How much bedding do I give my gerbils?
This is also a very controversial matter. You're probably thinking "why can't everyone just agree on the same thing!"
That's what I'm wondering...
First of all, I want to state that gerbils are desert animals, and in the wild live in burrows where they spend much of there time.
True, gerbils have been held in captivity for over 50 years, but they still didn't seem to loose there instincts.
Do you ever notice your gerbils digging frantically in the corner of there tank for minutes on end going nowhere?
That is a stereotypical behavior, due to the fact that the gerbils are trying to dig a burrow, though they are going nowhere.
Now everyone tries there best to pander to there gerbils every need, and that's all that matters. If you see your gerbil is unhappy, you find what is causing the problem and fix it. I learned that a while back when my gerbils kept digging frantically in the corners of there tanks. Everyone who saw them thought that they where unhappy, and where trying to escape. On all the websites, it says that this is a normal activity, and was natural. I had to disagree. Finally I came across a website that showed this amazing picture of a gerbil burrow in its tank, the tunnels so elaborately twisted and turned, at that moment I decided that that is the way I want to keep my gerbils.
So now, I keep my gerbils on about a foot of bedding (or as much as it takes), happily digging elaborate burrows, just like the one I saw on that site!
P.S. with young pups it is usually necessary to bring mom to a 'hospital tank', one that isn't so elaborate, as pups can get lost in all that bedding. I usually provide an artificial burrow system for mothers, and put her in the 'hospital tank' a few days before she gives birth. Then when the pups get a bit older, I give them more bedding, though young pups can become untame in elaborate setups, as it is harder to get them to come out to play, so make sure they are friendly with humans before letting them have fun.
That's what I'm wondering...
First of all, I want to state that gerbils are desert animals, and in the wild live in burrows where they spend much of there time.
True, gerbils have been held in captivity for over 50 years, but they still didn't seem to loose there instincts.
Do you ever notice your gerbils digging frantically in the corner of there tank for minutes on end going nowhere?
That is a stereotypical behavior, due to the fact that the gerbils are trying to dig a burrow, though they are going nowhere.
Now everyone tries there best to pander to there gerbils every need, and that's all that matters. If you see your gerbil is unhappy, you find what is causing the problem and fix it. I learned that a while back when my gerbils kept digging frantically in the corners of there tanks. Everyone who saw them thought that they where unhappy, and where trying to escape. On all the websites, it says that this is a normal activity, and was natural. I had to disagree. Finally I came across a website that showed this amazing picture of a gerbil burrow in its tank, the tunnels so elaborately twisted and turned, at that moment I decided that that is the way I want to keep my gerbils.
So now, I keep my gerbils on about a foot of bedding (or as much as it takes), happily digging elaborate burrows, just like the one I saw on that site!
P.S. with young pups it is usually necessary to bring mom to a 'hospital tank', one that isn't so elaborate, as pups can get lost in all that bedding. I usually provide an artificial burrow system for mothers, and put her in the 'hospital tank' a few days before she gives birth. Then when the pups get a bit older, I give them more bedding, though young pups can become untame in elaborate setups, as it is harder to get them to come out to play, so make sure they are friendly with humans before letting them have fun.