I think allergic pet owners are a lot more common than people realize- I read a statistic recently from survey done by the American Association of Veterinary Medicine(might not be the exact name) that found that 30% of practicing veterinarians have some degree of animal allergies. I found this very encouraging,as I am allergic to all my animals, and the bedding and hay (for the rabbits and guinea pigs)- contact dermatitis from handling, upper respiratory problems (sneezing, itchy, swollen eyes), asthma...it goes on and on. I get allergy shots, take prescription meds and a steroid inhaler for the asthma. The way I figure it, I have the allergies if I clean them every week, every 2 weeks, every three...so why not do what's best for them? I am definitely not willing to give them up, and at this rate it's only going to get worse as I get ready to apply to vet school! Jill ---------- > From: Deb Rebel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: C: tunnels-cage cleaning > Date: Friday, November 03, 2000 6:26 PM > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jill <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Friday, November 03, 2000 1:53 PM > Subject: Re: C: tunnels-cage cleaning > [reply to my post, [EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > >I agree that hamsters should be cleaned once a week. But I think 2 weeks is > >too often for gerbils- if they smell after only 2 weeks so as to require > >cleaning, a different bedding should be used. They need time to build up > >and mix up the bedding so they can make tunnels and burrows as they would > >in the wild. I use a combination of carefresh, paper and tissue and have > >never had to clean more often than every 3-4 weeks. > > > I have an allergic husband, and other considerations that require > the more frequent cleaning. I am stuck with shredded recycled > paper bedding (softly ripped not cut edges) as he cannot tolerate > anything else I can afford. > > >Perhaps another issue is causing the smell to become evident so quickly- > >too many gerbils in a too small cage, or a wooden toy that is repeatedly > >peed on. > >Jill > > > No on the first-average of two gerbils per 10 or 15 gallon tank. > Toys consist of toilet tissue rolls. Small wooden chunks (clean > dimensional building lumber bits-white pine) given for gnawing > and changed as needed. Small cardboard boxes for them to > demolish also given on occasion. > > They are given 2" or more of fresh bedding (5-6 cm) at a change, > and have enough to burrow about and dig, but not make full fledged > tunnels. Most would pile it all at one end and eat and drink and > that at the other with an almost bare bottom. > > Hamsters, weekly. If chinese dwarf, twice a week and break the > cage down weekly for scrubbing. Else full scrub once a month. > Gerbils, every two weeks, full scrub once a month. > > Deb > Rebel's Rodent Ranch ____________NetZero Free Internet Access and Email_________ Download Now http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html Request a CDROM 1-800-333-3633 ___________________________________________________________
