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Post by yeti218 on Feb 10, 2021 12:25:22 GMT -8
I’m going to make a garden for my hamster and wanted to know if my gerbils can use it too. I watched a video recently where someone made a hamster garden ( link - Growing a living garden play cage for my hamster - erinsanimals ) by filling a plastic bin with some fertilizer free soil (I would freeze first) and the scattering some seeds to sprout. The youtuber used sunflower, flax, pumpkin, chia and millet. Some other ideas I had were cat grass, or some herbs like parsley, dill, oregano, mint, thyme, cilantro. might also put in a spider plant, which are hamster safe, but they do sometimes grow seed pods which are toxic. So if anyone’s reading this and interested in using spider plants, be sure to google that so you know how to check and remove seed pods. the idea is you let the plants sprout a bit, can add some decor like driftwood or stone walkways, and then let your hamster explore. Being sure the soil is pretty dry whenever you let them in. I was wondering if this is the kind of thing I could let the gerbils use too? It would only be for supervised visits. any suggestions on plants? I’m just starting to look into whether the above listed hamster plant ideas are all okay for gerbils or not. |
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Post by Markpd on Feb 10, 2021 15:19:16 GMT -8
Sounds like a cool idea  , can't really help you I'm afraid, but I'm curious too. I have heard that gerbils will enjoy this, by trashing all the plants! lol Let's see what other people say...... |
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Post by betty on Feb 10, 2021 15:19:57 GMT -8
Gerbils would LOVE that - just make sure it is a pretty tall and wide container. However - see note below.
All those plants you mention above are safe for gerbils - although sunflower plants and pumpkin would be pretty pointless to grow in there? Not sure how they would work?
I often grow trays of grasses for my animals and let them have a run around in them - but if you are growing the plants in the free-run container in soil in your home all year - then that is going to be quite heavy and take up a lot of room - and you will need to always water it (and put in some drainage possibly) to keep the plants alive. Maybe they meant you only have them for a short time each time - and then replant a new one?
Did they mention maintenance? Maybe I will just watch it...
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Post by betty on Feb 10, 2021 15:32:56 GMT -8
Aren't hamsters so much more polite than gerbils?
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Post by Markpd on Feb 10, 2021 15:41:04 GMT -8
Lol  , (I've not seen the video yet), polite as in they're not trashing all the plants?  I was wondering about putting some (gerbil) native plants in pots and then temporarily placing them in their sand pen. Re-create the steppes! lol I'd take the plants out when my boys aren't in it, so I can water them elsewhere and make the sandpen heavier...... assuming the plants survived their 1st encounter!  |
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Feb 10, 2021 16:17:16 GMT -8
This is the follow up video where she puts a hamster in. He was very polite. I know my gerbils would trash it, but I would still make it just to see them enjoying themselves.
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Post by yeti218 on Feb 10, 2021 21:03:58 GMT -8
Haha yes hamsters interact with their world in a much less destructive way. But i love what mischievious rascals my gerbils are.
I think ill go ahead and get started on this soon. Will leave out the pumpkin and sunflower as suggested.
Ill plan to let the hamster have a few explorations before i let the gerbils in. If they completely trash it, im not too worried because ill just till the soil and then throw in some more seeds.
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Post by Markpd on Feb 11, 2021 12:31:30 GMT -8
Ah yea I see what you mean now, very gentle to his environment |
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Post by tanzanyte on Feb 12, 2021 13:55:05 GMT -8
I wanted to do this this summer but never got around to finding something to use to plant things in. Definitely take a video yeti218 if you do give it a go. I'd love a comparison from the gentle exploration of your hamsters, versus the wrecking ball of destruction gerbils would bring about. They would love it though! |
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Post by yeti218 on Feb 12, 2021 20:58:26 GMT -8
Im just going to use a plastic storage bin as a planter.
Yes ill take some videos for sure.
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Post by Markpd on Feb 13, 2021 9:20:59 GMT -8
I wanted to do this this summer but never got around to finding something to use to plant things in. Definitely take a video yeti218 if you do give it a go. I'd love a comparison from the gentle exploration of your hamsters, versus the wrecking ball of destruction gerbils would bring about. They would love it though! |
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Post by yeti218 on Feb 28, 2021 8:08:36 GMT -8
Garden has grown really well. I stopped watering it 4 days ago in order to let the soil dry out before I let any rodents in. The soil I used retains moisture way too effectively, so looks like it’ll still be a few days before I can let anyone in, but I’m posting an update anyway. so I took a storage bin and washed it, then I lined the bottom with some gravel (which I also had washed). For soil, I couldn’t find any fertilizer free soil at the garden center, so I ended up using a product from the pet store called “coconut soil bedding”, which looks like soil but is made from coconuts and is sold as a substrate for reptiles. I planted chia, millet, flax and cat grass (which I think it just oats, actually). I had talked about using some other rodent safe plants and herbs, but then I realized that I need the plant and the seed to be safe to eat, in case some seeds don’t sprout and the rodents eat them. There’s not a lot of information about whether herb seeds are safe to eat, so I avoided those. anyway, here’s a photo of the garden on day one and on day nine. Will post again when they finally get a chance to explore / destroy it.  ![]()  |
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Post by betty on Feb 28, 2021 9:08:15 GMT -8
That is awesome!
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Post by tanzanyte on Feb 28, 2021 13:26:56 GMT -8
I can't wait to see your hamster's and gerbil's reactions!
I've picked up some nasturtiums and pot marigolds after Betty mentioned they were safe in another thread. At the moment I'm growing them in small pots with a plan to put one in their play area for a few minutes to let Pepsi have a nibble and then remove again. I'd love to do something like you have though Yeti, I can imagine it being amazing for them to explore. I'd also be interested to know how long you can safely leave them in there to play before needing to take them out.
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Post by londongerbils on Mar 1, 2021 5:21:25 GMT -8
This is such an amazing idea, I love it, can’t wait to see what happens.
Is there any risk a gerbil might overindulge on the fresh plants and end up with an upset stomach or something? I haven’t ever used plants in my tank before for this reason, but I haven’t read anywhere that this would be a risk so maybe I’m being overly cautious!
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, can't really help you I'm afraid, but I'm curious too.
), late 70s
