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Post by andie on Jul 18, 2004 14:55:47 GMT -8
okay, i'm getting gerbils in about, 3 weeks.
we may have to put them in the basment, however I'd like to know what i'd need to do in order to make sure thats okay.
The basement can be cooler, or much warmer sometimes, and i'm not sure if that would affect the gerbils. Plus, I know it's good to give them set day/night hours...but in the basement (since i have a dog down there) in winters it would be lighter sooner than in the summer...would that matter?
My friend recommended I'd need a dehumidifier and sun lamp, but would that be necessary?
I'd like them in my room, so the more negatives about keeping them in the basement, the better.
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Post by queenofthenile on Jul 19, 2004 0:18:05 GMT -8
Are your parents preventing them from coming upstairs? The only problem with the bedroom is the sound of chewing and banging toys around in the middle of the night. You wouldn't believe how many nights I've had to remove the half coconut from my breeder tank because the female is banging, banging, banging all night. And that was the next room over! If the basement stays about 15C all the time, it should be fine there. I would just leave the blinds open all the time so the gerbs can get some light.
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Jul 19, 2004 3:02:48 GMT -8
In the wild, Mongolian gerbils live in a continental climate, with cool, dry winters and hot summers. The temperatures vary from -40°C to +50°C, but the average temperature is -20°C in January and +20°C in July. However, I have to say that they live mostly under the ground in their burrow, where they have a constant temperature.
When Mongolian gerbils are kept as pets in captivity, you need to make some place in your home. Your gerbils feel themselves most comfortable with a temperature of 20-24°C. With more than enough nesting material the absolute minimal temperature is 15°C. With lower temperatures your gerbil can get hypothermia. Also never place the cage in direct sunlight. Especially when you have a glaze or plastic tank you need to be careful with that, because in direct sunlight these gerbil homes will change in a hothouse. Although Mongolian gerbils are desert animals, they can't handle extreme heat, beside in the wild they stay under the ground while the hottest period of the day and not without a good reason. The place where you want to put your cage need to be free of draught.
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Post by queenofthenile on Jul 19, 2004 5:20:57 GMT -8
Sorry, I meant *above* 15C.  |
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Post by j on Jul 20, 2004 0:04:18 GMT -8
Probably depends on your basement and what kind of weather you get. If you have one of those damp, cool, musky smelling cellar type basements..that probably wouldn't be too good for a gerbil..
My bedroom used to be in the basement and I've always kept my gerbils in it. I got used to the noise, I find it hard to sleep now without them chewing on something.
The only problem I had was a few months ago when it started to get warmer, they got lazy and their fur got all puffy. Once I started putting the fans on and I made sure they had enough cardboard and bedding they did fine. I guess cause they were digging to the bottom of the tank and sleeping there away from it.
I never give any of my animals a set day and night hours either and they do fine. I don't even have set day/night hours. The gerbils wake up whenever I throw a papertowel roll in there, so they definitly don't have set sleep times. ;D
Only bad thing I can think of for keeping them in a basement ALONE (since your bedroom isn't down there..) is they might be a little more shy/not as tame (or hard to tame..) since they're not seeing a lot of activity going on around them to get used to it..
Someone goes down to the basement, they'll probably run and hide.
dehumidifier and sunlamp? lol yeah, that sounds unnecessary
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