MY GERBIL CHEWED EVERYTHING!

[donna2001]

Let me just say when i got my gerbil I did not no one bit she was gonna act like this. First of all the Worker did not even tell me one bit about her. how she acted/and acted around other gerbils/ what size of cage i might need nothing at all. So i get this gerbil she is so sweet and everything. But then about two days later i see bite marks and I am just like "I do not no what to do" I keep on trying stuff. but it does not work! So I am trying to make her stop but she will not. So weeks go by. And I am just freaking out because there is shreds of her little house. So i just have to throw the house away. And i freak out more because the same thing with her wheel happens. So I am stuffing her cage with to lite paper tubes but about two hours later there is nothing else but shreds. So I go buy a ball. And guess what! I put her in her ball and she does nothing but stand in it! . So days go by and i just realized is my gerbil just CRAZY?!?! cause she is sure acting like it. So i go to here cage again to check on her and she knocked her ladder down and was chewing on her steel latter. So i check her ladder and the color is coming OFF!!! And one more thing my gerbil knocks everything down. And kicks litter out of her cage. So I have to sit everything back up and vacuum(everyday) . Please help me

[eisenhower]

It's their natural behavior. They have to constantly chew to keep their teeth trimmed. Give her some cardboard. Don't give her anything plastic because if she ingests any little pieces she could die. Get her a tank instead of a cage, and she won't be able to kick out the bedding, and it's not necessary to sit everything back up, she'll just knock it over again. Also, many gerbils don't like balls.

[johanne]

You have a perfectly normal gerbil.

The best time to learn how your new pet will behave and what sort of home, food and toys it needs would have been before buying it. There are many different types of pets available, so it's always a good idea to choose one that suits your lifestyle and budget.

Pet store staff are generally not good sources of information, as many new gerbil owners have discovered after buying all the wrong stuff and then having to replace all of it soon after. There is a lot of information on this forum and all over the internet explaining how to care for gerbils. It takes a while to read it, but it's worth it.

It is normal for gerbils to chew everything; they have to or their teeth would overgrow. Gerbils should be kept in tanks or bins. Plastic items can be dangerous, so it's best not to give them anything plastic. What they really need is lots of bedding, several inches deep so they can build tunnels. And they need lots of cardboard to chew on every day.

Cages with bars don't make good gerbil homes as has been mentioned, since they kick the bedding out trying to build their tunnels, and chew the bars, which can injure their noses.

There is a lot more to know about gerbils. Feel free to ask questions!

[donna2001]

Thanks i better go get a tank

[Sunny&Sandy]

Yep, sounds to me like you have a perfectly normal gerbil! You've been given some great advice here already, but I will add that one "chew toy" that seems to keep my gerbils busy for a few hours is the cardboard drink holders from McDonalds and other fast food places. They're free (at least where I'm from), so you might want to ask for one next time you are in a drive through!

[amski]

You can buy wooden toys, ornaments and accessories for gerbils - these are great as it takes them longer to chew than cardboard.
Mine live in a tank that has nothing they can chew on anywhere (no bars, no plastic shelves) and then I buy chew safe things to go in.

Just bear in mind that if it goes in the cage, it will be eaten and to always have something in there they can chew on to keep their teeth short and alleviate boredom.

I must admit, I quite like buying mine wooden houses, as I enjoy the change of scenery every couple of months when they need a new one, but if you don't like the idea of them eating their own house, clean glass jars are safe and chew proof!