My gerbil chews on a lot of things, is that good or bad?

Question

He chews on his hamster wheel, which is plastic and sometime I give him toilet paper tubes to play with and he eats the whole thing, is that normal?

Answer 1

Yes!! It's a good thing. With all small pets, they need to chew A LOT!!! Their teeth never stop growing, so they have to chew on things to keep them shaved down. If they grow too much, their teeth can grow through their mouths and into their heads, or can grow down around their mouths holding them shut so they can't eat.
With gerbils, they chew on everything. It's not because they're bored or hungry or whatever else people may try to tell you, it's just what they do. They are very hyper animals, so they tend to chew more than others. There's really nothing you can do about that. You just have to give them more and more to chew on. Give them as many wooden toys as you can, but giving them a plastic wheel or house is fine, it's not going to hurt them one bit to chew on it.

http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/

This site has a ton of info about Gerbils, just go and look.
YES!!! Your gerbil should do this, it is VERY NORMAL!!!Hope this helps and good luck!!

Answer 2

When gerbils gnaw things, they aren't eating them (you can see the bits in the cage). Sometimes though they may accidently swallow little bits. Plastic is no good for gerbils. If they ingest a piece it could kill them. Give only wood and cardboard to gnaw on.

A mesh wire wheel is good for gerbils. They can't chew it up and their tail can't get caught in it.

Also, is your gerbil a baby or young? If so get him a friend (a baby or young male) and introduce the in a split cage:
http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/adopt.html#split

Gerbils are social animals that are much happier when they live in pairs.

Answer 3

Gerbils teeth will keep growing. If they do not chew on everything there teeth will still continue to grow. This can kill a gerbil.
So yes it is normal for you gerbil to chew and chew a lot! Get him something hard to chew on, a dog chew or something.
Wish you well!

Answer 4

Yes this is normal. Your gerbil just needs to chew on something as he is trying to dull down his teeth. May I suggest getting him a salt block or some wooden chew sticks? They would possibly stop him from eating the cardboard.

Answer 5

Yes. Rodents teeth don't stop growing, so they always have to have something to chew on or their teeth will grow too far and right out of their mouth. Just keep a lot of wood parts and cardboard inthere for him to chew on


Also, my gerbils love to shread old cloth, so try putting an old rag in his cage!

Answer 6

Oh, yeah, rodents chew on anything they can sink their teeth into. I personally have always loved the disappearing toilet paper tube thing.

Answer 7

I don't think that's normal. But make sure he doesn't chew on any wires or he'll be a fried gerbil. As long as he's chewing safe things that's okay.

Answer 8

Yes and No.
Some gerbils do that some don't.
I would say try to teach it that chew is a bad thing.
I wish you the best of luck!

Answer 9

get untreated wood sticks from the pet store or from your back yard. he needs more substantial things to chew on - and eating the plastic from his cage is not good. give him better stuff to chew on and he'll stop.

Answer 10

Get them a wood toy to chew on from the puppy save; which will final lots longer than cardboard! no longer all wood is secure yet once you prefer to decrease your very own quite than finding out to purchase to be secure decide for wood from fruit wood.