eating blue bedding

Question
I just got my gerbil today its a male and its eating the blue bedding scared to go up the tunnels and is looking at them what is wrong with my gerbil

Answer
Hi Kiesha

Your gerbil is probably just chewing the bedding rather than actually eating it.  Gerbils love to chew everything.  Their teeth constantly grow and it is important that they chew things to make sure they don't overgrow.  The main thing is to make sure he has lots to chew - I get all my friends and colleagues to save the tubes from toilet rolls as these make ideal toys for them.  It is incredible how quickly they can chew their way through them.

I don't give my gerbils bedding as such - instead when I clean them out I just put in a load of kitchen paper torn into strips and half a dozen cardboard tubes and they make their own.  I usually keep adding to this over the next week or two and only then remove their bedding if it is too deep or soiled.  They love burrowing through it.

I'm sure there is nothing wrong with your gerbil - some gerbils can be very nervous and it might just take him a little while to calm down a bit and get used to his new environment.

I hope this helps you.

regards
Sheila