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Post by Mocchi on May 23, 2021 14:49:06 GMT -8
Ok! I wasn’t aware on how much you could give them! Good to know thanks! As for the topper I am in the US and I have heard more bad reviews on cage toppers than good ones. Also do you guys do free range time or mark off part of your house? Do either of you let your gerbils on your bed?
-Mochi
Still waiting for approval on my account........
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 15:43:05 GMT -8
Approved!!
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Post by yeti218 on May 23, 2021 16:06:02 GMT -8
I have a playpen that I use for playtime. A few times one of my gerbils escaped from it and had full run of the room and it took ages to get him back in the cage. I have heard of people letting gerbils run on their bed, but I don’t do that. My guys would certainly chew the bedding, poo everywhere, and possibly jump off the bed, they are fearless. So I went with the playpen but I do have the luxury of space in my house. I made my playpen out of medium density fibreboard (the hardware store cut it to size) and guerilla tape, but you could make the same kind of thing out of sturdy cardboard.
A lot of people use tank toppers, there’s just a few things you want to avoid when looking for options. You’ll want to avoid having a single small entrance into the topper as it can lead to declans if one gerbil claims and defends the top. Just look for something with multiple entrances or a really large entrance. If the floor is wire that can be hard on their feet, but you can cover the wire floor with cardboard or gerbil safe wood, so this isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker. Some people just look for a small animal cage that’s the same size as their tank and figure out a way to attach it to their tank as a topper, so this might be a good idea? What size is your tank? I think 1/4-1/2” is a good bar spacing to look for.
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 16:39:50 GMT -8
I have a 20 gallon at the moment
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 16:41:17 GMT -8
Also, I have heard I should limit their out of cage time till they are better tamed, but I have also heard the exact opposite on this forum?
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 16:46:53 GMT -8
And! If they can get enough out of cage time will they still need a topper?
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Post by betty on May 23, 2021 16:51:37 GMT -8
Taming an animal is completely seperate to letting them have fun. Just like a dog. You can't successfully train a dog to sit and stay or not pull on the leash while it is out on a walk. Their mind needs to be in a different place for each.
Same with gerbils.
Tame them to your hand at a time that isn't the same as when they are out running around. Imagine trying to teach kids at school algebra at play time????
So, using a pot or tub - move them from their enclosure to their play space - let them play with a bit of interaction (but no picking up) and then return them to their enclosure via the pot. No scary hands.
Then, take time while they are in their tank to encourage them over to your hands (ideally to an open enclosure not through the bars) with treats like pumpkin seeds in shells, sunflowers in shells or quarter raisins. don't try to grab them - just gradually show them that humans aren't scary and often mean treats by repeating this every day and over time strokes etc.
Same on the playtime after a week or so, while out in the run/bath/sofa call them over and offer a treat.
This way - they still get great enrichment from coming out - but aren't scared of hands. Moving a gerbils around the house in hands can be risky too with either a nervous gerbil or a new owner - especially if the floor is hard or the distance is great - so the pot technique can still be used even when they ARE fully tame for safety all round.
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 16:56:14 GMT -8
One more question, can I give my gerbils “plastic “ plates. Not actually plastic. ( I have no idea what they are made of) . Thin cardboard consistency, seem like something they would be able to chew. Want to get opinions before I try it though.
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 16:58:06 GMT -8
How often should I take them out for playtime then, work is kinda on off right now so I have plenty of time for my babies!
Also how long would he ideal
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Post by betty on May 23, 2021 17:01:15 GMT -8
We overlapped!
Toppers aren't essential - and they aren't only used in place of outside time either - they just improve the whole enclosure if it is a smaller one (less than 3ft long say). Like adding a balcony to a human flat. We still need to go out out - but this extra space can make such a difference.
Toppers allow everything sensible (water, wheel, food) to be out of the way of the deep substrate and so increasing the fun your gerbil can have in the dig zone. Many people would say that digging is more important than a wheel - so it would be recommended to have no wheel than to halve the digging space in a smaller enclosure. Gerbils are best in the 28cm wheels and so unless you can suspend it in some way in your enclosure it can really affect a gerbils favo thing - digging.
As said before - even the smallest of toppers can increase interaction 10-fold. If you have the recommended 8 inches plus of substrate - and a shy gerbil - you might never see them if you don't have a topper (or very high shelf).
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 17:05:34 GMT -8
Ok! I will look into getting a topper, as long as they aren’t terribly expensive. I love my gerbils to bits but I have to be frugal
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Post by betty on May 23, 2021 17:35:39 GMT -8
Toppers are whatever you choose? Many people find a cheap or free bird and crappy hamster cage online and find a way to attach it to ther tank - usually by making a whole new lid or cutting a hole in the existing lid. A topper can be any size aslong as it doesn't overhany the depth of your tank (as that makes it a bit harder to fit on as you need a platform too then). You can buy ready made toppers for some cage sizes - but they will be a lot more off the bat - but if you are no good a home-making stuff - this might not actually be more expensive overall - certainly faster!
After about 30 minutes your gerbils will be pooped out on a run - so ideally have it shorter than this each time.
Plastic-coated paper plates (lightweight and super easy to fold in half) can be given if that is what you mean - but best to use plain cardboard (like cereal boxes etc). This plastic coating is something that may be really thin and static and so could stick in the mouth more easily and get swallowed by accident (although I am only speculating here having seen the plastic film come off before and I couldn't easily wipe if off my hand for ages - grrrr).
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 18:52:04 GMT -8
Mk! I just don’t have regular cardboard ALL the time. Should I be doing 20 min of playtime EVERY day? Every other maybe?
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 19:02:05 GMT -8
Hmm... Should I have lots of stuff for them to do in the bathtub or just let them be with me? I want them to have fun but also want them to bond with me as well.....
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 23, 2021 19:02:35 GMT -8
That’s all for tonight though!
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