|
It's quite simple, really. First, you need to determine if you are capable of providing a pair of gerbils with
what they need. This means monetarily, emotionally, and physically. Gerbils are easier than cats and MUCH easier
than dogs or birds to care for and keep healthy and happy, but they are not toys and cannot simply be left to fend for themselves.
Follow the steps below to assure that you make the best start you possibly can.
|
|
Steps to Successful Gerbil Keeping
- Read at least one good gerbil book to really be sure you know what you're getting into. My personal recommendations
are below. Visiting the American Gerbil Society website (see Links page) will also help - and seeing the AGS color strips
is worth a visit all by itself!
- Decide if you have a preference of color, pattern, or gender.
- Reserve a pair or trio from your American Gerbil Society breeder of choice.
- Purchase the supplies you need. Prepare habitat 24+ hours in advance of bringing your gerbils home.
Recommended Reading
- Gerbils by Donna Anastasi. Don't waste your time with any other book about gerbils; as the current president
of the American Gerbil Society as well as one of its most respected breeders, Donna is the ONLY person qualified to write
about gerbils... in our humble opinion, that is.
- My Gerbil and Me by Engelbert Kotter. Greath photos and highly suitable for children. It has many grand
ideas for playscapes and such.
- Gerbils by Laura Howell. An Usborne First Pets book, also very child-friendly.
Supply List
At Autumnglory, we want to make sure that all of our gerbils are housed in appropriate living arrangements -
to bring home a pair of our babies, you will need...
-
Nothing smaller than a ten gallon aquarium with tight-fitting wire lid. Similarly sized
wire cages are fine, but you'll find them terribly messy. NO PLASTIC HABITRAILS, PLEASE. Gerbils can chew out
of them, and they are difficult to keep clean.
-
A water bottle. We use both the small "vertical spout" hanging bottles alone,
and 8 oz. "angled spout" bottles in a holder. We prefer the "vertical spout" for chewers, but the colored "Bell
Bottles" with the angled spout are nice when you need to medicate your gerbils (as some medicines are light-sensitive.
-
Gerbil food of at least 12% crude protein.
-
We use and recommend Kay-Kob corn cob litter for your tank, and Small Pet Eco-Bedding
for nesting.
|
