Gerbils vs. Mice?

[ThatGuyEd]

Welp, once my BRB is large enough, I hope to be feeding either some real big mice, or else I'll need something larger....

Gerbils are my alternative, since I'm living in Alberta...and live rats are illegal here.....Unless you own the zoo....

Anyway, do gerbils smell as much as mice do? I'm considering raising a few gerbils....so, let me know.....info, links, opinions, anything really, is welcome.

[Epicrates4life]

They don't smell as long as you keep them in the right bedding and spot clean their cage. On the other hand they are a lot more expensive to buy so rats are the alternative. BUt if your raising gerbils then it doesn't matter.

[marisa]

I raise Gerbils. Don't fed them to my snakes but I raise them here.

They stink FAR less than mice. Amazingly less. Gerbils are desert animals originally, or dry area animal, because of this they "waste" less and go to the bathroom far less than mice. They drink less water and waste less water/pee. I can let my gerbil cage go at least 5 times longer than my mouse cages. I don't do this as habit but I did test it out when I got my first pair. Even when I waited weeks to clean.....when I finally did, they still didnt' stink. I was just feeling bad for not cleaning them even if it was for an experiment.

Gerbils are harder in that they bond for life mostly. You can introduce adults but its a spilt cage method that can take weeks. Basically buy the group you want (say 1.2) and plan on leaving them together, and not adding any more to that group. Its easiet when they are young.

The females have smaller litters than mice. Far smaller. I believe the normal is anywhere from 2-8....My female had 7 her first litter. Another thing is that I think gerbils have more control over when they allow themselves to get impregnanted. They might mate say on Jan 1....but she can retain sperm and not give birth until a later time....this can happen if she already has one litter nursing. She might wait until they are larger and she can handle another litter.

If they bred more often and could be switched around more easily I would never own another mouse at all and switch all my snakes to them. Just MHO.

Marisa

[Lisa]

What about guinea pigs?

[vanderkm]

I agree with Marisa - gerbils are great claen animals to raise, but you might be better off in the long run to buy frozen rats. Gerbils breed very readily if kept in pairs - I haven't had any luck with trios - the females always fight. They are very hard to introduce to each other as adults - very terratorial and will kill same or opposite sex strangers. Need to set up your pairs as weanlings. They have almost no odor, but lots of dust, very active diggers and tend to have dusty fur. I keep pairs in a 10 gallon tank, find they do better on aspen than pine shavings. They chew a lot!! and will chew out of plastic containers that you could keep mice or rats in. I give all my feeder rodents wheels to run on, but gerbils really need them - they have tons of energy and I think they get aggressive with each other when they don't have an outlet for it.

I have had some problem with getting some species of snakes to accept them as prey. My kingsnakes, ratsnakes, some corns, boas and some carpet pythons will take them Other species and individual snakes refuse them - even starting them on pinkies - they spit them out. Some snakes will get fixated on gerbils and not take anything else (ball pythons are bad for that - they are similar to their natural prey). I have had very good growth rates with them, they seem to have more substance than mice.

My pairs produce litters of between 4-10 babies, more from young females and the females have fewer babies over a lifetime than mice. Some lines are much more aggessive and cannibalistic than others. The babies are much slower maturing than mice or rats - and they waste a lot of feed burying it and chewing nutriblocks just to chew them up, not to eat them. Those are the reasons they are more expensive to buy as feeders, but they are fun critters to have around.

Good luck with the decision. If you are in the Edmonton area of Alberta, let me know if you want breeding stock - I sell at feeder prices, which are cheaper than the pet stores, and can give you compatable pairs.

Mary v

[Linds]

Why are you planning on feeding a BRB such small prey items? These animals are capable of feeding on medium- sometimes even large rats as adults. There are many suppliers that are willing to ship you frozen rats at very reasonable prices. I hope this is not for the convenice so you can breed them yourself - that isn't really putting the animals needs first. Again, I don't mean to sound rude. Something to consider...

[marisa]

That is a good point because my largest male gerbil is only about twice the size of a adult mouse. And not nearly as large or long as a rat.

marisa

[depressor86]

well his point was that he can't have live rats and maybe his snake wont take frozen?

[ThatGuyEd]

She'll take to frozen, I was moreso more curious than anything..

Rats are...well...rather hard to come by when you live in a province that is free of rats.....And since my BRB is only taking hopper mice right now, I've some time till she needs a larger prey.
And yes, I am in the Edmonton area, so I miay just get a hold of you, VanderKM.

Linds,
I live in Alberta...You seem wise, so plz, would you mind showing me some venders who can ship to Alberta, rats that is?
Thanks for all the help!!


Oh yeah, what's the average lifespan of gerbils? I remember having one as a pet when I was younger, and I've taken a liking to them as pets, lately.

[marisa]

I think 5 years, but I am not sure....I have really started enjoying mine as well! My pair is extremly friendly, and even roll over on their backs and allow a couple belly rubs!

They are definitly a very interesting and entertaining animal. If I gave mice a rating from 1 to 10 when it comes to my personal enjoyment (not as feeders and breeders) I'd give mice a 4 and gerbils a 11. :)

marisa

[marisa]

Couldn't resist the excuse to take a couple gerbil photos!

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/mattl/Borris.jpg">
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/mattl/borriscage.jpg">

In the cage photo you can see that they have a large Barn house to live in. They normally go to the bathroom in the upper level (as you can see) and they sleep, nest and give birth in the bottom. Just thought I'd share! I love em!

Marisa

[Jeromerules]

hehe I am ed's bro. Those Gerbils look Good. TO My Ball python hehehe. Just kiddin'. Nice Gerbils . And good info

[Linds]

Ed,
sSnakeSs.com now sells all sorts of feeders, <a href="http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9167">rats</a> included ;)