Gerbils

[Doggies4Evers]

Edit: I rewrote and fixed up my text.

I was given a free female gerbil and cage around easter, then less the a week or so she had three babies, they are all "FEMALES", now they are starting to get there fur now. One is a mama's girl aka same fur, the other two are the same color looking like the father. Which I sadly dont own! He's now being used as a breeder gerbil now. I hope the twins will have different markings to tell them apart. I think I maybe keeping them all since they are indeed female babies. My favorite is the one that looks like the mom, shes more well behaved. One of the twins is just eviler lol. Eepp. They are wonderful.


:D :o :p ;) - I know tons about gerbils too -


One thing for sure is I need to get PHOTO'S !!!!!!!!
Does anyone else like them or own any?


They are clean/cute/never bite.
They are more of a run away then stay and bite. They could if they wanted.

[KatzNK9]

I had them when I was a young kid (much to the dismay of my mother). All I know about them is that they're cute, friendly little critters.

[skunkstripe]

I had them for years. They are great, they are friendly and they don't smell bad. They are also fun to watch!

[LoveThatPom]

Cool! I never knew that gerbils don't bite. You learn something new every day :)

[KatzNK9]

Cool! I never knew that gerbils don't bite. You learn something new every day :)

Most are very friendly & cuddly but I don't know that I'd say none bite.

[Sabledog]

i had a hampster, and 2 rats but never a gerbil, i also had ferrets and bunnies and mice... hmm thats one rodent i have never had........ might have to add a new member to the family... j/k.

[golden&hovawart]

they are so cute looking!.
they are my favorite with ferrets and guinea pigs.

[Kaos]

I kept gerbils as a kid too in the UK - brilliant pets. Sadly we are not allowed to have gerbils or many other small furries in New Zealand. No wonder I had to compensate with two horses, three dogs and two cats!

[xcolbi]

I've never owned any gerbils. My cousin had 1 once though. I can't remember it though; I was only 4. :p

[golden-lover]

I own one. I had a pregnant mouse once. 6 babies I believe.

Mine is named Spazz. It was named by the breeder. It's a master runaway ;)

[OrcaInspired]

How are you gerbils doing lately, doggies4ever?

I'm thinking about getting some gerbils for my birthday (which is in September lol) and I have a few questions about them.

First off, are they a lot of work to take care of? I love taking care of my pets but I am pretty busy so I don't want to take on a lot more work.
2nd, How expensive are they?
3rd, What kind of housing would I need to get?

Well, those are just a few questions.. I'll probably have some more later on! lol.

[Doggies4Evers]

here they cost $10 dollars at the pet store, yours should be same or cheaper. Since we only have one pet shop here. As for work, just clean there cage once a week or when you feel it needs a cleaning. It would be best to give them fresh water at least once a day should be fine or some people leave it until its near empty. Don't know if thats bad or good. Think it be near the bad area. You can spoil them as much as you want to. For food, gerbils LOVE sunflower seeds, all mine are crazy for them and love them more then the other gerbil mix food. I spoil them at times giving them a bowl of the seeds. Although I hear they are fatting, but the mom was looking after babies. They just need food, a food bowl, water bottle, cage, wood chips for the ground, and you can get bedding for them if you like. There is gerbil treats. Things should last you quite a long while. You can get it other neat things which is up to yourself if you wish for them to have it or such. There should be at least a medal running wheel :) If you want things to last get a big bag of the items and it shall last you. For food you can change it every day if you wish too. I hope this doesnt stop you from getting them.


Another thing, if the female gerbil is with male gerbils in a cage, theres a risk and maybe a high chance she is pregant, if so you will know if she poohs alot when you try to hold her, or if you are worryed wait a couple weeks, if no babies you should be in the clear. So you want to own more then one? You keeping the genders apart? Because there's a high chance of them mating, they can have babies every month!!


Dunno if you can get them fixed or not.


Holding them lots tames them. If your holding them and they stare to much in one spot wave your hand or move your finger in front of them, they are planning on making a dash. They are more of a run away then stay up and fight rodent like the hamster, which makes them nicer to own, super low risk of a bite. If he or she or any bites you to much then unless your willing to let that one be free in the cage with no touchy, then keep him/her, if not then should return to the store. Just a suggestion. Out of all the ones I had I only had 3 biters, out of many litters of them, and others I owned so far in my life.


I think besides food and water, they arnt much work, if you get a gerbil cage or you can get other cages with tunnels that can go any which way, there is other kinds of cages and homes you can give them. Depends on you and how much and room you want to give them, etc. I dont think they are hard to take care of. You can leave them alone they are fine as long they have food and water, you should get them a metal running wheel. Of course it depends on what kind of cage homing methiod you wish to go with of course.

Writting more in a moment.

[OrcaInspired]

Thanks a lot :D

How expensive are they're cages? Also, I've heard that they can chew out of plastic tunnels and get out. Is that true?

And I have cats. How much would that affect the gerbils. (Obviously I wouldn't let them together... Lol)

[Doggies4Evers]

no problem, depends what kind of cage you get them, plain or spoil them lol.
I never heared about that happening before, but if you get a wheel, make sure its medal.


I would keep an eye on the cat while you had darling gerbils, my friends cat leaped up on the cage and it felt down to the ground, I was able to swoop in and save it, since it was MY gerbil that I gave her on her bday and was still her bday. Good thing I went back there. It's front paw was deformed and was pure white, she was the pick my friend wanted, and she had newspaper as grounding which dyed up her fur >_> lol dont use news paper! lol

[pepper]

i had 12 gerbils, which was all by accident becuase the pets store didnt sex them properly. we only bought two and thought was boys and way behold she had babies. then we was quiet new to gerbils and didnt know that they had sex after giving birth so behold we had another set of 5 of the wee darlings.

here some pics of them.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b64/bareboness/pups.jpg

[Carlylox]

Ahhh, they are so damn cute! :D

I love gerbils, and used to have them as a kid. I've now upsized to being a rat owner, which are much easier to cuddle.

I've always found them relatively low maintenance (as much as any animal can be anyway!), and luckily have always had friendly gerbils.

I hope Mum and babies are doing well. Would be nice to see some piccys :)