may work for other rodents but is completely wrong for gerbils. AGS sites, and links of this page will lead you to more reputable sites.
Good luck with your new gerbs hope you find the ones your looking for...

[PeggySS]

Wow. This is great place. I really appreciate you all sharing your experience and knowledge with me. Well, we are the proud new owners of 3 male gerbils. We intended to get 2 females but Petsmart had only males. If we took 2 males, we would have left only one behind. So, I opted to take all 3. Here's the rundown, with a few additional questions below:

1 completely black gerbil named Blackie, moderately active

1 gerbil colored (LOL, sorry, but this one is how I always picture gerbils) with reddish brown top and white belly named Blue, hyperactive

1 reddish brown with more white markings, including a blaze down his face named Blaze, not as active

They were in Aspen bedding at the store so I opted to buy a bag of that so they could have familiar bedding. I may mix in some of the Carefresh with the next few bed changes and see which we and they like better.

They rejected my clay pot as a nesting site and moved into the sand jar. We plan to make a thick cardboard box house and offer that. I'm still hoping the sand jar may become their main toilet. I can hope, right?

I did get a 29-gallon reptile lid and it fits perfect, thanks RJ! However, now the water bottle won't go on the tank as it is designed to stick above the tank somewhat or else hang outside a cage-style containment. The reptile lid prevents it from sticking out the top. We also had a smaller water bottle, one of the flattish-styled ones that I bolted onto a thick piece of cardboard as a temporary measure. Cardboard won't hold up to moisture very well. LOL How do ya'll with glass tanks and screen lids hang your water?

My only other current concern is Blaze. I'm hoping he is just settling in to his new home (been here less than 3 hours) but he is so much less active than the other 2 that I'm hoping he is not ill. He does come out and run around a bit but just not nearly as much in comparison.

PeggyS

[callimico]

Congrats on your new boys ;D That was really great of you ta take all three so one wouldn't be left by himself. Sounds like your other two colors may be Golen agouti and either a spotted or a pied Golden agouti (Blaze).

Once they get completely used to their new environment(could take up to a week) they may use the sand as a toilet. But if they don't, most gerbils generally go in the same location in a tank (either a certain corner, highest elevation...). Most of my gerbils nested in the glass jar when I first introduced them to a new tank. Then as they felt more secure, or just felt like it, moved into a nest in a corner, or large box, if one was in the tank.

Most petstores sell water bottle holders/guards specefically meant for ppl with rodents in glass aquariums and tight lids. You'll probably have to bend the "long metal strip thing on the back of the holder" (sorry don't know the word ) to fit the shape of your tank so that it still allows a top.

Don't worry about Blaze, he may have been more active at the store, and is tired now. Could just be a more laid back gerbil- if he stays sluggish after a week, or you notice any other changes in behavior/appearance post.

Again Congrats on your new guy's they sound Great!! ;D ;D

[RW]

Congratulations! From your description, it sounds like you have a black (that was easy! ), an agouti (wild gerbil color), and a spotted agouti. Very nice!

I use Oasis water bottles in my tanks. You can get a metal guard/hanger that has a strap that bends over the rim of the tank, like so:



All gerbils have different personalities. Blaze may just be shyer than the other two and might take longer to adjust to a new environment. Keep an eye on him to be sure he's eating and drinking normally. Be especially watchful for diarrhea, as the stress of a move and/or a new type of food can upset their digestive tract.

Congrats again and enjoy your new treasures! Hope to see photos soon?

RW

[doomgerbiluk]

I can't really expand on what anyone else has said.
Do keep an eye on Blaze for any sign of illness (fluffed up fur, diaorrhea, clicky breathing, not feeding/drinking).
I suggest reading up on the health pages at www.gerbils.co.uk . He may well just be amore nervous/shy gerbil as they all have their own personalities. the other thing to watch is bullying, sometimes a gerbil will hide a lot if they are being bullied by the other gerbils. In my experience so long as they get to drink and feed, and there is no violence involved, young gerbils will grow out being victims.

As for everything else it sounds liek your doing a really good job so congratulations and I hope they all settle in well.

Water bottles???
Here's my solution:


Just a cylinder of wire mesh and a wire clip to hold it in place. Make it wide enough to slide the bottle in and out.