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Thanks for the bit on Gerbils. My girlfriend got one for Christmas as it's pretty much the only animal we can safely keep in our apartment. We'll definitely be getting a friend for him very soon on RumbleFish's advice. He absolutely adores the toilet paper tube too.
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Dec 18, 2009 04:56
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RumbleFish posted:When you do get another gerbil for him, I recommend using the split cage method to introduce them, since they will be strangers to each other. You don't have to build a special cage like the one shown in the instructions; I just used a piece of hardware cloth that I securely duct-taped to the sides of the tank. This is a safe and gradual way to get them used to each other, since mayhem could ensue if you just tossed Gerbil B in with Gerbil A. We've only had him for just over a day and I think we'll be getting his roommate today sometime. His cage isn't ideal (18"x12" 18" Tall), but it's ok as long as he has multiple levels, so I'm a little worried about floorspace for 2 of them and how to split the cage for a short time without confining them too much and providing them with food and water. Any advice on that? Like I said, we got him as a gift, and I don't really have the money to go out and buy an aquarium setup right now.
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Dec 18, 2009 16:28
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RumbleFish posted:Hmm. Do you know how old he is? The younger he is, the better he'll take to a new friend, though I've heard that older males are pretty good with pups too. I don't know his age at all and he was bought from a pet store. We might just hold off on a roommate until I can put a better home together for them. I didn't realize aquarium setups were so inexpensive when you take out all the water circulation bits. This is probably a viable option.
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Dec 18, 2009 23:24
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Hey my GF made a video of our new pet gerbil Graham. There's some cuteness at 2:41. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK1hqH9mJp4 He still hasn't gotten the hang of the ball or his wheel yet and he just kinda scratches at it and tries to get out. He loves the hell out of cardboard though and chews at it like it's his job.
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Dec 26, 2009 17:45
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Well it turns out that our 2 gerbils are not capable of being nice to each other. We got a 2nd about 10 days after the first (it's been 2 weeks since then) and set them in different cages, though the cages butted against each other so they can see each other. We let them out onto the couch sometimes where they can't get away, and just now, as I had them both out, they went into DEATHBALL mode where they turn into 1 twin-tailed, fur-flinging sphere of anger and rip the poo poo out of each other. In my attempt to pry them apart, one of them bit rather severely (holy poo poo I didn't know they could bite so hard). I'd love to get them into the same cage eventually, but they really really are not getting along at all. Even supervised, they're way faster than me and I can't keep them from murdering each other, and my fingers.
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Jan 15, 2010 03:25
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SubbyMinx posted:I think this is why I'd never try to introduce a second gerbil/hamster/rodent. Any pairs that I've ever had have either been together since birth (multiple broods being put together) or have actually been siblings (my gerbils have almost identical markings). Yeah I think we're done trying. They're gonna kill each other at this rate. We have 2 cages anyway, so it's not really a huge deal.
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Jan 15, 2010 03:41
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Checking in on this thread after a few months. I got some great input from you guys about how to handle them and provide. We have 2 gerbils that we were unable to acclimate to each other (resulting in a lot of blood on my behalf when one of them bit me while being separated) named Graham and Thunderhorse. But I have some  pictures, so I thought I'd share. Thunderhorse chilling in his Fortress of Solitude   Thunderhorse again, in his bath/house/bathroom, telling you to get off his lawn.  Thunderhorse again, hanging out with me. He seems entirely content just sitting on my shoulder.  Graham in MEGAMODE defending his castle.  Graham dug to the bottom of his terrarium and decided he'd sleep there. This is him smooshed against the glass. robotsinmyhead fucked around with this message at 03:22 on Apr 21, 2010 |
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Apr 21, 2010 03:19
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Awesome Kristin posted:Hey guys. Quick question. I have a robo hamster that won't use her dust bath but is looking rather oily. Is there anything I can do for her? My gerbils won't use theirs either. They jump inside and start digging all the sand out (rather violently) then making GBS threads inside it. We have to take them out and put them in a little plastic tub with the sand in, and just throw the sand on them. They seem to enjoy that actually, but the don't get the idea that they can do it themselves.
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May 8, 2010 15:27
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Ok this is driving me nuts - One of my gerbils lives in a good-sized and super-awesome aquarium skull. He sleeps in it, lives in it, hordes in it, but he scratches on the inside of it RELENTLESSLY to the point where I have to take it out. Is there a reason he's doing this aside from his natural digging tendencies?
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Jul 14, 2010 22:28
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Nereid posted:Mice are stinky, get gerbils! I'm with this guy. After reading up on Mice and Rats and the amount they they pee and stink up the place, I'm happy we ended up with gerbils.
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Jul 25, 2010 04:13
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Pierce
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Jul 27, 2010 21:08
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Experto Crede posted:I used to own a hamster who lived to the age of three years, he was My gerbils have huge balls, but even they pale in comparison to some rats.
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Nov 4, 2010 01:52
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alucinor posted:I was like, ok, they got what, 6 months to live? Wow this is awesome. I was to understand that their lifespan wasn't great. My 2 gerbils are at ~1 year right now, but they're caged separately, which I understand lowers their lifespan. They visit sometimes, but we can't keep them together due to fighting. Somehow I've avoided having a pet die on me after all these years - they usually have "run away" at some point, never to be seen again - and I'm dreading losing my little guys. Unfortunately, mine were bought from a pet store (one as a gift, another to keep with the first, but that didn't work out). The next ones will be rescued or from a breeder, if we can find one.
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Jan 22, 2011 02:23
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"We're Chinchillas (no homo)" Goddamn those are cute. The GF is pushing to get a pair or Chins or couple of Pigs (we have 2 Gerbils right now). I can't let her see these pictures.
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Mar 9, 2011 09:20
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Goldirocks posted:
Oh man I want a black gerbil so bad Personally, I think they have a lot of personality. I have 2, and they're very different in mannerisms.As far as gear goes, Carefresh or Aspen works good. We recently went to using aspen because it's less messy (carefresh creates a lot of lint, imo) and they seem to like digging in it more. Toilet paper tubes are a must, and the best treats I've found for them have been small bits of dried fruit (Fiesta - Healthy Toppings) and for some reason, Cheerios. They're loving MENTAL for Cheerios.
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Apr 4, 2011 22:42
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I have 2 gerbils from different lots. They don't live together because of the fighting, but only one of them has ever figured out a wheel, the other one just crawls under it. His cage is super-deep with bedding so he can tunnel around and such, the other one is in the wheel for hours a day.
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May 14, 2011 20:16
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I need some advice: My gerbil is probably in his final days - he's over 3 and a half years old and he's recently gotten very sluggish, not running in his wheel, his ears are laid back, looks like he's lost some weight, and it looks like he's breathing harder than normal. He's still eating and drinking, but he's just sort of zoned-out and a sleeping a lot. Is there anything acutely wrong with him that I can help alleviate?
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May 5, 2013 14:56
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Perfectly understandable - but it's sunday and I can't him into the Vet until tomorrow.
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May 5, 2013 16:54
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