shari
Member
Life is Precious; Every Day is a Gift
Posts: 103
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heat
Dec 7, 2005 13:40:23 GMT -8
Post by shari on Dec 7, 2005 13:40:23 GMT -8
I read somewhere to get a clamp light with a 40 watt heating grow light. Is any hotter wattage dangerous? What do you use to keep gerbils warm, like young pups, or when ill? Also I cannot find this low wattage, but have only looked at two stores....
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heat
Dec 7, 2005 21:07:41 GMT -8
Post by thumpity on Dec 7, 2005 21:07:41 GMT -8
I read somewhere else on this forum to use a heating pad...umm, I think by Megan in Respiratory Infection. My gerbils are kept in the family room downstairs and it is colder down there then the rest of the house, so I've put the heating pad on the outside of the tank, actually in between two tanks (one with my new pups). The heating pad has a cloth cover and I keep it on the lowest setting. Both gerbil tanks can stay away from the heated area if they wanted to, but they have both moved their nests to be next to it (this has made me feel horrible as now I wonder how cold they must have been ). Just another idea. Take care! -Kaye
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heat
Dec 8, 2005 2:21:30 GMT -8
Post by maxthegerbil on Dec 8, 2005 2:21:30 GMT -8
Hi. I think using a heat mat/pad when the weather is really bitter is a good idea, even though gerbils do cope well with cold tempreratures as long as they have heaps of warm hay and ripped up kitchen towel to shred! Using a wooden box with a hole in the front as a sleeping/nesting box is also a good idea as it keeps more body heat in. I`m actually looking to either make two wooden boxes to fit two gerbils, or buy two if I can find any on the market that are spacious enough. The only wooden huts I`ve seen are for a single hamster or mouse and I want something that will fill the end of my glass tanks. The gerbils can also jump up onto the flat roof and use it as a lookout!
Using heat lamps and bulbs is fine, as long as these are monitored because the gerbil(s) can`t choose to get away from a directed heat of this kind. I prefer a water bottle wrapped in a towel, placed against one end of the tank (allowing the gerbil(s) to move to the other end if they wish. Or a microwaveable heat pad (with the buckwheat inside) and washable cover (can be found on eBay under "Cats"- "Toys" and are only around £3.99p. These are safe for puppies and kittens too.
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heat
Dec 8, 2005 6:28:19 GMT -8
Post by doomgerbiluk on Dec 8, 2005 6:28:19 GMT -8
A warning Woodent boxes invariably (in my experience) get peed in and STINK after a while look on www.gerbilshowsuk.org and you'll find instructions on how to make your gerbils a nest box out of wall tiles which can easily be cleaned.
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heat
Dec 9, 2005 2:36:00 GMT -8
Post by maxthegerbil on Dec 9, 2005 2:36:00 GMT -8
Thanks for the tip doomgerbil. Actually, I made wooden shelves that sit on blocks of wood at either end that sit along the back of my glass tanks for the gerbils to hop up onto, which they love. It gives them another level. But as you rightly said, they can and DO pee in one corner of the shelf and I have to wash this and let it dry before placing the shelf back into the tank! I use large or medium fiddlestix bridges as sleepy holes and the gerbils nest under these at the moment. I`ve seen the ceramic tile idea and it`s a good one, if you can get hold of tile cutters and aquarium sealant! Loose tiles are quite cheap to get hold of however and I may give this a go. Thanks for posting the link for me because I knew of this website but lost the link!
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