Gerbils do not need dust baths in the sense that chins need them. However, they do benefit from a regular sand-bath. The sand gets dead skin/hair and excess oils out of the coat, keeping it in top condition. This is one of the reasons that gerbils in pet stores often look greasy and unkempt.
You need to use well-sanitized play sand, cornmeal, bird sand, or chinchilla SAND. Not chinchilla dust! The dust is too fine, and can cause respiratory distress. I've found that many American companies make no distinction between chinchilla dust and chinchilla sand; the most highly recommended chinny sand for gerbils is the "Charlie Chinchilla" brand, which is sometimes hard to come by in the US.
Use a large cereal bowl, dog bowl, pie tin, etc., and pour in about a half-inch of sand. The container needs to be large enough for the gerbil to "spin" in comfortably (if you've seen chins bathe, you know what I mean). Put the container in the tank or in a play-pen, and let the gerbils play and bathe for maybe 20 minutes, max. If you leave them with access to the sand for too long, the gerbils get tired of bathing, and will end up using the sand as a toilet. They may also eat a little bit of sand. This is fine, as long as the sand is clean; it has minerals in it. Some gerbils may not "get it" at first-- you can sprinkle a little sand on their backs, which encourages them to roll.
http://www.petermaas.nl/gerbils/toys.htm#sandbath
2007-02-15 06:35:16
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answer #1
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answered by ShootingStar Gerbils 3
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sand bathes are extremely important for a healthy gerbil. sand bathes make a gerbil's fur shiny, healthy, and clean. they are necessary unless you want a dirty gerbil, and THEY CAN'T TAKE WATER BATHES, just thought i'd make that clear.
so anyway, YES sandbathes are very important. you really can tell the difference between a greasy gerbil, and a healthy gerbil.
here's more about sandbathes:
http://www.twinsqueaks.com/tips-archive/tip061403.html
add-on:
don't listen to the 2 people above me, bcuz the first one obviously doesn't care about the health of her gerbils, and the second one probably just guessed. but unlike them, i DID my research.
good luck!!
2007-02-14 11:19:19
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answer #2
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answered by ferrets4ever 4
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I don't have gerbils, but I raise hamsters and they love their sand baths. Use the same sand as you would for a chinchilla. That's what we use. It makes their fur so nice and shiny.
2007-02-14 11:47:59
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answer #3
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answered by wolfinator25840 5
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Well, I don,t think so... I guess they can live without it, since I've had many gerbils in my life, and I never used sand bath. No one had ever told me about it and they were still healthy... I only did for my chinchilla.
2007-02-14 11:10:54
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answer #4
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answered by .:: me ~* 3
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Yes its good for there coats. Also you need to get chinchilla sand for them.(make sure it does not have any dust, its bad for them) They love to roll around in it. Some even use it as a litter box, so I would not put in in a corner. Change it every so often.
2007-02-14 12:32:43
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answer #5
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answered by september_night_rain 2
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nahh, I had two gerbils for six years, perfectly healthy until one died of Tizzer Disease (lungs) and the other of old age/lonliness of his lost companion (he stopped chewing and his teeth overgrew and damaged his nasal cavity.) I never gave them sand baths, they cleaned themselves, I've watched, and unless you show gerbils =] lol, its not important.
2007-02-14 12:39:07
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answer #6
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answered by Ally 5
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you dont need to worry about giving them a bath. Most animals dont need baths
2007-02-14 11:44:56
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answer #7
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answered by mi 2
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no its not important
2007-02-14 11:11:01
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answer #8
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answered by Anonymous
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