|
|
Post by conlyk on Mar 21, 2004 17:51:22 GMT -8
Hello! My gerbils had a litter of 5 exactally one week ago and I need to clean out the cage, but I was wondering if it was ok. I don't know if I am being parionoid, but I am scared to clean it out, because of the new babies!
|
|
|
|
Post by andrea on Mar 22, 2004 0:55:14 GMT -8
Hi,
It depends on how relaxed your female is but we normally change the bedding about 3 days after birth and change every week as per normal routine.
When cleaning out take the female out first and place in your show tank or whatever you use when cleaning out, then take the babies and place in a different tank. this will make her think they have never left the nest.
Clean out the cage as quickly as possible, we then plonk the babies back in the tank with the clean bedding and then take the female and show her her babies as you place her back in the tank.
We have never had a problem with this and the female just accepts this and to be honest I think she appreciates the clean bedding and sand bath.
Andrea
|
|
|
|
Post by Ritzie/Admin on Mar 22, 2004 5:38:03 GMT -8
Would it be an indea to take the babies together with the bedding of the whole nest (that mostly clean), so that the smell is familiar! That is what I would do if I needed to clean the cage! Normally I wait until the pups have opened their eyes! Ussually the tank is still clean at that time (my gerbils use their sand bath as a toilet)!
|
|
|
|
Post by j on Mar 25, 2004 20:56:04 GMT -8
lol Peter that's what I did. Left the sand bath in so they would use that as a bathroom. Luckilly I got away with cleaning the tank out the day before they were born. ;D
|
|
