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Gerbils
Of the rodent group these are the most hoppity.
Information
| Care | Caging
| Links | References
Information
| Size: |
About four inches. Between a mouse
and a rat. |
| Food: |
Gerbil pellet or seed mix. Apple
slices, corn, sweet hay, raisins or peas as treats. They
need fresh water. |
| LifeSpan: |
About a year. |
| Habits: |
They are active during the day,
but sometimes too active for children to care for. They
can live three to four years and are self cleaning and
should not be bathed. Gerbils are highly social and are
happiest when bought in pairs. They should also be handled
when they're young, or when mature they may bite. |
Care
Ten Gallon Fish tanks work well. They need
non cedar bedding. (Cedar shavings can cause eye and skin
irritation in rodents.) They like the wheels, but often legs
get caught in the metal spoke ones, and they will eat plastic
ones. They can chew on raw carrots and non-toxic wooden sticks.
A gravity flow water bottle works best.
Caging
A glass bottomed aquarium with a sturdy screen
cover with snap holders makes a fine habitat. Make sure the
cover is secure, as they are escape artists. A wire cage is
okay, but avoid those with wire floors as it is bad for rodent
paws. Bedding can be Aspen shavings, recycled paper, or other
commercial product. Avoid Cedar shavings as they are extremely
toxic to rodents.
Other items include a water bottle, heavy
plastic or ceramic dish, and at least one hiding place. The
hiding place could be made out of wood, plastic or straw,
but be aware, whatever it is it will be chewed. Last item
is a wheel, because many rodents will spend hours running
in place. A plastic wheel is better than a metal wheel, because
if your pet slips he could break a limb by it falling between
the slats of a metal wheel.
Another item your rodent will probably enjoy
is a plastic free ball. Those are the running balls with air
slats for them to run around your house it. Just keep them
away from stairs, and don't leave them in there too long.
Links
http://www.rodent.demon.co.uk/index.htm
-- National Gerbil Society (UK)
http://www.agsgerbils.org/
-- American Gerbil Society
References
Hanna, Jack w/ Hester Mundis. Jack Hanna's
Ultimate Guide to Pets. 1996.
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