bitting gerbil

Question
I gave my kid a gerbil and she loves  kissing, holding and betting it and know when she holds it it bites her what should i do?

Answer
Hi Alex,

First, make sure your gerbil has plenty of chew toys, to help keep his teeth filed down (since gerbils' teeth constantly grow).  And, make sure she's handlng the gerbil gently, since squeezing will agitate the gerbil and cause him to bite her.

To stop the biting, I would recommend that you purchase Bitter Lime Spray (or Gel) at the pet store.  It's marketed towards ferrets, so it'll be in the ferret section.  It's safe for all small animals, and it costs around $6.  Before your daughter handles her gerbil, spray or rub the Bitter Lime on her hands.  If the gerbil tries to bite her, he'll taste the Bitter Lime and be disgusted.  You should repeat this process until the gerbil no longer tries to bite her.

Have a great weekend!

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask :)

Kelly