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Post by toxictygir on Jul 23, 2004 2:06:19 GMT -8
I really don't have any sand for my Gerbils right now.. I'v been meaning to get them some oneday. One day I was looking around in Petsmart looking for sand just to see what it looked like and the cost..but I didn't find any. Maybe I just didn't look hard enough. I wanted to ask: Is it okay to give your gerbils a quick, shallow dip in some water to get them clean? My gerbils are kinda getting stinky ;D;; I know they don't water but...meh.
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Jul 23, 2004 13:20:33 GMT -8
I'v never used chinchilla dust or sand, my gerbils like the bird sand! ;D
..and if it is harmfull? I would not know for sure, but they are used to sand, because they live in (semi-) deserts!
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Jul 23, 2004 13:23:01 GMT -8
They really really really hate water! And just water will not work. The problem is grease! THan you need to wash them with soap, etc. and that is not something I would do. I would just give them a sand bath, it works very well, and it is natural. They do that in the wild too!
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Post by j on Jul 23, 2004 22:35:36 GMT -8
One day I was looking around in Petsmart looking for sand just to see what it looked like and the cost..but I didn't find any. Get this at Petsmart..or petco..or petsuppliesplus.. I use it.. It's only about $5. Lasts a while too, if you put it in the right kind of container and then just use a screen to sift it and get the turds out. They don't keep it with the bedding stuff, it's usually on the shelf with like the water bottles and toys. The only time my gerbils ever smell is when I put them in a bucket for about 15minutes while I'm cleaning out the tank. They piss in it and get it all over them and their fur gets puffy. Once they take a sandbath and groom eachother..they're fine. ;D Water won't work.. you'd need soap. And then you risk getting the soap in their eyes or mouth (since they'll probably squirm and fight it) Or risk getting water in their ears, not getting it dry and causing an ear infection. Or using soap, having them groom it and get sick because it'll be really hard to rinse them well enough.. Plus you risk pissing them off and having them hate you for a while.. hiding when you go near the cage..etc. So yeah, the $5 box of sand is yer best option.
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Post by sweetie on Aug 6, 2004 11:47:36 GMT -8
Hey, I finally got the picture of the sand bath dish I was talking about. I added it to the original post on a previous thread.. It really works well. I got it at outdoor world for $7 US. They love it!! I also found the play sand and they love that. They did not like the bird gravel. The sand is a lot finer than the gravel and a lot bigger grains than the chinchilla dust!! I am glad I got the info before a respiratory issue occured. I thought they were 5 months old but they are actually only 14 weeks!! Thanks again Magedien for the info on where to get it. J, I checked Petsmart again and they don't have it.
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