Once
all the basic items are intalled for your gerbils, you may think about
adding some entretening accesories for your gerbils.
Let's
chew!!
The first thing to know about gerbils when you
think about giving them toys and other things are to know that gerbils
chew a lot! So don't give them your favourite wood artwork that your
mother gave you! It won't last long in their tank! You'll have to choose
things impossible to chew or simply give them thing that you don't mind
not seeing again!
Beside, I notice something very interesting. I
observed that gerbils tend to chew only thing that are in their way.
Like, they will chew their wood house door bigger, the stairs, or the
side of the house. Also, when you get a wheel for exercise, if it
touches the bedding, and that gerbils can't pass under it, they will
chew it. But if it is placed high enough, they won't even try to touch
it. So you don't absolutely need to use metal wheels.
The
nest
Gerbils need to have a nest to feel comfortable.
They will stay in it most of the time. If you don't give them a house, they
will gather materials from the tank to try making one under the wheel! In my
breeding tanks, as I want to be able to see if everything goes right with the
babies I do not provide them a big house in wood or plastic. I give the
parents a lot of nesting materials and they build themselves a small nest
under the food dish (elevated one), the water bottle or the wheel. But I give
them some hiding place to run around.
Material
to use:
-Toilet
paper or facial tissue
-Hay
-Aspen
bedding
-Shredded
paper
-Your
dog or cat fur!
If you have babies: Never
use Cotton sold in petshops for hamster. Their legs can get trapped in it, and
then the mother may eat their paws to release them! But it's ok for adults.
Hidding
place
Many
things can be used to allow them to hide, dig, and have fun!
-
Terra Cotta flower dish
-
Black PVC plumbing pipes
-
Empty Coco nuts with a hole in it
-
Different wood or plastic items from the Dollar shop
-
Glass container
-
Paperboard boxes
Avoid
most of fibrous materials. Gerbils could choke themself in it.
Exercice
Wheel
Gerbils won't use the wheel as much as the
hamster does but they do use it sometimes. Some gerbils will never use it;
some will use it many times a day! Choose the right size for your gerbils.
Usually, medium size (6") is ok. Mouse wheels are too small.
-Avoid
metal bar wheel. Their legs can get cought in the bars and brake. Also, the
tail can get cought in the mecanisem. They may be very noisy.
-
Wheels with metal screen are a good alternative. Usually, those model are also
modified to protect their tail. They may be very noisy.
-
Plastic wheels can be used. Just be sure that it won't stop them from passing
under it and they won't try to chew it. They may get dirty faster then metal
wheel as they are made from a solid surface. They produce less noise then
metal ones. The "Silent Spinner" brand are totally quiet!
Balls
Those
toys are made to allow your pet to explore the house while being in a plastic
ball. Some gerbils like and run like crazy in it, other will stay motionless
until you take them out of there! Air circulation is bad and if they pee in it,
they will run in it. Don't leave them in there for more then 15 minutes at a
time. Check them out all time and block any dangerous place like the stairs!
It already happened!
Other
accesories
Hamac
They
like to run in it. You can make one yourself using a piece of fabric and some
old shower curtains rings.
Toys
for birds
In
wood, rope or lether, your gerbils will like them. They will climb in it and
may end up chewing them!
PVC
plumbing pipes
This is a really good way to build a maze of
tunnels for your gerbils. They are not able to climb them in a vertical
position! This will cost less then the tubes you'll find in petstores. And yes,
they will eventually get to chew it trough.
Chinchilla
sand
Gerbils will roll in the sand to clean their fur,
just like chinchillas do. Use the sand sold in petstores, not the one in your
garden. It's better to put it in a fish bowl. This way they won't spill it
everywhere around. They may eat some of it to clean their teethes.
Also, gerbils tend to use the sand as a toilet.
If you leave it in their tank more then a 20 minutes, they will pee in it and
the sand won't be good anymore. After a couple of day, the smell will be very
strong. But you can also use this sand as a toilet; just change the sand when
it's dirty. This way, you won't have to change the bedding as often.
