Gerbils [Hardcover]

Paul R. Paradise (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Tfh Pubns Inc (November 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876669275
• ISBN-13: 978-0876669273
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,689,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Clearly an undervalued item, April 14, 2010

By 

N. Schultz "THENate" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gerbils (Hardcover)

I went through a phase where I raised and bred gerbils. I was a curious lad who wanted to map the genetics of the coat patterns, if you can believe that. (The answer is pretty Mendelian with aguti most dominant, black over gold. Didn't get the rest tested. Sue me.)

During this time, I wanted to learn how to do various things with gerbils from handling the untamed critters to sexing them correctly, and the like. I purchased a few books and read several others to try to learn the ropes, but only this one covered all the ground I needed, and did so accurately. Most recommended cages that work great for hamsters but not gerbils. (as if the two are interchangeable) Little things like that bug a guy. Especially when I discovered escapes. Or the sexing information was wrong. Yeah. No fun.

This book covers limited topics, but the information is correct.


Since one lacking area is cage selection, here's a hint: Decent gauge wire (I used thin speaker wire) and 1/4" hardware cloth make a great lid for an aquarium. Cut out a sheet about 2-3" longer than the cage and similarly wider, and snip away the rectangles at the corners. You'll want to either fold the sharp bits from cutting over, or file them down. otherwise, you just fold the thing into a lid shape and wire them to themselves. Be sure it is big enough to go on or come off pretty easily. I added fixtures with hinges, so use your imagination, but be careful. They got nothing but time and teeth. The result is cheaper than most commercial solutions, and they wont chew right through it. Most aquariums work flawlessly as cages, so that part's easy.

There are multiple approaches to bringing gerbils into set colonies or introducing adult gerbils. The big gotcha is this: Gerbils use scent dominance. If you want them to play nice, you have to clean away the scent of all of the creatures. They mark with oils (as pretty much all mammals do) so that is harder than it sounds. Bleach can work, though ammonia seems to work a bit better, but sun for a few days is cheap and works the best. A fresh, spare cage is invaluable if you want to do this.

It turns the fight from mortal to mere dominance. I never had serious fighting after I learned this. That is, no more drawing blood. If you scent the area with something and claim dominance, (e.g. mark them with the same scent neck to back, say) you can reduce fighting further.


So, there you have it. Those points fill in the big gaps of the book. This book is a treasure trove for anyone who doesn't want to gain the experience through trial and error. It will help you be sure that Johnny and Suzi's pet gerbils can't mate, say, or won't maul you. Good stuff to know, I'd say. Well written, and it even give tips on selecting breeds for personality traits.