how do i get my gerbil to stop covering his food bowl with bedding?!?!?!?

Question

and they also kick the bedding with their back legs EVERYWHERE! and it messes up the whole tank! and they keep digging under their wheel and then it makes a loud banging moise whenever the run on it! i hate having to keep re-ajusting it every 20 minutes!!!! PLZ HELP!!!!!!!!!

thanks

-Steph

Answer 1

How do you get them to stop burying their food? Short of killing them or not feeding them, you don't. Gerbils and other rodents are scavengers. They stock pile their food and bury it for later. I guarantee that if you dig in the bedding in the corners of the tanks, you'll find more little stock piles of food.

My gerbil used to kick its bedding around, exposing the bottom of the tank everywhere. They make higher mounds to burrow and sleep in, which is why they are kicking it around everywhere.

As for the wheel, they make wheels that hang off the side of the tank, rather than standing free, so that would be one option. I guess the only other option would be to take it out when you don't want them using it.

Answer 2

Attach the bowl to the side of his cage away from his sleeping area. Rasputin used to do that, so we made a nice ceramic bowl and fixed where it could be attached with 16 gauge wire away from the feeding area.This works quite nicely. I see you have him in a tank, You can use Liquid Nails or Gorilla Glue to attach it away from the sleeping area.
My cats don't know he's a gerbil, they think he's Gretchen's kitten.

Answer 3

You can't! That's what they like to do! I had a Guinea pig that liked to turn her bowl over and sit on it. Instead of trying to change your little pet accept it for how cute it is and try to find the little weird things that it does endearing. I thought that it was really cute how my pet refused to sit in the bedding. She was a little pan in the butt but, I loved her! Also, remember that these little ones are WAY less concerned with cleanliness than you are!

Answer 4

I also have a gerbil, and it is natural for gerbils to do this. It is what they do by instinct. They do to preserve the food, so to make it last longer. So I would not worry about it. If the gerbil wants food, he/she will dig it out.

Answer 5

Try less bedding, or perhaps a different kind, such as cedar chips (not sure if they are good for gerbils, so check with the pet store!). Perhaps they need more to play with, so check for other toys, etc you could put in there.

Answer 6

i have had like 30 gerbles and there is nothing you can do i tryed to put it up on a stand and that didnt even help

Answer 7

its just the way they are !! try bolting there wheel down

Answer 8

This is what you get if you pick a rat for a pet. Sorry