How to Make a Comfortable Home for Your New Gerbil
Gerbils should not be kept in a hamster cage - these are useless and boring to them., Modular systems such as Rotastak and Habitrail are really not suitable for any rodent., Gerbils should be kept in an aquarium with either a mesh lid or ideally a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gerbils should not be kept in a hamster cage - these are useless and boring to them.
The wires are also unsafe as some of the dimensions are too small.
It is vital that gerbil have room to dig, with a minimum of 6 inches (15.2 cm) of a good substrate such as Megazorb, Finacard, Carefresh or Bedexcel.
Don't use a cage that is all plastic; these little animals will chew right through it! -
Step 2: Modular systems such as Rotastak and Habitrail are really not suitable for any rodent.
They have a host of serious health and enrichment problems as well as being vastly too small.
In addition with gerbils, you run the risk of one gerbil deciding to 'claim' a section of the cage which can lead to serious fighting, separation, declanning and even death. , Since gerbils must be kept in pairs a good minimum for a pair is 20 gallon (75.7 L) glass tank with a wire topper.
A special tank for a gerbil is called a gerbilarium.
The topper means you can fill the tank section solely with substrate and the wire section allows a place for a medium sized silent spinner, hammocks and rope toys and most importantly, gives a place for water and a dust bath where it will not become contaminated or buried. , This is important, because gerbils can jump and will leap right out of their cages if there is no lid. -
Step 3: Gerbils should be kept in an aquarium with either a mesh lid or ideally a wire topper on the top.
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Step 4: Make sure that the lid and/or cage door are tightly closed
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Step 5: and even try testing them by nudging them a little.
Detailed Guide
The wires are also unsafe as some of the dimensions are too small.
It is vital that gerbil have room to dig, with a minimum of 6 inches (15.2 cm) of a good substrate such as Megazorb, Finacard, Carefresh or Bedexcel.
Don't use a cage that is all plastic; these little animals will chew right through it!
They have a host of serious health and enrichment problems as well as being vastly too small.
In addition with gerbils, you run the risk of one gerbil deciding to 'claim' a section of the cage which can lead to serious fighting, separation, declanning and even death. , Since gerbils must be kept in pairs a good minimum for a pair is 20 gallon (75.7 L) glass tank with a wire topper.
A special tank for a gerbil is called a gerbilarium.
The topper means you can fill the tank section solely with substrate and the wire section allows a place for a medium sized silent spinner, hammocks and rope toys and most importantly, gives a place for water and a dust bath where it will not become contaminated or buried. , This is important, because gerbils can jump and will leap right out of their cages if there is no lid.
About the Author
Brian Cox
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in DIY projects and beyond.
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