1. How to DIY a water bottle hanger

One of the popular problems faced by gerbil owners is the issue of how to provide a source of water for gerbils. Although a dish can be used, but most of the time the gerbil will bury the dish in shavings, making the bedding wet. It is important for a gerbil to have water especially if it is pregnant or nursing. Gerbils have been known to reabsorb fetuses or even eat a pup to get the water it needs if water is not provided.

There are many types of bottles available on the market. If you are able to find a bottle with those suckers or those that stick to the tank wall then it is good, however sometimes the gerbils will chew the suckers or the water bottle itself.
If you have the type of bottle that points downwards, you can hang it from the tank cover, however if you have the normal type of bottle, the kind without a small hole at the top for you to hang wire through..you might have to make a bottle holder yourself.

Example:

Water bottle with no hole at the top provided.


Water bottle with hole provided at the top

2. How to make a split cage

Why need a split cage? Note that gerbils have very short memories and can forget their friends in 3 days or even less. If you have to seperate your gerbils because of breeding but wish to reintroduce them at a later date, you should use a split cage so that they can still see and smell each other. New gerbils can also be introduced in this way for a few days, so that there is less chance of fighting when you finally put them together. Remember that gerbils can fight to the death, dont think that they look so loving and tame to their friends, once they see an unknown gerbil they can fight viciously and cause very serious wounds. I'm speaking from experience here.



This is the simplest split cage you can make for a plastic tank. The sides are rubber hose split into half, the purpose is so that you can wedge the whole thing into the tank, and it wont move or slip. Remember that plastic tanks are wider at the top than at the bottom, so you have to take that into account when cutting and bending the wire mesh. Try to use metal wire mesh with small holes, with big holes the gerbils will keep on chewing at it, and hurt their noses. Make sure it is tall enough, gerbils can climb up the split and crawl through any small spaces at the top.
3. Alternative to tanks

Gerbils given birth and you want to seperate the dad from the mum? Or perhaps your gerbil has fallen sick and you want to seperate it from the other healthy ones temporarily. If you can't get a tank at short notice, you can use a storage box



This is just to give a general idea. Note that the top should be securely fastened, else the gerbil will escape. Usually I put the storage box lid on top covering half the wire, and something heavy on top, but more pegs should do the trick as well.



This post has been edited by crazymouse_yyh: Nov 5 2007, 08:22 PM

oh, the superpets manage to find gerbils supplier adi ar..... I think they really know nothing about gerbils la, pity the gerbils.

haha taro ar, if anyone act scared he will bully them one, esp girls !

haha you can feed them raw vege and rice and bread too... I always give mine bread crusts coz my family doesnt like to eat it.

Hun, good luck with the adoptions. Just now I was playing with my gerbil Anya. checking to see all her nails still there or not. She's a bit gila one, can jump to the top of the tank and hang on the roof. Las time she rip out 2 nails doing her crazy stunts. Partially grown back only now. She is my tamest gerbil lo, see my hand coming into the tank she will reach out her paws and climb on, then she purrs when i stroke her. But very hyper la, after a while will be running all over me, like a glider, haha.


Some pics of Anya. Trapeze gerbil...can join circus liao


swing swing swing!



This post has been edited by jaswwp: Nov 13 2007, 11:16 PM

yes la she is the one that cause a lot of trouble. Cannot give her toys that are too tall,she will use them to reach the roof and chew on it. She already destroyed one of my tank lids last time. Last week also climb out and jump into other gerbils cage and fight with them. Luckily I saw it before anything serious happen.

haha 2nd pic got cute pose

I can only use hp to capture anya's stunts..coz by the time I pull out digicam she will drop down adi, then hav to wait for the next round, haha...tats y blur pics

Normally I will smell it. If it really stinks then I will wash...if not I just put under hot sun for a day

I heard that gerbils can get flu from humans, so try to wash hands before touching them

No, its a different thing altogether. Nose bleeding is usually related to dusty bedding

RIP to Buta, I remember you were so excited when he was born. Nice sp black he was and i was so envious, haha.


Just grab and hold lo. After a while they get used to you. Some of mine even purr when I stroke them. Takes time though, some of themonly get tame after months.



My gerbil Phoenix. Currently one of my fattest girls.

If my female tank, it will last 1 day, hahaha

Hmm my oldest gerbil has a few of those red things on his balls, it grew when he developed an allergic reaction to wood shavings, now swtiched to Breeder Celect. Not affecting him in any way now though, just that its ugly. Watch for any scratching or fur loss, if got then you might have to change your bedding.

Griffin Gazing at the "forest"


Rion thinks he can blend in with the surroundings. Camoflage!


Lyori my sp DEH


Pixie and her daugthers. One more not in the pic


Artan my old gerbil. He always sleeps like that. Super yoga pose.

This post has been edited by jaswwp: Dec 3 2007, 12:06 PM

Wonder why my boys must close eyes to eat, lol..like enjoying it fully. My girls just eat normally.

maggot is worm! Remove uneaten fresh food after 1 day to avoid maggots.

Main difference is gerbils are better at climbing, chewing, destroying anything chewable. They pee less than hamsters but dig more.

Well it depends la. After all syrian hamsters are solitary, so keeping 1 is easier than maintaining a gerbil clan. Then hamsters do not chew and destroy the water bottles as much as gerbils. Cost is about the same unless you go and buy those expensive cage for hamsters, then gerbil is cheaper because they just need a plastic tank. However cleaning wise gerbil is easier because they dont pee so much as hamsters and stink less.

consecutive litter ar? if it is then seperate the male after the 2nd batch is born, else the mum may get pregnant again a 3rd time immediately, bad for health lo.

haha I like the pics, so cute

This post has been edited by jaswwp: Dec 12 2007, 04:15 PM