How to care for a gerbil
Of the most popular rodent types among households as small domestic pets, gerbils are the winners. They like the company of humans, they can live in a pack, eat very little and require simple care that makes them very dear pets. If you want to have a gerbil and still do not feel convinced, this article will help you to know a little more, so that you learn everything you need to know to take care of them and protect them properly. Continue your reading in and find out how to care for a gerbil .
What you did not know about gerbils
Gerbils are docile and intelligent animals that know how to live in community because they can share territory with other gerbils without disharmony. They are also excellent family members, in herd breeding, father and mother join efforts to care for and care for their children.
They like the company of humans so they let themselves be touched, they have a reputation for being affectionate and some people even train them to do tricks on their hands.
In general, people acquire two gerbils of the same sex and from the same litter. If you want to gather two gerbils from different parents, they should be about the same age. Changing the location inside the cage will be essential for two gerbils that are seen for the first time, with this trick you try to recognize the smells of the other and get used to them. You must change it every two hours during the first 3 days.
If you want to know what differences exist between gerbils and hamsters, we recommend reading the article Why have a gerbil and not a hamster.
How to care for a gerbil
- The first thing you should do is look for a large place for gerbils. If you have two small rodents, you should consider that their size is medium, that is, larger than a mouse but smaller than a rat, about 80 g in weight. A fish tank glass place or a wooden box with several compartments will be enough for your two little friends. Try to find a cage that has high and low compartments so they can move inside, up or down. It must also contain a small round house where they can enter and be in the shade, a kind of small bedroom where they will also carry food and shelter.
- A fundamental element that you must have the home of the gerbil is a drinking fountain with water. There are some that sell in the shops of animals very comfortable to drink, leaving a small space so they can take the water they want without making a disaster. The drinkers should be washed every two or three days and change the water so that the pets are healthy.
- The diet is quite basic but includes important nutrients for the animal, such as oats, barley, wheat, cereals without additives, vegetables in small natural pieces such as carrots, lettuce, cucumber, peppers and accompanied by other sporadic foods or supplied as a reward such as Sunflower seeds and dehydrated fruit.
- Leaving a piece of hard bread at all times is something that they enjoy a lot, it will help you to gnaw it and work your little teeth.
- One of the easiest toys we have at home and we can give him to play with are the cardboard tubes that remain from the rolls of paper. In addition to walking the tube, they like to bite it to gnaw.
- The wheels that usually sell for mice can be very dangerous, especially if they come with bars or grids. Both your tail and your legs can be trapped, so it is important to check that you do not have grilles or bars where they can be injured.
- It is important not to take the gerbil by the tail since it is very fragile and can easily break. To take a gerbil by hand, it is better to offer the palm so that they can ride themselves.
- Gerbils can not bathe. Forget about using water to clean them, they have their own maintenance rites so they do not need our bathrooms or animal products.
- The cage or place where gerbils live should carry a substrate so that it can absorb the urine of small animals. The cage should be cleaned with a disinfectant and plenty of water every week, in this way you will avoid infections in the animals, as well as bad odors.
