How many bags of that bedding per case? What size of bags are those? I am
considering adding aspen to my Care-Fresh, and $35 seems kinda cheap if you
get enough
aspen for 11 cages for 10 weeks.
I plan on using a carefresh-aspen ratio of:
3 parts carefresh
1 part aspen
--Riz
Remove anonymous from the email if you
wish to send me a message :P
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ann-Marie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2001 11:23 PM
Subject: Re: Eclipse
> (snip)
> > I was rather surprised to find a rather larger and furrier ball of
> > fur in the tank upon my return! Though I'm still unsure whether he
> > classifies as a true Black or a Slate, the only spots of white he has
> > is just under his chin, and on the very tips of his front paws. I
> > assume this means he is classified as spotted, (which he got from his
> > father). :)
>
> I'm glad to hear the single pup is doing great,, being plump is a good
sign!
> This pup would not be considered spotted. It is very common for solid
> colored gerbils to have a bit of white on their chins and across their
paws.
>
> >
> > Wondering if he would still recognize me, I stuck my hand down in the
> > tank. Trinity seemed much less inclined to visit with me than Eclipse
> > was. He climbed right up on my hand! He's a very calm fellow, as long
> > as you're not trying to give him his medicine, and seems to love
> > riding on my shoulder and looking about.
>
> Sounds like you have a very special gerbil. :o)
>
> >
> > The big plus is his clicking noises seem to come less and less now.
> > I've never noticed any discharge from eyes or nose, but after having
> > him make it through the first few weeks as an only pup, I could
> > hardly lose him to something as mundane as a respitory problem.
> >
> > I've also finally gotten up the nerve to change their bedding - which
> > hasn't been done since I got Einstein and Trinity, I'm ashamed to
> > say. But since it was such a big tank, and nicely aerated, there's
> > never been much of a smell at all, nor terribly dirty.
>
> No need to feel ashamed,, if it done smell, don't clean it, the gerbil
will
> appreciate you leaving the tank alone. When you clean their tank, it has a
> tendancy to upset, they have to begin building a new nest and making the
> place feel like home again.
> >
> > I've switched over to aspen bedding, after having found out how
> > horrible pine can be for gerbils, all thanks to this list! :)
> > Just wondering if there's anything I need to know about aspen? Sure
> > it's safe for them, but are there any downers? Such as having to
> > change the tank litter more often... etc. They seem to be enjoying it
> > a lot more than the pine.
>
> I have noticed some differences in Aspen. It depends on the brand. I have
> had some that was extremely dusty. Another brand had sharp shavings, I
think
> that brand was L&M.
> I recommend using Kaytee brand Aspen. It seems the softest and least
> dustiest. It costs a bit more, but it is worth it. I have my local pet
shop
> special order a case of it when ever I need it. It costs me about $35
> dollars and lasts about 10 weeks. I have 11 tanks that I currently take
of.
>
> >
> > Eclipse has reached his 4 week birthday, which means sometime after
> > next Monday I'll be splitting him from his mom :( and split caging
> > Trinity and Einstein back together. Every few days I've tried to
> > introduce the two on neutral ground (ie. the bathtub with plenty of
> > toys and places to hide and no scent of other gerbils) Einstein is
> > all about Trinity, but she seems to care less. Just tonight though,
> > instead of ignoring him, she got tired of him following her around
> > and before I knew it I had a gerbil ball. They were quickly separated
> > and I've made my shopping list for the weekend of things to get. :)
>
> Usually once they get into a gerbil ball style fight, they will always
> dislike eachother. Introducing after this kind of fight is possible, but
not
> by much.
>
> >
> > I was just wondering, is there ANY other way to introduce gerbils to
> > each other besides the split cage approach? I'm just curious if
> > anyone has tried it a different way.
>
> I recommend sticking with the split cage intro, it is the safest.
>
> >
> > When I first got Trinity, I had no idea this was what one should do
> > when putting two stranger gerbils together. I'm lucky I didn't have a
> > dead gerbil the next morning. Einstein was nipped a bit on the nose
> > and paws, but the next day they were getting along great. Took awhile
> > before they slept together though. And the next night they were doing
> > it like.. well... gerbils. ;)
> >
> > It crossed my mind that perhaps if there was enough open space, then
> > one would have the option of escaping the other. But then I've read
> > posts which say the bigger the cage, the more territory disputes are
> > bound to arise. This makes me wonder what the natural size of a
> > gerbil's territory is? In the wild they have the option of running
> > away, but how far away do they have to run? Again, just a curious
> > question.
>
> Not sure about those questions,,
>
> >
> > Well, I guess that's enough news. I'm just so happy that Eclipse has
> > managed to come this far, after all I've read about the problems with
> > solitary pups and mama's milk. It makes me wonder, is it just his
> > tenacity, Trinity's milk-ability, or something else entirely?
>
> It's probably a combination of those things.
>
> Is a
> > pup less likely to survive if he had no siblings to begin with? I
> > know Trinity had more than one pup, even though only one was rescued
> > from getting eaten by step-dad. Maybe just the process of giving
> > birth to that many babies produced enough milk to keep things going?
> > Or do gerbils not work like humans? :) Guess I'll never know.
>
> I would think a pup being the only one born would have a harder time
> surviving compared to seveal pups being born and all dying except for one.
> Maybe in those first few hours, the several pups stimulate the mother
enough
> before they pass on and leave a single pup?
>
> >
> > As I think of them, I'm sure I'll be posting more questions once I
> > get the split cage set up and things progress, or not, as the case
> > may be.
> >
> > Again, thanks for everyone's help! Don't know what I would have done
> > without all your support and suggestions!
> >
> > -Jackie & The Copper Dragon Clan
> >
> >
>
> Good luck with the pup and the split cage,
>
> Ann-Marie
> Committee Member of the American Gerbil Society
> http://www.AGSgerbils.org
