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

[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?

[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!

[Suki Wingy]

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

WHY