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Post by lizzy on Mar 2, 2006 13:17:58 GMT -8
I've recently changed the girls onto aspen - and they love it! ;D No problems so far.... Got if from www.everythingforpets.com (uk) in bulk 14kg Caroline Same these are the ones i have used and what ive found Wood shavingsDusty cheap found that burrows and tunnels did not stay up long widely available have found that some gerbils can still have allergy to it even if is is bought in the UK CarefreshDusty expensive not widely available not available in bulk not very good for burrowing Peatcheap not very widely available [in my area anyway] damp to begin with then gets very dusty one of my gerbils were allergic dirty needed cleaning less but hard to tell when they did exactly Haygood chewing material good source of roughage can prevent/help with diarrhoea problems widely available quite good bedding material if they didnt eat it found it more as a use for food purposes rather than bedding tissue/shredded papergood for nesting material not absorbent good for sick or nursing gerbils Aspenexpensive not very widely available [have found it in a couple places on the net, but not in any shops] good for burrowing nice smell gerbils love it
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Post by marriedinvegas on Mar 3, 2006 2:16:37 GMT -8
with shredded paper can it just be like white computer paper? or any paper? and using boxs like cereal boxs? Thanks V ( just want to make everything good for the gerbils)I try to do a lot of research before getting a pet.
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Post by jes on Mar 3, 2006 11:37:25 GMT -8
with shredded paper can it just be like white computer paper? or any paper? and using boxs like cereal boxs? Thanks V ( just want to make everything good for the gerbils)I try to do a lot of research before getting a pet. I wouldn't recommend any kind of paper. It's as bad as toilet paper.. they pee on it and it reeks and makes the tank dirty and smell fast. Yep, any kind of boxes like cereal boxes, tissue boxes, cookie boxes, egg cartons, drink tray/holders that you get from fast food places, thick cardboard boxes..etc. Just don't use pizza boxes or stuff like that. And watch out for thick cardboard boxes that have a lot of glue chunks and rip any tape off that you can just to be on the safe side.
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Post by marriedinvegas on Mar 3, 2006 12:48:03 GMT -8
wont they need toilet paper to make nest/ bedding area like hamsters?
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Post by ashgerbil on Mar 3, 2006 13:32:05 GMT -8
actually, shredded paper can be quite good! ;D there was an article in the last nibbler about shredded paper (well, part of an article!) and it is really good i use my paper shredder to shred old homework sheets and stuff and then bung it in the gerbil tanks and they love it ;D and it isn't actually that smelly either you can give gerbils loo paper as bedding, but as jes said, it is quite smelly after a while!! you can use other bedding, such as the paper bedding from the pet stores which is more absorbent ;D and yes, you can use cereal boxes and stuff too ;D as gerbs LOVE to chew!!
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Post by marriedinvegas on Mar 3, 2006 14:47:42 GMT -8
cool thanks! I m going to be shredding old bills and such so ill just save them in a bag for the gerbils. thanks. V
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Post by Jes on Mar 4, 2006 4:09:29 GMT -8
They don't "need" toilet paper or tissue. It's nice for them to make a nest out of it but little by little it gets mixed in with the regular bedding and as it gets peed on, it reeks.
Put it in a thick, thick box if you want to use it. That way it's more likely to stay as a nest rather than dragged and burried.
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Post by LasVegasNo1 on Mar 4, 2006 4:14:35 GMT -8
Sorry it's under Reptiles - Bedding! 1kg or 14kg I got 14kg - works out cheaper Caroline Cool, thanks found it
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caz
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Posts: 6,237
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Post by caz on Mar 19, 2006 12:35:37 GMT -8
My girls have never made any nasty niffs from their tank and I only clean them out every 10-14 days! Caroline
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Post by ouijaouija on Apr 9, 2006 12:03:57 GMT -8
my tank starts to stink after a week, i don't believe some books say you can leave them for 3 weeks!
I bought some of the ammo liter odor eater and I put a tonne in this week, lets see how that helps...
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caz
Member
Posts: 6,237
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Post by caz on Apr 9, 2006 12:12:49 GMT -8
actually, shredded paper can be quite good! ;D there was an article in the last nibbler about shredded paper (well, part of an article!) and it is really good What is 'the nibbler' Ash ? Also, Is it ok to give them shredded paper even though it's got ink on it? And, I'm still mystified! For some reason (not sure what!) my girls just don't smell!, even if they've not been cleaned out for 14 days! - Am I just lucky ? Caroline
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Apr 9, 2006 15:41:25 GMT -8
The Nibbler is the magazine of the UKs National Gerbil Society www.gerbils.co.ukAnd gerbils rarely smell much.
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Post by ouijaouija on Apr 10, 2006 4:47:37 GMT -8
mine actually begin to smell within a week, at the end of the week the smell will engulf my small spare room. whats wrong?
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Apr 10, 2006 7:08:20 GMT -8
mine actually begin to smell within a week, at the end of the week the smell will engulf my small spare room. whats wrong? How much a tank smells and how long you can go between changing it depends on several factors 1) Tank size 2) Number of gerbils in the tank 3) Type of substrate Even things like heat and humidity can have an effect. It gets very hot and humid in the summer where I live and I notice more smell then than when the temps and humidity are lower. Also, some gerbils are just smellier than others. Some of mine are neat freaks who use one area of their tanks as a potty, so spot-cleaning that particular area keeps the tanks fresher longer. Other are just...well, little piggies about their bathroom habits and distribute their waste all over the tank and those are the tanks that start getting dirty-smelling more quickly. RW
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caz
Member
Posts: 6,237
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Post by caz on Apr 10, 2006 14:06:43 GMT -8
mine actually begin to smell within a week, at the end of the week the smell will engulf my small spare room. whats wrong? What substrate are you using ouijaouija? Caroline
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