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Post by Gerbil owner dude on Dec 6, 2009 7:20:12 GMT -8
so i have some gerbils (2) and i think something is wrong! They just don't get the idea of going on the wheel or of tunnels! I have a wheel but they don't go on it, even when i lift them on it, they just try to chew it, but they can't because its metal. I've taken it out because its not a chew toy but anyone have a cure? Also my gerbils don't dig or go in tunnels. I made them toilet paper tube ones but they just chew them. I also made one of those log housed but putting wire through twigs (cheaper than buying at pet store) they dont go in it. they have a nest which is under this little popiscle house and ive put toilet tubes by there house but they just chew them. they also have never tunneled them selves even with 3/4 inchs of bedding.
sorry for the super long post but i need help
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Post by SilverGerbil on Dec 6, 2009 12:25:06 GMT -8
Hey,
What sort of bedding are you keeping them in?
Quite often gerbils don't understand wheels. It sometimes helps to put them in the wheel and hold one hand to block their exit and use the other to GENTLY (that is the main word here!!) GENTLY spin the wheel around, and see if they pick it up or not.
Do you keep it in an area where they don't cover it with bedding? OR is it somewhere that they bury ?
x
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Post by Gerbil owner dude on Dec 6, 2009 13:00:02 GMT -8
Right now they are in ecobedding, but i have CritterCare stuff that i bought at wallmart which is the same price but the bag has 30 gallons instead of 20. I am going to try them in the CritterCare after i use up the ecobedding. And about them wheel, they dont bury things or dig so no its not in an area that has that and thanks for the reply. Do you think CritterCare will work?
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Post by SilverGerbil on Dec 6, 2009 13:10:25 GMT -8
CritterCare? (sorry i'm in the UK) is that like the Ecobedding and carefresh?
Do they shred the bedding up into smaller pieces? It might be worth when you clean the tank out next (i assume they are in a tank). To spread cardboard boxes, tp rolls etc around the bottom of the tank, put a couple of treats i.e. pumpkin seeds or sunnie seeds in the tp rolls and boxes etc then spread your bedding on top. You want to give atleast 4" deep if not more. I tend to give 6"+ i quite often fill the tank right up.
x
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Post by Gerbil owner dude on Dec 6, 2009 13:56:16 GMT -8
It is very similar to CareFresh. I am going to try it soon. Should i do a mix of the 2? I think i will. Oh and about putting boxes in there. I have put some in (cereal boxes) but they just scratch the heck out of it which is annoying at night because it is so loud. They do go on there alot but because of the smooth surface, they go to the bathroom alot. I've tried putting some bedding in the boxes but they just take it to their nest. Oh and again imi'm ganna ask this (because it is important):
Should i do a mix of ecobedding and CritterCare?
thanks for replying so soon
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Post by SilverGerbil on Dec 6, 2009 14:07:00 GMT -8
There shouldn't be any problems with mixing the beddings.  . Infact i often mix carefresh with woodshavings and hay. Just mix to what ever quantaties that you want to. Either 50/50 or 75/25 etc . Yes, digging in boxes is rather annoying. Hmm.. I'm not sure what else that you can do to get them to dig. Have you got a tank? It might be worth trying to mix your bedding with Timothy Hay to try and hold the tunnels. That is if they are digging and they are just collapsing before you have seen them. Is their nest at the top of their bedding or is it down in tunnels? x |
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Post by Gerbil owner dude on Dec 6, 2009 14:20:23 GMT -8
Yes i have a tank. It is a 20 long without tank topper. Their nest is a square(ish) house i made of popsicle sticks, they have filled it with bedding and kleenx i gave them. the house is like a ramp thing it has two parallel sides and a top, the one side is ope, i have it against the tank so i can see them sleep. the other side has a ramp which the go up and sniff my hand etc. They chew it alot and have moved it like an 1 inch away from the wall and they have cleard the bedding from that place and go fomr there into the house through a hole the chewed (random fact when ever i put something (like a box) against the tank wall they chew the left side of it and go through there instead of the door.
Again a long post
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Post by SilverGerbil on Dec 6, 2009 14:49:50 GMT -8
Haha no worries about the long posts. Gives us something to read. Hmm... Try burying their house completely in bedding. Maybe they will start tunneling into it x |
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Post by Gerbil owner dude on Dec 6, 2009 15:08:40 GMT -8
I'm probably gnna clean their cage on wednesday i don't know what day it is for you but for me its sunday. i didn't clean their cage on saturday like i usually do so yeah i porbab;y will on wednesday or when it gets stinky
i'll bury their home along with boxes etc when i clean it hopefully it will work and im ganna refill their cage with ecobedding and CritterCare mix. oh and about the long posts, there are not as many ppl on these boards as there has been before, there is usually like 3-5 sometimes more on i think i'll join (*maybe*) i've read alot of posts (alot) and have been stalking you guys, kinda
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Post by Gerbil owner dude on Dec 6, 2009 16:50:07 GMT -8
Any body have some pictures of gerbil tunnels/ tubes? can you even post them on guest boards?
oh and any body else got ideas about getting them to tunnel?
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Post by Gerbil owner dude on Dec 7, 2009 13:39:10 GMT -8
Any body else wanna be invovled in this convo oh and i know timothy hay is good for burrowing, i can't get any so is there a ubstitute?
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Post by SilverGerbil on Dec 7, 2009 14:19:05 GMT -8
Hey,
Not alot of people check these boards. If you are over 13 then feel free to join the forum. You might get some more responses.
Yes, have a look in your local PAH for hay. They have a wide variety.
x
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Post by Gerbil owner dude on Dec 7, 2009 14:28:57 GMT -8
im tweleve i guess i'll have to wait for another year  you go one the guest boards and help alot, i like that, if i join then i'll try to answer alot of questions too by the way what is PAH? |
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Post by rach27 on Dec 7, 2009 14:55:37 GMT -8
i know people dont recomend plastic but we have plastic tunnels that have a metal anti chew bit at the ends and our gerbils love them, we just hide them under all the wood shavings and stuff n leave a few entrances about n they run all through them. nightmare trying to catch them mind. as for the wheel, i think some gerbils just dont like them, we had four gerbils (recently had to have two adopted) and 3 of them loved the wheel one wouldnt go near it.
but i dont think anything is wrong with them.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2009 15:47:35 GMT -8
PEH is, I believe the same as the US stores that are Petco and Petsmart. Someone let me know if I'm wrong, I hope.
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. Infact i often mix carefresh with woodshavings and hay. 