I am getting 2 gerbils and need info because they're going to be my first gerbils?

Question

What is the best bedding to use?
How much do I feed them?
I have a dog (mini dachshund) is it ok if they see her?
PLEASE REPLY!!!!

Answer 1

Use processed paper (e.g., Carefresh) or aspen bedding, not pine or cedar (corncob is fine, too, but they'd need something to tunnel in like unscented toilet tissue).

Read the American Gerbil Society online care handbook:
http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/index.html

And I'd also recommend the Gerbils: Care Made Easy book which you can get on amazon. com or the AGSgerbils.org store.

Feed them a small handful of food every day. The best gerbil food out there is www.furryflowers.com Get a food with 15% protein, oats as a main ingredient, and no corn which has not nutritional value for gerbils (you can pick out the corn if the food is otherwise good).

Here is my recommended cage setup. Most of the supplies can be ordered from www.thatpetplace.com at a very low price. Walmart is the cheapest place to get a 10 gallon tank.
http://abcgerbils.com/Setup.html

The gerbils won't be afraid of the dog. But, hounds and especially those bred to go into tunnels and drag out rodents could be a danger to the gerbils.

Answer 2

It really does depend on the dog's temperament. Our dog wants to eat the ones i've had before but he hasn't gotten, but if you want to test them out be very careful. I found that you SHOULD NOT use cedar or pine shavings. Carefresh isn't to bad to use (a friend uses it) but it gets smelly quicker than just paper which is waht i use. I just fill their tank (thats what i use and is preferable) with long strips of paper and they chew it up to itty bitty pieces. I'll also add tissue or some softer material. Be sure you put things in for them to chew....this is very important because their teeth grow constantly. Just toilet paper tubes and tissue boxes are fine...but i also add a chucnk of wood now and then.
Wheels aren't that good of an idea to have in the cage because of a gerbils' long tail. There are certain things you can do with it to make it safer, but i just don't use them.

As in feeding, i've read that it's best to feed them every other day. The reason is that gerbils tend to pick out their favorite foods, and if you just replace it every day they ONLY eat their favorite food and not the other things.

I wouldn't suggest buying plastic toys from the stores because they are a bit expensive and the gerbils chew them up in a matter of days; sosmtiems hours. Good luck with your new gerbils! feel free to email with further questions!

Answer 3

For bedding use Aspen bedding, or something like Carefresh or recycled newspaper bedding.

NEVER use cedar and NEVER use pine. Those can cause serious medical problems in small animals.

Keep a bowl of food in their cage constantly. They're not going to overeat and get fat. They will burry their food in their bedding though, so you'll have to dig under it and make sure they have food in the bowl and not just bedding.

Dachshunds were bred to be rodent killers. I would let your's meet your gerbils ontly though the bars of their cage, and NEVER leave the dog unsupervised in the room with the gerbils, just to be safe.

Though, sometimes dogs can be friendly with rodents, it still pays to be careful. (My labrador used to be super sweet to my pet rats, he'd let them climb all over his head and lick them. Then one day he snatched one of them out of my hand and ran off with it. She was okay (just covered in dog slobber) and we're not sure if Boomer was trying to hurt her or just wanted to play, but we've never let him nose to nose with the rats again.)

Also, make sure your gerbils are a same sex pair, unless you want lots of little gerbil babies.

Answer 4

yes you should let you dog see her but make sure she stays in side the cage. the rest i don't know

Answer 5

Fried in olive oil and rosemary, they are not that bad, but the oil may not be good for your daschund.