|
Post by sweetie on Aug 6, 2004 12:19:08 GMT -8
I have a question for you all. I try to let my gerbils out for play time at least once a day. I have the roll around balls which they all seem to like. Of course it took Blackie a while to get the hang of it . I also havethe play ground fencing enclosure. It works well for 2 of the 4 but Blackie can leap it in a bound and Cowboy also likes to escape. Question 1) How much play time (out side of cage) do you allow your gerbils? Question 2) What type of "play time" do you offer? Question 3) Many of you let them roam free. How do you get them back into their homes and what about the poop? Also what types of hazards are there? I am familiar with electrical cords but what are some other? Thanks again for your input. I guess I am concerned they are not getting enough play time or too much if I let them out 2 times in one day.
|
|
|
Post by RyanF on Aug 6, 2004 16:44:55 GMT -8
Well, in my house we currently have an empty bedroom. I close the door and let all 3 gerbils run around for 20-25 minutes. They seem to be happy afterwards, and sometimes don't want to go back to their house. Now, with one of my gerbils (Roady), if she doesn't get her excercise that day, she is up ALL night chewing while the others sleep. I like to givfe my gerbils lots of oportunities to "wear themselves out." Then, they sleep that night. ;D
|
|
|
Post by j on Aug 6, 2004 16:52:55 GMT -8
1. No particular time really... At least 2hours at a time and not even everyday. 2. Let them run around on the floor. If I don't really have much time and need to go in and out of my room.. I fence in a small/thin ..long area along the wall. They run back and forth on and can climb on a few things. Throw a few tubes in it and keeps them busy. If I can watch them more closely, I'll either fence off a much bigger area..like half my bedroom... or just block under the door and let them have the whole room. Totally depends on how much time I have and what I feel like doing.
3. My gerbils just sit there and let me pick them up. They don't run away. Sometimes I'll just put a box on the floor and wait for most of them to go in that so I don't have to walk back and forth grabbing a couple at a time. I leave a sandbox in their playarea, so they crap on that instead of my floor..
I guess other than electrical cords and underneath doors (especially if you have other animals, and you really don't want to search your whole house for a lost gerb)..aren't really any hazzards I can think of. Maybe if your floor isn't clean and they pick up something that can hurt them.. I had a gerbil trying to tear apart a qtip/cotton swab once. lol. I don't even care if mine go behind things and underneath things.. they come right back out and theres nothing there that can hurt them.
Theres no such thing as too much playtime! ;D
|
|
|
Post by sweetie on Aug 8, 2004 10:54:26 GMT -8
Thanks for your input. I guess I have the playground fence enclosure but Blackie and Cowboy always escape then they run under the couch. It is really difficult to get them out. I now have thier homes on the floor so they can go in and out at will (only when I have time to be around to supervise). I have blocked off underneath all furniture and the entrances to other parts of the house. Sweetie goes crazy when we put her back in the house. She loves to be out and play but she wants to be out all the time. J, When you try to get them to go back in and they don't want to, do they try to run away? Mine are getting so smart that if they see one go in the house, they will not go in the boxes or tubes. I tried that trick and they are getting too smart for me. I mean they are tame but they still run when they don't want to go in the houses. I am not sure how long they should be out for and don't want them over stressed. You say 2 hours are okay? They do not need to be out daily? I try to let them out at least once a day and if I don't have the time to chase them down, I put them in thier balls. Ryan, I know what you mean about chewing all night. If Sweetie is put back before she wants to be, she goes crazy chewing at everything. I try to put treats in thier houses for when they go back and provide alot of chewing things but I am not sure if I am reinforcing the chewing upon return to the house.
|
|
|
Post by j on Aug 12, 2004 22:09:14 GMT -8
A few of mine run away..but it doesn't work. ;D I don't really have anything in my bedroom they can get under or hide behind where I can't reach them though. I usually start by cleaning everything up, picking up any toys I put down. Then theres just an open space and I can get them easily. I have a couple boys that are pains, so I just grab them fast by sidways scooping them up with one hand. They're used to it though, and they're not as tame as the others. In the tanks, they actually stand there and wait for me to scoop them up so they can come out ;D 2hrs is fine.. Won't hurt them.. I've let mine out a lot longer than that. THe other day I let them out for 8hrs. They got tired after a while and they went and found something to sleep in. Doesn't sound like you are letting them out long enough if they go crazy in the tank and still have all that energy to run away. lol. Try it one day, let them out as long as you can and see if you see a difference in their behaviour. It's nice to let them out everyday, but don't really have to do that either... I used to have them on a schedule and did it at the same times everyday. They were smart and knew I Usually let them out at night, they would stand and jump at the sides of the tank wanting to come out. If I skip a day they just seem bored and chew things like crazy. Miss a few days and they just act kind of lazy and depressed. As I noticed today
|
|
|
Post by floppy on Aug 13, 2004 2:22:18 GMT -8
I usually let my gerbils run freely in the living room, the hallway and my bedroom! They love it I have made sure there are no wires they can chew, and no spaces they can get into. You'd be surprised at the tiny spaces they can fit in! There is laminate flooring (which I hate) in the hall and living room and it's so funny to watch them run and slide on it! When it comes time to catch them, most of them are fine. I usually sit on the floor and play with them for a while anyway, and they always climb on me. When it's time to go back in their tanks I wait for them to climb on me and just catch them that way. Some of them are too clever though and I've often spent up to an hour trying to get the last one. It does get a bit annoying when you've been trying to catch one for that long! I never make a beeline for one that doesn't want to go home because they know what I'm up to an will run a mile! Instead, I just put boxes around me on the floor and let him climb on me and sniff me a few times. When he thinks it's safe he'll usually stay on my lap or shoulder for a couple of minutes and then I can catch him and put him back. I don't let them all out everyday as I have 40+ (in 10 groups) and I just don't have the time. I try to let 2 or 3 groups out (seperately of course!) most days. I usually let them out for up to a couple of hours each time. That is enough!! lol If you are planning to let them for longer make sure you provide food and fresh water for them. Just make sure any small spaces are blocked up, all wires are lifted or hidden, there is nothing on the floor that could poison them or hurt them and that there are no sharp objects etc on the floor. Gerbils are like babies, everything goes in their mouth!! As for them using your floor as a toilet, some people use a sand bath and they go in that. Mine however don't! They go in the corners of the room! They don't seem to use the bedroom as a toilet which is good. They use the hall and living room and because it's got laminate flooring it's very easy to clean up...
|
|
|
Post by sweetie on Aug 13, 2004 4:39:56 GMT -8
Thanks for the info. I was feeling bad on the days I was too busy to let them out. I also thought that being out for 2 hours was too long but anything less and Sweetie freaks out. I also don't like when they hide under the couch since I don't want them climbing up in to it or getting stuck.
|
|