ABCgerbils <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote > >Julian would be a good person to comment here...but >though the temerature on the service might be below >freezing, I believe that gerbils in the wild live in >deep, snug tunneling systems. I personally wouldn't >feel comfortable keeping them in temperatures much >below 65 degrees F. I'd also give them deep litter, >tissue paper, and a wooden nest box not much larger >than the two gerbils. > >If you do use a heating source make sure there are >areas in the tank where they can get away from the >heat and that you monitor it carefully with a >thermometer. People on the list have over-heated >their gerbils :( > >Donna >ABC Gerbils >www.abcgerbils.com >
It does get very cold in Mongolia, and gerbils are very well adapted for low temperatures. However, if the gerbil lives alone I would be wary of leaving it at temperatures as low as 7C even with lots of bedding. It may very well be OK, but I would recommend placing a headed pad, as are sold for reptiles, under one en of the tank. That will create a heat gradient so the gerbil can choose somewhere that is a comfortable temperature. You can tell if a gerbil is getting cold as it will bury itself and stay very still. it should still get active to investigate your hand etc, but will not spend much time on normally recreational activities such as chewing or burrowing. If a gerbil gets very cold it will go into a state of torpor (unconsciousness). If this happens put the gerbil inside your clothing until it recovers. This may take several hours. -- Julian [EMAIL PROTECTED] National Gerbil Society http://www.gerbils.co.uk/
