Gerbils

[knackersknockersknickers]

We have bought some gerbils after the pet shop persuaded us they were better pets than hamsters. I have to say we're smitten.

We have the cage recommended by the pet shop but it seems rather small and ugly. I've seen the omlet cage. Anyone got this and think it's good? Or can recommend another largish cage that isn't all bright plastic?

The Omlet is terrible for all animals I'm afraid. It's too small and a poor design (gerbils have trouble with the vertical tube.

The best cages I can recommend are:

• Glass fish tank - ideally at least 90x40x40cm - with a wood and mesh lid (6mm mesh). These can often be found second hand. As I say, 90cm long is ideal, but I would say 70cm long is a kind of minimum, and they do need deep bedding for burrowing so no lower than 40cm.

• Custom made tank. There's a company called Junglepets who makes these. They come with mesh lids. They can make them to any size for you.

• Marrakesh terrarium. Cheapest from Zooplus but currently out of stock. Also on Ebay.

Gerbils are burrowing creatures, so give them at least 22cm of bedding. Avoid hamster cages with shallow bases and anything with different sections that connect together (Rotastaks etc) as these can lead to fighting (each gerbil claims a different sections as its own territory). I've kept gerbils for many years so feel free to ask if you have any other questions.

Honestly a glass tank is the best thing. We built some house structures out of wooden blocks and then threw in the occasional toilet roll. They'd demolish it in seconds and use the chewed cardboard to burrow in.

Brilliant pets. And no wee smell as they're desert animals!

Gerbils are great, hope you enjoy then. You've also just acquired the world's most effective document shredder.

My gerbils lived in a glass tank which was filled with peat. I used to spray it to keep it damp abs they had a network of tunnels in it. They are amazing escape artists though and will eat anything plastic. Mine ate their house.....

Agree glass tank. I too kept mine in a peat and woodshaving mix as a child and they made networks of burrows. Only needed to change the power every 3 or 4 months like that. They are great pets. I pinched my old tank from my mum's house back when I could actually set foot in there but I've not got around to getting any. Really must do.

When I had gerbils I bought large plastic fish tanks with a lip at the top and then fashioned a mesh lid to slide on and off. I then joined a couple of them together by cutting a hold in each with a jigsaw and putting a plastic pipe between them. Very happy gerbils with loads of room and a couple of different areas but two cages to clean each week!

Thanks guys. They are indeed fantastic little fellows, they've brought me hours of entertainment.

We currently have a Savic habitat so fairly deep burrowing area and then a cage topper. One of them seems to love the cage bit and the attached wheel and the other pretty much exclusively burrows.

Ideally I'd like a cage which incorporates the 2 elements but doesn't look crap which unfortunately seems to be a bit of a holy grail. Bonus points if there is some way to stop them spraying out all the shavings as they dig. Also I feel like mine is too small really, but there doesn't seem to be another readymade option which is significantly bigger and has both elements.

Thanks for the recommendation for the bespoke company. I'll have a look at them.

Any advice on taming? I have been putting a fist in the cage, one loves to nibble gently but the other won't come anywhere near. I understand it will take time, but any advice on what to do/avoid?

I bought a glass fish tank and then a wire topper which gives a more conventional wire cage top for it.
This seems to work well.

@knackersknockersknickers mine loved chocolate buttons. I think they were proper gerbil ones but loved them. They used to come out and watch tv sitting on my shoulders 😄

They did manage to escape though and were found down the side of the boiler. Again chocolate buttons needed to tempt out....

@knackersknockersknickers as i mentioned, mine were in peat which was sprayed to keep damp so didn't spread anywhere. Rarely needed cleaning out fully and they had wonderful tunnels which you could see into through the glass. On top of the peat was a house and cardboard tunnels (aka kitchen roll inners!) which they loved to shred

Gerbils are wonderful pets! We have a tall enclosure with a deep base currently within safe sizing requirements but have seen many modify an IKEA detolf cabinet and I’m very tempted to do this for ours too.

@SummerSazz silly question but where did you get peat? And did you have to do anything with it? Does it smell? (Peaty?!)

They're in our living room which I like as I enjoy watching them but I'd prefer not to smell too earthy.

Right I'll buy some gerbil chocolate, who can fail to love me after I've got them chocolate!

Ah enjoy. I'm quite jealous. Our gerbils were hilarious and really quite tame as they got older.

Ours loved sunflower seeds. They used to take them from our hand so try that too. Good luck!

[quote knackersknockersknickers]@SummerSazz silly question but where did you get peat? And did you have to do anything with it? Does it smell? (Peaty?!)

They're in our living room which I like as I enjoy watching them but I'd prefer not to smell too earthy.

Right I'll buy some gerbil chocolate, who can fail to love me after I've got them chocolate![/quote]
I'm not really sure I can remember as it was in the 80's 😳. I was probably sent it to dig it up lol. It probably has to be special stuff now 🤨 but if not then the garden centre would be my go to initially I think.

And yes, ours loved sunflower seeds too. Better with husks on and they de-husk them and create a mess so it's a stimulation game too

And no I dont recall the peat smelling much. My mum was an ultra clean freak and she'd have sent them packing to the garage if it had been bad