Moving Gerbils

[cinnycinnamon]

Since the weather is just now starting to get below the freezing mark, I've decided it was time to move my gerbies from downstairs in the computer room to the dining room. I had them set up to be able to look out the patio door and they enjoyed that. But since it will getting cold, I decided I do not need sick gerbils. Here is where they used to live:



The computer room is mostly where we spend out time. But now that they are in the dining room, do you think they will be okay? We usually don't leave a light on (like when we do watch TV in the living room). Whereas in the computer room, there was always a light on. And they won't be near us like how they used to be.





Any thoughts or suggestions?

[RyanF]

The table is bending in the middle, lol. Might want to support the middle with something.

[Mud Pony]

I am loving the hippie sign!!! ;D

I don't think the lighting may be a problem. I keep my gerbils in my basement, it's heated and dry. I spend a decent amount of time down there. The only false I have of it is that they get no natural light. So I put my lights on timers so that they get 8 hours of light and it goes in cycles 24 hours a day 7 days a weeks & I don't have to worry about it.

In my experience with many animals & not just gerbils. as long as they get light for what their normal exposure in the wild would be they are OK. When you start giving them no lighting or the opposite constant lighting it messes up their cycles & behaviors.

So as long as they get light for whatever amount of your normal day span is in your area ( probably close to the same as mine) or fairly close to that darkness is natural to all of us for a alotted partof our day, so I woulnt worry.

we are turning our Attic into an extra usable room soon so I will be moving them up there where they will get great natural light and I wont have to burn up my electric bill they will have their own little loft with lots of warm space. I cant wait.

[cinnycinnamon]

Yeah, it sure does look like the middle of the table is bending. I got that table from the daycare where I used to work at. They were gonna throw it away because one of the legs broke off. Well, all 4 table legs have been welded back. I will see about finding something to support the middle. Thanx Ryan for your suggestion!

As for natural lighting, when the gerbils were downstairs in the computer room, I would pull up the sheet and lay it down on the tanks so they could look outside. It didn't get sunny down here, but it was light. There's loads of sunshine upstairs so I'm not too concerned about that. I was just worried about them being in the dark if we're watching TV or what have you. Plus, they won't be in the hub bub of our day like how they were when they were down here in the computer room. I think they'll be alright. I thought maybe it might stress them out, but by watching them, they seem fine.

LOL, yeah....I got that hippie sign from Columbia House like 8 years ago! The hand drawn hippie sign says above that sign says: Help In Providing Peaceful Individual Exsistence.

Koola about the attic!

I live in a suburb of Atlanta.....yes we are on the same time. Thanx MudPony for your thoughts!!!!

[sweetie]

Hey Cinny,
I think they will be okay there as long as you give them the same attention! LOL. I think the table sagging *look* is the camera angle.

[doomgerbiluk]

Easy trick for sagging tables
Buy a broom handle and cut to size. Cheap but strong and effective and you can always cut up any leftover bits for gnawing blocks for the gerbs.

[cinnycinnamon]

Yeah, we've been leaving the dining room light on for them during the evening. And I'm always going over there to check on them and talk to them. LOL, when I talk to my gerbies, it always looks like they are talking back to me they way they move their little mouths and look at me!!

Thanx Doom for the suggestion. I will swing by the dollar store and pick up a broom.

Cindy