Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on May 24, 2021 16:23:46 GMT -8
You know the cardboard boxes that pop cans come in ? Would those be ok or would the dye leak into their mouths?
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Post by PipSqueak on May 24, 2021 16:34:20 GMT -8
It is better to get un-dyed cardboard. I asked a neighbor if they had any spare boxes and they gave me one. That has lasted quite a while but I prefer cardboard tubes like paper towels and toilet rolls. You could probably pick up a box from Home Depot for a few dollars but that will have a bit of dye. Really any boxes do that you get from Amazon or other packages. Tubes are definitely better since they are not dyed.
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Post by PipSqueak on May 24, 2021 16:39:55 GMT -8
You can also give them egg cartons. I like to cut them in half and stuff them with hay or some shredded toilet paper or paper towels and put treats in the middle. It is a great boredom breaker with a reward in the middle. Gerbils are very food driven (at least mine are) so when you can involve food they will love it even more.
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Post by PipSqueak on May 24, 2021 16:47:32 GMT -8
I don’t think you ever did this but can you please post a picture or message me one of their tank setup. I can try to give you tips on what to add. Sometimes getting enough enrichment is hard with 20 gallon tanks. I have a 29 gallon which has the same floor space as a 20 gallon with more height.
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Post by PipSqueak on May 24, 2021 17:40:39 GMT -8
Mochi since you are now a member I think you should enter into the photo contest. It is in the member photos tab and it is ending on June 1 in a week. It would be a great chance for us to see your gerbils.
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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 24, 2021 18:44:18 GMT -8
Ok! That is amazing news since I have loads of Amazon boxes! I will be sure to take off the parts with glue though! The egg carton treat toy is a great idea! Hopefully will keep my gerbils busy especially because they chew through a TP roll in 5 min flat! XD
As for the photos, I have heard sketchy things about Imgur... Maybe the security problems are fixed though....
What brand of sand do you get for your your gerbils? Do you leave it in all the time? I have heard some chinchilla sands are just dust and that’s not good!
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Post by PipSqueak on May 25, 2021 4:26:30 GMT -8
I will have to look at the brand but I use children’s play sand and bake it at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes and then sift it out with a sift and let it cook before giving it to them. I put it in 3 containers so it lasts quite a while. It stays in their topper all the time but they have never actually used it as a sand bath they just go to the bathroom in it but that’s fine because I would rather change sand than all of their bedding. I have never heard anything happening with Imgur. You don’t have to make an account. I have never made one but the pictures still work. You just go into the top corner and put new post without signing in.
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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 25, 2021 6:13:50 GMT -8
Ok! Good to know! I just took the cutest picture of them too! Snuggling up in the bedding!!! Lol, their such good friends that they always run on the wheel together!🤣 So my babies have a ten all the pumpkin seeds I had already, are there any other household foods that would be good to give them for treats?
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Post by PipSqueak on May 25, 2021 7:08:55 GMT -8
You can give them lettuce, berries such as strawberries and blueberries. Small bits of banana. If you go to a store you can get baby puffs but make sure it has all safe ingredients and nothing that’s added. I don’t prefer this option as much but you can give them in small portions. Make sure you don’t give them too many treats as you don’t want them to get overweight. Don’t give them a treat any more than every other day. Another treat gerbils like are unsalted, un roasted nuts and sunflower seeds. I bought a bag of walnuts and crack one open every so often and feed it to them. It is also a great boredom breaker to crack one open slightly so they have to open the rest themselves for a treat. If you make eggs for breakfast you can give them some cooked egg before you add anything to them if you add salt and pepper after you cook them. Just make sure it’s just egg and nothing else. You can also cook them a small piece of meat such as chicken or beef with no additives or seasoning.
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Post by PipSqueak on May 25, 2021 8:41:15 GMT -8
Ok! Good to know! I just took the cutest picture of them too! Snuggling up in the bedding!!! Lol, their such good friends that they always run on the wheel together!🤣 So my babies have a ten all the pumpkin seeds I had already, are there any other household foods that would be good to give them for treats? The photo contest theme this month is sleeping gerbils. You might want to enter that photo you took. 😊
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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 25, 2021 14:35:35 GMT -8
Ok you might want to grab some popcorn cause this is how playtime went. I hope your comfy! Here we go!
So today, I didn’t take them out in their jar I took them out in an empty tissue box. I got much quicker results! Once transported to the tub I grabbed a little of their bedding and put it in the box ( which is now in the tub) so they would have a familiar smell. They seemed to like that much better.
When they first got into the bathtub they an around bath and forth back and forth back and forth. So I couldn’t tell if they were happy or freaked out to be in the tub.... Then once I got in, the first thing S’more did was climb right up my stomach to kiss my chin.❤️ She did that probably 6 other times after that. And Snickerdoodle did it about twice.
They were fine at first climbing on me and run around but then when I lifted up my hand to brush my hair out of my face they freaked out. They are DEATHLY afraid of my hands!!!😥
Couple minutes after that, Snickerdoodle went behind me and started biting my like she was trying to get away from me she want behind my back and started freaking out!! She keep biting my arm but since she was behind me I didn’t know when the next bite was going to be or where it was going to be. I decided to get out so while I was lifting my leg up I lifted S’more up too!! Then she fell down!!! It wasn’t too high, but I feel like they will NEVER trust me after this!!! Is all hope lost?
-Mochi
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Post by betty on May 25, 2021 16:29:32 GMT -8
Love the story!
This is all part of gerbils - they are naturally flightly when something startles them - it is in their nature. People have had gerbils throw themselves off the sofa by accident - and still be great companions.
It is one very important bath or playpen lesson - stay totally still and move in teeny stages - not putting a hand or foot down anywhere until it is visually completely clear. They can be under you (or on you) in a second and the results can be worse than a teeny drop like your S'more.
Sounds like they had great fun in the bath - and as for the back-nipping, I always have to wear socks and slippers in with my jirds as they just will not stop biting my toes if they can see them!
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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 25, 2021 16:54:53 GMT -8
Are you sure? They are really jittery now
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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 25, 2021 16:55:11 GMT -8
Is all hope lost?
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Post by yeti218 on May 25, 2021 16:59:46 GMT -8
Yeah I mostly just let my guys run on me, they don’t really like being picked up, although I do scoop them up with my hands sometimes to try to get them used to it. They like to sit on my shoulder and stare out of the playpen. They do startle easy if I turn my head, move my hands, blink, or do any other erratic and frightening movements.
I also always wear socks and tuck my pants in so they don’t climb inside my pant leg. Also, always wear clothes you don’t mind getting chewed. They can chomp through fabric in one bite so don’t let them ruin your favorites!
And I’m always really careful if I’m moving around the playpen, they like to run around underfoot, or like Betty said, get startled and jump off high things, so I always move slowly and cautiously, while keeping everyone in sight so I don’t accidentally hurt one.
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