Guide to Owning a Gerbil (Re Series) [Paperback]

Perry Putman (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: TFH Publications (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793821525
• ISBN-13: 978-0793821525
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,241,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not very good..., June 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Guide to Owning a Gerbil (Re Series) (Paperback)

This book, like so many others, is filled with misconceptions about gerbils, their care, and especially breeding and genetics. I would definitely not follow most of the advice in this book, because it is largely incorrect. For instance, it says that females are less quarrelsome than males. While this is true in mice, it does not apply to gerbils, in which females are much more quarrelsome than males. Also, "One of the first color mutations to appear in gerbils was the albino". Hah! Still to this date, there is no such thing as albino among gerbils. And "The black gerbil is one of the newer colors to become available commercially". Yeah right. Blacks were the 2nd color (after golden agouti) to become available! There is also a picture of a gerbil turned on its back. It is labeled as a male, while it is clearly a female! Basically, this book is a laugh to read, and might turn out to be quite dangerous for the less-informed gerbil owner taking its advice for granted. However, this book is not completely bad; it has very nice color pictures, and some of the advice in it is correct, such as it stating that cedar bedding is dangerous and should be avoided as bedding.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This book does nothing for me! (or my gerbils!), May 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Guide to Owning a Gerbil (Re Series) (Paperback)

While on the surface it may appear informative because it's full of "facts", the author does, in fact, know nothing about gerbil breeding (especially genetics.. whee gave me a good laugh there.) I'm a pretty well-respected gerbil breeder and I've raised many gerbils, and let me tell you a lot of their info is just plain wrong. (unfortunately this is the case with most gerbil books, especially the TFH ones, so sad). A lot of the breeding info is just plain dangerous (ie leaving 2 females with one male. Sure, if you want dead pups or mothers, hey why not go ahead?) So depressing. Don't buy this book--there are much better ones. If you want to know my opinion on some other books, then email me! =)

3.0 out of 5 stars Gerbils, July 29, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Guide to Owning a Gerbil (Re Series) (Paperback)

I think I got this book from the library once. I didn't actually read this book, and I'm glad I didn't, since other reviewers say it has mistakes.

I am writing this review because in another review someone said there aren't albino gerbils.

I know there are albino gerbils, because I OWN an albino gerbil! Her name is Snowflake. She is white with red eyes, so she is an albino gerbil.

I don't know if the other information is right or wrong, but I just wanted everyone to know there are albino gerbils.