I had a couple of gerbils for a year before they discovered the wheel.
Others learned quickly and became steadfast believers in what I call The
Great God Ferris (my husband said at one point that he thought the gerbils'
god was George Ferris, the inventor of the Ferris Wheel). I always wondered
what the true devotees to Ferris, such as our gerbies, Lydia and (the late,
great) Cheesel would do if I showed them a Ferris Wheel--would they
prostrate themselves in front of it (Oh Mighty Ferris!!! Ommmm!!!)? Others
seem to learn to use the wheel but not like it much (unbelievers!!!
Heathens!!!). :-).
Good point on Mongolia.
Renee
Deborah Adams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>@listserv.rice.edu> on 07/21/2000
07:49:05 AM
Please respond to Deborah Adams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent by: Gerbil Discussion List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
cc:
Subject: Re: i need HELP!!!!
>1. I live in the North so it gets really cold in the winter time (30-40
>Fahrenheit). I know that they are desert creatures so how can i keep them
>warm?
Only 30-40 F? That's not cold at all! That's shorts and sun-tanning
weather! Can you tell I'm from Fairbanks (just moved South, though!)
Seriously, look at a map of the world and notice the location of Mongolia.
It's just south of Siberia. As Julian Barker often quotes, the gerbil can
survive temperatures as cold as -40 C (which is -40 F). The deserts of
Mongolia can get rigidly cold as well as oppressively hot. Remember that
the term "desert" refers to the amount of moisture a climate gets, not to
how hot or cold a climate gets.
Keep your gerbils indoors to keep them warm. If you must keep them
outdoors
or in a shed, make sure they have several inches of bedding material to
bury
themselves in. Do you keep your gerbils outdoors?
>2. Can gerbils be taught tricks, and do they respond to their names?
Some have reported teaching their gerbils tricks, although I haven't tried.
>3. What should i buy them to play with?
Ya don't have to buy a thing! Just put all your used cardboard in their
tank. i.e. toilet paper tubes, paper towel tubes.
>4. I covered the "hamster wheel" with paper. But they still won `t run in
>it.
>What should i do [im dying to see them run in it] ?
Make sure the wheel is off the ground and securely anchored to something.
If the wheel is shakey or if it easily gets clogged with bedding, they
won't
run in it. Hang the wheel with wires from the top of the tank. Some
gerbils take awhile to learn to like the running wheel and some never
really
like it.
Welcome and good luck!
Deb Adams
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