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Original poster

Tell me about gerbils please

44 replies

baddyfreckleface · 01/05/2015 14:46

We were all set to get a hamster but after doing lots of reading I have decided gerbils might be more interesting, active in the day, and more sociable.

Is this true?

Also I now want a pretty big cage with nice clear plastic/glass at the bottom to watch them burrow.

Any tips on materials to use in the cage, the cage itself and where to get the gerbils from. I had found a hamster breeder as want to avoid big pet shops for the actual animal.

OP posts:
Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 03/05/2015 18:55

The ones I have seen are around 5 months. Not much handling but the lady I asked said they do sit in her hands when she checked, and they haven't bitten anyone. So far!

Do you think they are too old?

I am struggling to find some babies that aren't from Pets at Home!

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newname12 · 03/05/2015 18:57

Where about are you? There's a couple of really good breeders in london.

I'd rehome gerbils. Better with me than stuck in PAH :). IME they are clever little things and plenty of treats etc will soon have them accepting human contact.

Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 03/05/2015 19:07

I am in Sheffield. Can't find a breeder at all and the larval smaller pet shops say their supplier is short of gerbils at the moment.

These two we have our eye on are actual P at H rejects. They are in their back room as they are older and can't be put in with the other litter.

I am going to see them tomorrow and will make sure they are reasonably calm/tame.

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jellybeans · 03/05/2015 19:13

they are great, we have had for years. Get a sand bath or a jar and they will use it as toilet which saves cleaning. We have Rotastak (many gerbils have never chewed through it and they love it) and a fish tank. We got one of those runs but they just jumped over it. Ours are very friendly and climb all over the kids. If you have any rooms which can be doored off and with no wires etc they can have good run, also maybe in the bath. get as big a tank/cage as you can.

jellybeans · 03/05/2015 19:13

We have had from P A H. Like you say better at yours than with them!

Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 03/05/2015 19:26

Does this tank look ok?

Tell me about gerbils please
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Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 03/05/2015 19:27

I will replace and cover the wire floor with wooden bridges etc

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rookiemere · 03/05/2015 19:38

That's the cage we have-gerbils seem happy.
Make sure the two you buy are from the same litter and are together at the minute otherwise they may fight when put together.

Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 04/05/2015 18:15

Well we won't be getting the rescue ones as the lady remembered they were brought back because they were aggressive. Probably need someone with a bit more experience and no six year old daughter!

It's looking like the only option is to buy from P at H!

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rookiemere · 04/05/2015 18:31

I'm struggling to imagine overly aggressive gerbils - they're hardly likely to rip you to shreds, more like tiny little nibbles.

When we first got our two, they sometimes would get a bit overexcited and try to bite our fingers, so we'd just blow at them when they did that and now they've stopped.

I'm not advocating you should get the rescue ones btw, just wondering how bad a gerbil can be.

Our gerbils are from P at H and they'll be coming up to 2 years old in August and seem fine.

Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 04/05/2015 19:30

Yes it was a bit OTT! She picked one up and it was fine but I just didn't want to risk it. They also had a lovely big cage and she said they would stay there until re-homed so I felt ok to leave them.

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LaBelleDameSansPatience · 05/05/2015 06:05

They can certainly be aggressive with each other and murder is not unknown ... We love ours, though.

Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 05/05/2015 08:29

Sorry I have ANOTHER question.

I want to keep the gerbils downstairs in the kitchen/family room but obviously it can be a bit noisy at times (3 year old tantrums, washing machine, banging pots and pans etc)

Am I better to start them where I want them and they get used to the noise?, will they never get used to the noise or turn into nervous wrecks?, keep them somewhere quieter but where we can't won't see them as much?
Where do you keep yours?

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Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 05/05/2015 14:11

Well we have two baby gerbils!

They seem pretty friendly. One is racing about burrowing and flicking sawdust all over my room! And the other one is holed up in the little box with bedding in and not coming out.
Both very cute

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rookiemere · 05/05/2015 15:58

I'd put you where you plan to keep them. Ours have moved from the living room to the dining room as they are too noisy when we're trying to watch tv in the evening.

Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 05/05/2015 16:51

Thanks. They are where we wanted them (although had to adapt slightly as there is sawdust EVERYWHERE!)

They seem pretty happy so far. Very sociable and come out when we go to see them.

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DayLillie · 05/05/2015 20:44

Lovely! I love baby gerbils with their big feet Grin Congratulations.

On aggression - I had one that bit my Dad on the finger. He stuck his finger right in front of it and it probably smelled smokey Hmm It is the only bite we had. Another pair of male gerbils I had from babies, who had lived happily together for nearly 3 years had the most almighty scrap I have ever seen - all teeth, gnashing and blood. We had to separate them, literally by the tails, with the teeth still going Sad. One was ill and died about a month later, and the other shortly after. I think they may have got senile - their behaviour had changed.

Ours lived in the sitting room - it was quiet after they had gone.

Original poster
baddyfreckleface · 05/05/2015 23:44

They are very cute DayLillie!

So far they haven't had much to do with each other as one has raced round digging amazing tunnels and the other has hid in her box and only ventured out to get food. They are snuggled up together now though.

The fighting sounds pretty full on! I bet that was shocking!

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Dancergirl · 29/08/2015 11:16

Did you get your gerbils baddy? I'm also thinking of getting some.

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