Sondra,
I have heard that a lot of people do the mealworm thing, I dont. Truthfuly I really dont think the gerbs are going to accosiate the worms with there babies, so I think you are safe. I would like to tell you though...We used to feed them to our iguanas and it is improtant you realize that if they are in the tank and they for what ever reason dont get eated you are gunna have a hell of a bug problem (pardon my french). They turn in to big nasty black bettles, and I dotn know about you but that is the reason i would not bother with them. I give my gerbs dry cat food and milkbone dog treats for protein.
Now as for your gerbs behavior. This is for the most part how petstore gerbs are at first. From now on when you put your hand in the cage offer a treat ( fruit, sunny seeds, etc..) this will make than relate a pleasant experance with your hand and they will be more willing to get in it. While you are holding them never do anything to hurt or scare them and they will eventualy come around. Food is always the best way to make a gerbil like you. You should always wash your hands before and after you hold gerbils. Washing befor will prevent any srange smells from bothering them. You should also wash between different cages so you dont cause any gerbils to smell strange to there mate/friend and get in a fight. You are not handeling them enough.You should hold then as much as you can. Every timeyou walk by the cage if you have time stick your hand in with a sunflower seed o something to make you seem actractive. Your attention is the only way they will get used to you. Hope thi! s helped.
Jocie Kessinger
The Titan Clan
Sondra Dorsey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi everyone,
I started giving my gerbils two or three live
mealworms a week to ensure they are getting enough
protein. Is this a good idea? I've read that giving
gerbils flesh foods will make them more likely to
eat/attack their babies....I've also read that giving
gerbils mealworms will satisfy their protein/flesh
food urges so they _won't_ cannibalize their babies.
Ah, the conflicting info you can find on the internet
these days! :) Does anyone have any advice?
One other thing...we have two pairs of gerbs, one (M
and F)about 10-12 weeks old and the other (M and M)
about 6-7 weeks old. Both were bought in pet stores,
and none of them are all that friendly. They put up
with you once you've got them out of the cage
(barely!), but they always run away and hide when we
reach in to catch them. We have to trick them into a
container an! d lift them out of the cage that way. Am
I doing something wrong? I only handle them about two
times a week each because I worry that I'm totally
freaking them out by going in their cages. Could I
have a weird smell on my hands, or be handling them
too much or not enough?
Any advice would be great!
Happy Valentine's Day to all!
Sondra
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