How...

Question
QUESTION: Hi sheila, i really want to get my gerbils used to me, i already tried all the tricks they say but i want them to crawl on my hand with out food on my hand, i just want them to be very tame, how can i do it? Also I want them to not be scared of me, how do i accomplish this? And my gerbils are always sleeping during the day, and are rarely out, they always are out at night, is this normal?

ANSWER: Hi Carlos

In many ways I have always found gerbils to be harder to tame than hamsters.  They are easily startled and slightly more nervous.  However, it isn't impossible.  The main thing is to try to handle them daily.   My usual advice for taming animals is to talk to them a lot so that they recognize your voice.  Then, scoop them up and immediately put them on your clothing.  Some little creatures don't like to walk on skin initially and it is a case of winning their confidence.  If you handle them one at a time - let them walk on your clothing for a minute or two, then return them to their cage.  Keep doing this and increase the amount of handling each time you get them out.  Be careful because they are fast and might be a bit jumpy so you don't want them escaping or hurting themselves.  Then once they get used to you and see that it is safe you might find you can put your hand in the cage and let them walk on you.  I usually rub a little of their bedding onto my hand so that this disguises my scent.  Leave your hand there and don't move it and they should come out to explore as they are  generally quite nosey.  The gerbil I have at the moment doesn't like being handled much, but if I open the side door to his cage and call him he will often come out to see what is going on.

With regard to them sleeping all day - this is slightly unusual.  Gerbils aren't nocturnal like hamsters.  They have short bursts of energy throughout the day and night.  Are you giving them plenty to shred?  If not, it is a good idea to give them cardboard tubes (if they are narrow I usually cut through it so that if they get stuck they can get out).  I get all my friends and colleagues to save toilet rolls for me as these are perfect for gerbils and are safe because they don't have any ink on them.  Let the bedding get quite deep (be careful the water bottle doesn't drain - if so, remove the wet bedding), then they can burrow in it too.  They love to make tunnels in the bedding and usually have a contest to see who can shred the fastest.  Have you got a wheel in their cage?  Gerbils can run in wheels (although not as much as hamsters).  If you are getting a wheel, make sure it is solid and doesn't have spokes otherwise they can get their wheels caught.  This would help give them a bit more exercise.  

I hope you get on OK with this.

Regards

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Oh ok, I also do give them cardboard to shred, but they shred it so fast one minute a give them a lot of peices of cardboard and then they other they are done with it! I do also have a wheel for them and one always runs in it, but my other one i see him run by she stops shortly after. I have trouble getting them because i have this cage: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754672&cp=2767038.2769317&f
It has a very small opening, so i cant really scoop or get my gerbils very easily. Is it ok if i give them like cardboard from a box? I dont know what to do.

Answer
Hi Carlo

I've just had a look at the cage you have - this is fine.  I've got some cages like this too - I usually put the cage on the floor, then remove the whole of the top section, that way you can get into the cage and scoop them up.  When I used to keep a couple in a cage like this I also got a small carry case, then scooped them both into the carry case, then sat with it on my lap and picked them up from there.  This way they both got the same amount of handling and there was no chance of the other one running off while it was waiting to be handled.  

In the wild small animals like this are often attacked from above - from birds or larger animals, therefore when a cage only has a top opening sometimes it is difficult to get them to trust you.  I used to find that if I opened the top door, my gerbils would climb onto toys (coconut shells or other non chewable toys) and look out the cage - some would then step onto my hand - but if I put my hand in the cage they were afraid because they thought I was going to hurt them.  If you dismantle the cage and then put your hand in, you night find they will walk onto your hand if you leave it there for a few minutes.

They do shred cardboard quickly - hence the reason why I get all my neighbors, friends and colleagues to save their toilet rolls for me otherwise I'd run out.  Cardboard boxes are OK - but check that any printing on them doesn't come off.  Breakfast cereal packets or similar are usually OK - I used to cut it into strips and roll it as they always seem to want to run through things, rather than just putting a flat piece of card in the cage.

With gerbils they need to get into a routine - if you don't handle them for a week or two, then you are pretty much back to square one - so the key is to try and handle them daily, also, if you want to get them out during the day, gently tap the side of the cage and call them to wake them.  Once they get into this routine you might find it easier.

Regards