MarisaAndToby
Well-Known Member
Are they cuddly? I always thought they were cute... hard to take care of? Stinky?
My Rescued Gerbil Gals
- Thread starter LaylaLop
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MiniLopHop
Well-Known Member
I don't think cuddly is the right word. They like to run around, but they will happily run on you 
I have a little play pen for mine that I call the circus. I make little obsticles from cut boxes and toilet paper tubes etc. Each time it is different and I will hide little snacks. They LOVE to run around and explore the new set up and find their little treats. You do have to watch because they are good at climbing the tiny fence (it's about 12 inches high), but you just redirect them and they are off running again. They do like pets similar to rabbits.
I think they are very easy to take care of. I have two boys in a 20 gallon aquarium with a reptile locking lid (with the cats I don't want to take any chances). I put the wheels on the roof so they don't fall over. As long as I feed them every day and keep giving cardboard they are pretty happy. They know their names and will come out when I call to get a treat. They are desert animals so they arn't nearly as stinky as most rodents because they pee so much less. Some books say you don't have to give them water, but I think that is mean. I have a 4 oz water bottle that sticks to the side. I only have to fill it about once a month, but at least I know they can get a drink when they want it. They also have a little dust bath where they can roll around to get clean.
This is Barnum enjoying some greens.
Baily eating, his favorite task.
I have a little play pen for mine that I call the circus. I make little obsticles from cut boxes and toilet paper tubes etc. Each time it is different and I will hide little snacks. They LOVE to run around and explore the new set up and find their little treats. You do have to watch because they are good at climbing the tiny fence (it's about 12 inches high), but you just redirect them and they are off running again. They do like pets similar to rabbits.
I think they are very easy to take care of. I have two boys in a 20 gallon aquarium with a reptile locking lid (with the cats I don't want to take any chances). I put the wheels on the roof so they don't fall over. As long as I feed them every day and keep giving cardboard they are pretty happy. They know their names and will come out when I call to get a treat. They are desert animals so they arn't nearly as stinky as most rodents because they pee so much less. Some books say you don't have to give them water, but I think that is mean. I have a 4 oz water bottle that sticks to the side. I only have to fill it about once a month, but at least I know they can get a drink when they want it. They also have a little dust bath where they can roll around to get clean.
This is Barnum enjoying some greens.
Baily eating, his favorite task.
LaylaLop
Well-Known Member
Cute boys! Barnum is an agouti and Bailey looks like an argente cream (in case you wanted to know)
Yeah, some people say with giving lots of greens and whatnot they don't need water but I like to provide it as well. Have you tried giving them mealworms as a treat.. some of mine go CRAZY for them.
Marisa, they are very non-smelly. I have my boys in a 29 gallon and fill it halfway with aspen and hay and they make a giant ant-farm out of it all and I don't clean it but once a month. They seriously have an underground castle made of wood buried in there with multiple passages leading to it...My boys are weird though since they prefer digging to a running wheel so I gave them a tall tank with the ton of bedding. For my girls that have only a few inches of bedding I clean it every 2 weeks. They LOVE the running wheel and are not so keen on digging like my boys.
My hamster, on the other hand, I have to clean almost twice a week and can still usually smell her.
Just like chinchillas, gerbils benefit from regular sand baths and mine have always seemed to enjoy eating some of the sand, so I don't know if there is some mineral they get from it that they don't readily get in their food, but they always taste it. I love how curious and clean gerbils are in comparison to other rodents. I've had about every rodent, and I like them all, but gerbils take the cake.
I've always wanted some bushy tailed jirds to keep in a desert-like terrarium. Maybe someday
Yeah, some people say with giving lots of greens and whatnot they don't need water but I like to provide it as well. Have you tried giving them mealworms as a treat.. some of mine go CRAZY for them.
Marisa, they are very non-smelly. I have my boys in a 29 gallon and fill it halfway with aspen and hay and they make a giant ant-farm out of it all and I don't clean it but once a month. They seriously have an underground castle made of wood buried in there with multiple passages leading to it...My boys are weird though since they prefer digging to a running wheel so I gave them a tall tank with the ton of bedding. For my girls that have only a few inches of bedding I clean it every 2 weeks. They LOVE the running wheel and are not so keen on digging like my boys.
My hamster, on the other hand, I have to clean almost twice a week and can still usually smell her.
Just like chinchillas, gerbils benefit from regular sand baths and mine have always seemed to enjoy eating some of the sand, so I don't know if there is some mineral they get from it that they don't readily get in their food, but they always taste it. I love how curious and clean gerbils are in comparison to other rodents. I've had about every rodent, and I like them all, but gerbils take the cake.
I've always wanted some bushy tailed jirds to keep in a desert-like terrarium. Maybe someday
MiniLopHop
Well-Known Member
Thanks Kim, I think they are cute too! I have not tried meal worms, but I will tonight. I have some in the fridge for the turtles.
Yeah, these guys love to make tunnels out of all the boxes. I also give them klenex to shred. The last time I cleaned I put a layer of hay on top and they loved it, so now I'm giving them timothy hay too. When I just had one wheel in the tank they would end up throwing each other off, and I was afraid they might get hurt. Now Barnum runs on the left, Baily on the right. Once in a while they will switch, but not much. They dig too, particularly when I put a new box in. I'm just happy they don't dig in a corner like crazy, I've heard if they aren't stimulated enough they go a little nuts and just go after the corners in an obsessive sort of way.
Yeah, I have had hamsters and lots of mice as a kid. No matter how clean I tried to keep them they always seemed to smell.
Oh, the jirds sound cool. I might have to look into them more.
Yeah, these guys love to make tunnels out of all the boxes. I also give them klenex to shred. The last time I cleaned I put a layer of hay on top and they loved it, so now I'm giving them timothy hay too. When I just had one wheel in the tank they would end up throwing each other off, and I was afraid they might get hurt. Now Barnum runs on the left, Baily on the right. Once in a while they will switch, but not much. They dig too, particularly when I put a new box in. I'm just happy they don't dig in a corner like crazy, I've heard if they aren't stimulated enough they go a little nuts and just go after the corners in an obsessive sort of way.
Yeah, I have had hamsters and lots of mice as a kid. No matter how clean I tried to keep them they always seemed to smell.
Oh, the jirds sound cool. I might have to look into them more.
LaylaLop
Well-Known Member
Yeah, some can become obsessive diggers, and my boys would be if I didn't give them the tons of bedding. They aren't the tamest boys, but they never bite. I think I kind of let them go feral with all that tunneling
Here is a picture of a bushy tailed jird:
http://www.blackwolfclangerbils.com/jos5.jpg
Here is a picture of a bushy tailed jird:
http://www.blackwolfclangerbils.com/jos5.jpg
MiniLopHop
Well-Known Member
What a cutie, it looks sort of like a pointy nosed gerbil.
I had trouble finding my boys too before they learned their names. Now I just have to call them and they stand on their little platform (a plastic coated wire mail sorter turned on its side). As time goes on their bedding gets deeper and deeper because of the chewed up cardboard. The picture is from when I had just cleaned so it was way low.
I had trouble finding my boys too before they learned their names. Now I just have to call them and they stand on their little platform (a plastic coated wire mail sorter turned on its side). As time goes on their bedding gets deeper and deeper because of the chewed up cardboard. The picture is from when I had just cleaned so it was way low.
MagPie
Well-Known Member
LaylaLop wrote:
How big are they compared to other rodents?
Oh I like the heat (thankfully it isn't humid too) and crowds aren't too bad. I prefer it to having nothing around me.
Ooooh I'm sure you could sneak them in haha. I know people do it with ferrets all the time. I've known a few people with ferrets. You have to be careful not to be reported. I know with ferrets the animal will be siezed and either destroyed or rehomed out of state.
How big are they compared to other rodents?
Oh I like the heat (thankfully it isn't humid too) and crowds aren't too bad. I prefer it to having nothing around me.
LaylaLop
Well-Known Member
They are longer than a syrian hamster due to their tail, but their body is smaller/leaner. Almost like the halfway point of a mouse and rat.
