Lisa,
I do have my gerbils in the basement now, but also in the basement is my
orchids, a dehumidifier, and a ton of full-spectrum lights. They seem to all
benefit from the pseudo-sun. Also the Gerbils are frequently visited
because the computer and exercise equipment are in the same room, along with
the timer on the TV that turns on the radio in the morning for them (one of
those tv.vcr.fm radio combos)Everyone "pops in" on the gerbils and I am
called immediatly if something looks even a little off-color. (I was called
home once because my mom thought they had had a pandemic of the hiccups,
turned out one cage smelled/heard the other and they started a drumming
match)If you can't move the gerbils out of the basement, maybe you should
move more positive things for them into it. Also, creating "people traffic"
so the gerbils are noticed a couple of times a day is a very easy way to
watch your gerbils. I noticed before I moved the computer and exercise stuff
in the gerbils got no visitors and things went wrong. Now I am less worried
about them and can concentrate on my major work. I'm not even in the house
most of the time (I live on campus at college) and my gerbils are well
watched. I do come home for an hour or so every other day to take everybody
out to play :) and perform cleaning detail. My brother helps me with this on
the off-days since there are 18 now and they get antsy. He just likes
playing with them, though, so I gat all the cleanign to myself, yay :} I
hope some or all of this helps, Lisa, good luck with your fuzzy friends.
-April Ann
on 2/13/01 12:12 AM, Jill at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> The suggestion to move them from the basement is excellent. I believe there
> has been some scientific research on breeding behavior and exposure to
> natural light (i.e., no light = poor breeding behavior). Even in a nice,
> finished basement there is not much natural light- it's still a basement,
> after all. Moving them to a location where they are exposed to natural
> light (that doesn't mean direct sunlight!) could improve the breeding
> behavior.
>
> I do agree that it would be best to try this with a new breeding pair, in
> the new location- the very high mortality rate couldn't be attributed to
> location alone.
> Jill
>
>
> ----------
>> From: Dan Lawson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Subject: Re: Complaint about Donna of ABC gerbils
>> Date: Monday, February 12, 2001 8:31 PM
>>
>> Dear Lisa,
>>
>> I would like to start off by saying that your attack on Donna,
> on
>> the GML, on the list, instead of a PRIVATE email, is outrageous. If you
> have
>> a personal problem, you could have taken it up with her, in a PRIVATE
> email.
>> Trying to scorn her and cut her down on the list wont do you any good at
> all.
>> I think she does alot for this list, contest, advice, etc, and I respect
> her
>> views and opinions. I also can say she knows what she is talking about.
> So
>> your attack of sorts is way off the scale..to me anyway.
>>
>> I watch my gerbils, yes..as much as I can. Why not? I enjoy them
>> anyway, I couldnt not watch them. I also have read back a few past post,
> and
>> did not see anything about 24x7..but true, if you see some kinda problem,
> it
>> should be nipped in the rear. She told you before not to breed these
>> gerbils..she should know. It HORRIFIES alot of people on this list im
> sure to
>> hear about pups being mutilated and dying, etc. And its not a first time.
>> Grant you, you are looking for help and advice..and Donna gave that to
> you,
>> and you take it personal..and bash her....for everyone to see.
>>
>> You certainly arent winning points with anyone by doing this. Not
>> everyone agrees..but they dont FREAK OUT and write a letter like that..to
> the
>> whole list.
>>
>> My personal advice, and you and I have talked before, is to take
>> them out of the basement...keep them in your room or something, where
> they
>> can be watched closely. You told me just about the pups who had been
> weaned
>> from their mother..that one of them was dead..you thought it might have
>> gotten into a fight..the rest of them where also sluggish and very
> inactive.
>> I told you it might have been possibly drafts in the basement or CM
> poisoning
>> ..you told me the others were fine. Still, Id take them out of the
> basement.
>> And I would get new breeding pairs which has been recommended by others.
>> STOP..breeding your pair you are having problems with. And next time you
> have
>> a personal problem with someone, keep it to a PRIVATE email and dont try
> to
>> gun down a tank with a water pistol.
>>
>> Enuff Said
>
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