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Accesories

 

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.

 

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