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Post by brie on Mar 8, 2021 17:14:25 GMT -8
1.) would this log toy be big enough/okay for gerbils? my hamster loves hers but i feel like the holes are a bit small (although idk how small of spaces gerbils can fit into) 2.) can i use multichamber hides with gerbils or is it unnecessary? would this be okay to use? what size? i currently have the small 3 room and small 6 room, and i have the large 3 room that i want to use without the lid to bury under the bedding like a little maze 3) what water bottles do you recommend/use? i currently use this for my hamsters but i’ve heard gerbils knock over their bottles. would heavy rocks on the base help? or should i go with a wall mounted bottle? 4) is this sand bath okay? do they need lots of sand or just a place to have a wash? bonus question but how different are hamsters and gerbils comparatively? thank you! |
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Mar 8, 2021 18:13:55 GMT -8
1) It would be too narrow for gerbils to go through. I have a couple of those kinds of logs that came with other things and I still put them in the tanks. They end up as tunnel supports or chews or something to perch on, or they just get ignored. I wouldn't necessarily buy one intentionally for a gerbil but they're fine to use if you have them.
2) You can use a multichamber hide. It's not really something that's caught on with gerbils like it has with hamsters, and they're not necessary, but there's no problem with using one. Be prepared that they probably won't remain "multichamber" for long. Gerbils like to create extra doorways and windows and the walls will most likely be demolished in time.
3) That stand would be probably be fine on the tank floor or on a platform but it would be knocked over or undermined if placed on top of the bedding. Gerbils might still knock it over (and probably destroy it) if they feel it's in the wrong place or in their way, but usually they will leave it alone apart from the odd nibble. I have a water bottle stand with a plastic bottle in one of my tanks and the gerbils leave it alone.
4) I would check what kind of wood is used in the top of that sand bath as it looks like some kind of veneer wood to me, and gerbils will definitely chew the hole larger. The general design and size looks good though. If you have a very large tank, it's nice to provide a larger sand area if you want. Some gerbils might enjoy digging around in it. I wouldn't sacrifice too much burrowing space for sand though as burrowing is the most important thing for gerbils.
Compared to hamsters, I would say the most noticeable differences are destructiveness and speed. Only Roborovskis come close to gerbils in terms of speed, and even then, gerbils can leap away from you in a way Robos can't. They can be quite hard to catch sometimes.
Gerbils will chew everything in their tank, which is very rare for a hamster. This doesn't necessarily mean you'll need to be constantly replacing toys as sturdier wooden items can last for months or years. However more flimsy things like willow tunnels, grassy nests etc should basically be seen as treats that will be destroyed in hours.
In terms of temperament, both gerbils and hamsters can be anything from really friendly to really aloof. Of all the hamster species I find gerbils to most comparable to Russian dwarfs. I say that because Russian dwarfs seem to be up and down a lot during the day, much like gerbils, whereas Syrians and Robos tend to get up late. Russian dwarfs have a great variety of personality, like gerbils, whereas Robos are fairly universally timid and skittish, and (a slightly controversial opinion here) Syrians seem to be me to be fairly universally tame and gentle, but actually not that interested in people. I've never met a Syrian who seemed to actually like handling. They seem to view it as merely a means of escape and exploration.
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Post by brie on Mar 8, 2021 19:28:03 GMT -8
1) It would be too narrow for gerbils to go through. I have a couple of those kinds of logs that came with other things and I still put them in the tanks. They end up as tunnel supports or chews or something to perch on, or they just get ignored. I wouldn't necessarily buy one intentionally for a gerbil but they're fine to use if you have them. 2) You can use a multichamber hide. It's not really something that's caught on with gerbils like it has with hamsters, and they're not necessary, but there's no problem with using one. Be prepared that they probably won't remain "multichamber" for long. Gerbils like to create extra doorways and windows and the walls will most likely be demolished in time. 3) That stand would be probably be fine on the tank floor or on a platform but it would be knocked over or undermined if placed on top of the bedding. Gerbils might still knock it over (and probably destroy it) if they feel it's in the wrong place or in their way, but usually they will leave it alone apart from the odd nibble. I have a water bottle stand with a plastic bottle in one of my tanks and the gerbils leave it alone. 4) I would check what kind of wood is used in the top of that sand bath as it looks like some kind of veneer wood to me, and gerbils will definitely chew the hole larger. The general design and size looks good though. If you have a very large tank, it's nice to provide a larger sand area if you want. Some gerbils might enjoy digging around in it. I wouldn't sacrifice too much burrowing space for sand though as burrowing is the most important thing for gerbils. Compared to hamsters, I would say the most noticeable differences are destructiveness and speed. Only Roborovskis come close to gerbils in terms of speed, and even then, gerbils can leap away from you in a way Robos can't. They can be quite hard to catch sometimes. Gerbils will chew everything in their tank, which is very rare for a hamster. This doesn't necessarily mean you'll need to be constantly replacing toys as sturdier wooden items can last for months or years. However more flimsy things like willow tunnels, grassy nests etc should basically be seen as treats that will be destroyed in hours. In terms of temperament, both gerbils and hamsters can be anything from really friendly to really aloof. Of all the hamster species I find gerbils to most comparable to Russian dwarfs. I say that because Russian dwarfs seem to be up and down a lot during the day, much like gerbils, whereas Syrians and Robos tend to get up late. Russian dwarfs have a great variety of personality, like gerbils, whereas Robos are fairly universally timid and skittish, and (a slightly controversial opinion here) Syrians seem to be me to be fairly universally tame and gentle, but actually not that interested in people. I've never met a Syrian who seemed to actually like handling. They seem to view it as merely a means of escape and exploration. thank you so much for your in-depth response! 1) i have one but i’ll probably just keep it for any hamsters ill possibly have in the future, i figured the holes would be too small! 2) i don’t really mind haha, they won’t be used otherwise and they make great platforms! do you think the small sized ones will be too small? 3) i would put it on a platform or multichamber hide most likely! 4) the amazon description says it’s made of birch wood i think thank you again, i know i won’t be getting gerbils for a long time but i want to be prepared when i do  |
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shab
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Post by shab on Mar 8, 2021 20:56:54 GMT -8
Multichamber hides can be a contributer to declans. I ignored the warnings and ended up with a fight that luckily didnt escalate to a full blown declan.
A simple house with two entrances/exits is more than they even need, since with deep enough bedding they just make their own spaces.
Also that sandbath looks fancy and pricey. I use a 3L mini aquarium, cheap and nothing but the sand that sticks to their wee paws leaves the bath. You can so often find that size tank used (and cheaper) searching "shrimp" in local ads (3L is the minimum for dwarf shrimp...generally)
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Mar 9, 2021 8:46:29 GMT -8
Multichamber hides can be a contributer to declans. I ignored the warnings and ended up with a fight that luckily didnt escalate to a full blown declan. A simple house with two entrances/exits is more than they even need, since with deep enough bedding they just make their own spaces. Also that sandbath looks fancy and pricey. I use a 3L mini aquarium, cheap and nothing but the sand that sticks to their wee paws leaves the bath. You can so often find that size tank used (and cheaper) searching "shrimp" in local ads (3L is the minimum for dwarf shrimp...generally) Thanks for this. I didn't know that about the multichamber hides. Is it because of narrow doorways and tiny rooms? I imagine it would be really easy for one gerbil to trap and bully another. I've always found mine are happier with a more spacious, single chamber house too. |
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Post by brie on Mar 9, 2021 14:25:37 GMT -8
Multichamber hides can be a contributer to declans. I ignored the warnings and ended up with a fight that luckily didnt escalate to a full blown declan. A simple house with two entrances/exits is more than they even need, since with deep enough bedding they just make their own spaces. Also that sandbath looks fancy and pricey. I use a 3L mini aquarium, cheap and nothing but the sand that sticks to their wee paws leaves the bath. You can so often find that size tank used (and cheaper) searching "shrimp" in local ads (3L is the minimum for dwarf shrimp...generally) Thanks for this. I didn't know that about the multichamber hides. Is it because of narrow doorways and tiny rooms? I imagine it would be really easy for one gerbil to trap and bully another. I've always found mine are happier with a more spacious, single chamber house too. i’ll definitely be taking this into account then, ill probably build a platform to use with the wheel instead of the multichamber hide. |
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Post by PipSqueak on Mar 9, 2021 14:29:05 GMT -8
I got the tunnel/tube for Christmas and returned for several reasons. 1: the holes were way too small. 2: since they were too small I didn't want to just keep it as a chew 3: it is made from chineese fir which I looked up on several websites and it's toxic to gerbils.
I also got a multi-chamber hideout from niteangel (I think it had 5 rooms or 3) and they didn't use it much so I returned it. Gerbils prefer to make their own burrows where hamsters in the wild use abandoned ones sometimes and my gerbils didn't really need a burrow starter.
I prefer water bottles that are hung up because gerbils (at least mine) like to kick bedding everywhere so it will topple over. I am always so jealous of my friend who has a hamtser because everything stays so nice (but in every other way I prefer gerbils. They also may chew the bottle or the wood stand.
I almost got the same sand bath but it was expensive and I found an acrylic tray that was bigger from Target made for organizing and they chewed the edges so much so I had to take it away. Your gerbils may chew the wood or plastic on the sand bath so try to find something made of glass. I use a glass pie dish in my topper.
The biggest difference between gerbils and hamsters is that gerbils are very destructive so you have to put glass for things like a water bottle and sand bath.
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Mar 9, 2021 14:35:50 GMT -8
I buy random crockery from charity/second hand shops to use as sand baths. Lily and Daisy currently have a large souffle dish. My hamster has a pie dish.
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Post by betty on Mar 9, 2021 15:23:48 GMT -8
Me too - always rummaging around the charity shops looking for random pieces! Well, not at the moment obvs - I do miss a good rummage!
Most of my sand baths are decorative soup bowls...
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Mar 9, 2021 15:34:41 GMT -8
You know you're obsessed with gerbils when you see a heavily discounted Le Creuset casserole dish on Facebook Marketplace and your first thought is "gerbil sand bath".
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Post by betty on Mar 9, 2021 16:23:06 GMT -8
So true!
I saw a great dolls house on a street sale round the corner on a FB post (imagines gerbilmeetsmouse publishing style) and by the time I had run round there - it was gone - £20. I am so annoyed I wasn't already dressed when I saw that post!
That house would have made some great photos - I had a new light box and everything...
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