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Shelters for Gerbils
Shelters for Gerbils
Most gerbils in the pet shops are bred in the state of Mongolia. A French scientist discovered them in the early years of the 1950s. During 1954 they had already flooded laboratories in the USA. They were great pets because they were strangely soft and gentle. These days, you will find all kinds of gerbils in pet stores, from various places over the world, just not Mongolia. The gerbils are energetic animals with a strong constitution. However, they are also prone to illnesses.
When you get a gerbil don’t bring it alone. They love mingling and would love to have company. So give them that attention. If you have two or four gerbils it will be a lot of fun. You can sit and watch them entertaining you and each other. Never think of isolating them. It’s a part of their development that they should have company.
Gerbils can mingle very well when it comes to the opposite sex but then they will give birth to a litter every month continuously for years. If you keep gerbils of the same sex make sure that they belong to the same litter. Otherwise they may pick up nasty fights. Females are far gentle and mix readily with people. The males usually don’t.
See that your dealer has a good name in the market. If the shop is dirty they may have unhealthy animals too. Check the gerbil’s coat. It should be soft and not oily or greasy. Hold the animal and see. Usually they don’t bite. They just nibble your finger to see if you are edible. This is a completely different thing. Don’t buy an animal that bites.
Gerbils have not like hamsters. Put your hand in the cage and see what the gerbil does. If it comes to sniff you, then it is a natural act. If they sit quietly or seem lazy, avoid them.
Providing a Proper Home
Since gerbils are rather active pets they require a home where they can play well. While the plastic tunnels look attractive they are not the proper homes for gerbils. Since gerbils grow their teeth all their lives, they need things to chew on to shave their teeth. Cages and tunnels are made of hard plastic that might harm your gerbil’s stomach and may be even fatal. These cages are made for hamsters. Moreover, gerbils can also eat away the hard plastic and run away.
The best house you can give the gerbil is a ten-gallon glass aquarium with a screen cover. Keep the lid tight so that the gerbil cannot escape. Otherwise the gerbil can jump out of the ten-gallon tank very simply. It’s a rather easy task for them.
If you keep the gerbil in a cage or a tunnel, stuff it up with wood shavings. Sawdust and newspaper are a strict no-no since they make gerbils fall sick. Cedar shavings are very pleasant to smell but many animals are allergic to them. Other than cedar shavings, pine shavings are also a good option.
Gerbil pets, Gerbil information, Gerbil tips, Gerbil advice
Next Article: Natural habitat for a Mongolian Gerbil
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