Introducing fat-tailed gerbils!

[queenofthenile]

No, mealworms do not bite, at least that I have heard of or experienced . They have the same sort of mouthparts as grasshoppers, cockroaches and caterpillars. I have never been bitten by any of those insects either, so I would say it is pretty safe.
As for them being worms, mealworms are actually the immature stage (grub/larva) of a certain type of beetle. When they finish development, they turn into beetles.

[Ritzie/Admin]

No mealworms won't bite! I feed them regularly to my fat-tailed gerbils and they have never bitten me!

Mealworms are indeed the larva of a beetle species. I've never had any beetles, but only some worms that turned them into a pupa (like caterpillars do before turning into a butterfly). My fat-tailed gerbils like these pupas too, and I've heard of others that they like the beetles too!

About the wheel! My fat-tailed gerbils use their wheel a lot! However my Mongolian gerbils never use it to run in it, only to gnaw at or climbing on. So I have removed the wheels from their tanks (only my fat-tailed gerbils do have wheels at this moment).

[zoologist]

how about wax worms do you feed them too? could you like... keep your own meal worms.... I suppose you would have to have some beetles then... hmmm. what do they eat? Do you but them in a bag or can would you have to feed them once you get them?

[queenofthenile]

I've always kept my mealworms in a sealed container of rolled oats and put them in the fridge. This arrests their development so that they do not pupate. Then again, I wasn't trying to breed them. I'm not sure whether the larvae and adult beetles eat the same thing.

[Ritzie/Admin]

I've place some information on meal worms in the category Food. Here is a link to that topic:
gerbilforum.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=food&action=display&thread=1078073527.

And here some information I've found on wax worms:
gerbilforum.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=food&action=display&thread=1078074137.

I've never used any wax worms for my gerbils, but maybe I will try it some time.

[zoologist]

I just came back form the woods and I brought with me some branches for them, how do I go about making them same for my gerbils?

I found a giant meal worm

My gerbils devoured it... my my!

[zoologist]

will tree sap make them sick?

[queenofthenile]

Depends what type of tree. Please post the tree you got it from. I am sure Peter can tell you what trees are poisonous or that it is unknown whether they are poisonous.

[zoologist]

Im not sure what type it is....

[queenofthenile]

Then don't give it to your gerbils. There are too many poisonous species out their to risk it.

[Ritzie/Admin]

If you're not sure what kind of tree the branches came from, it is probably the best to not give them. Some species can be poisonous or trigger allergic reactions.

Coniferous trees should not be given, but you can give them branches from fruit trees, willow, birch, hazel, beech, and maple tree. And recently I have given them some oak, which also gave no problems.

[zoologist]

awww I had such a nice pieces too with natural hollows and I even put them in the oven....

[queenofthenile]

I just wouldn't want to risk it. Getting rid of the branch is better than have possibly dead gerbils! Maybe there are people you know that have apple trees in their back yard (if you lived close to me, I'd give you a branch off mine ;D).

[zoologist]

*brings tree branch through cyber space and gives to gerbils* thanks! Where I live people are tearing down all of the precious trees and building homes.... pooh only a little woods left so sad! does anybody know where I could find out what are the poisonous trees?

[queenofthenile]

Here is a list of plants that are poisonous to cats. Sorry, but I don't have the same for gerbils *shrug*
www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=009