Getting a new pet... or pets...

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Gerbils.

Don't worry, I've been doing plenty of research, so much that my eyes hurt. My dad had small animals as a kid, and he wouldn't mind having another. Through process of elimination, (dad does NOT want a rat), we've decided on gerbils.

Any beginner advice?

[flamepony12]

My mom had those when she was little. They used to get out and zoom around the house. >.>

Good Luck, Meg-on.

teehee. ;D

[lute]

i've never had small pets other than rabbits. i did care for A LOT of gerbils and hamsters at the petstore i worked at. they are pretty easy to care for just make sure you change their bedding EVERYDAY. make sure they have fresh food and water. gerbils also like veggies. add a little extra nutrition with some carrots, peas, green beans, etc. stay away from iceburg lettuce. it is highly toxic to gerbils.

good luck with the gerbils!

[Suki Wingy]

you probably already know thid but they are happiest in pairs. It is best to get them in already-bonded pairs. Usually 2 females, neutered pair, or two littermate brothers.

[CathyBogart]

Since they're illegal in CA I don't have any advice, but have fun with them!!

[lute]

Since they're illegal in CA I don't have any advice, but have fun with them!!

why are they illigal?

[Suki Wingy]

Since they're illegal in CA I don't have any advice, but have fun with them!!

WHY

[CathyBogart]

why are they illigal?

Because CA is stupid? I honestly don't know. I've only ever seen a gerbil in person once, but there's some lady giving them away near San Francisco and posting it all over craigslist... -_- Odds are she'll get busted and get all her little fuzzies taken away eventually.

We can't have gerbils, ferrets, hedgies, pygmy mice, any marsupial, blah!!! -_-

[Sophist]

We can't have gerbils, ferrets, hedgies, pygmy mice, any marsupial, blah!!! -_-

But we can keep native rattlesnakes without a permit. Yep, that's Cali for you. I recently got to meet an illegal gerby here, and he was awesome. Good luck, and post pictures for us poor deprived Californians!

But the reason is typically given as this: Unlike many other states, Hawaii, Florida, and California are unusually suited to provide a suitable climate for non-native species to gain a foothold and compete with native species. There are more than 50 species now that are not native that are considered at least established, acclimatized, self-sustaining breedings colonies, and these species are blamed (in part) for a more than 50% decline in native California species that are on the United States endangered list (although I think the figures there include plants), and cost billions of dollars in damages (one little non-native bug called the Glassy Winged Sharp-Shooter usually costs the state more than $35 billion annually all on its own). Non-native species can usually snag a native animals' tenous spot in nature, but usually can't fill the same role well enough to 'replace it', and they can naturally carry certain illnesses, bacteria, etc with no ill effect that native species might no have any immunity for. They're just afraid we can't handle ferrets, Wallabies, and gerbils, too...

I could go on, but I am ranting now, sorry. So back to what I inteded to say... Gerby pics when you get them, please!

[IRescue452]

Well back to the subject. I've gone through dozens of gerbils in my younger years. My mom used to breed them and I always kept a pair as pets.
Fruits and veggies are a treat at your own risk. I never fed them because it was too much of a risk for wet tail. A better treat is a piece of cereal or any of the assorted grainy treats you can buy at the pet store. Food should contain little to no sunflower seeds. Gerbils are treat deamons and sunflower seeds are a favorite. It takes little food to sustain them each day and if they can they will live off of treats and sunflower seeds and not touch anything else. They learn quickly whether or not you are going to give them enough treats to sustain them.
Bedding is easy. Give them toilet paper rolls or soft drink cup holders and they will chew their own bedding. No cedar or pine bedding and nothing with ink on it. Make sure it stays dry all the time. If the water bottle leaks on the bedding you need to put a dish under it or constantly clean the wet bedding.
If you get more than one and you ever need to seperate them, don't keep them apart for more than an hour or two. This is very important as I had one gerbil bite the tail off another after being seperated for only a few hours.
If you get the plastic tubes for them to run in, check the connector pieces often. They chew them from the inside and can escape before you notice that they are chewed.
They bite. The don't get as tame as hampsters. They like to bite. They might love you but get annoyed one day and there goes a fingernail. Have bandaids nearby.
I don't think there is much else to say. I'm sure you got all of this information already through research, but its worth repeating.