Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000
I am not sure why but I was always under the impression either that gerbils shouldn't have wheels, or that they weren't necessary. It may be one of those myths but I always thought they were prone to heart attacks running in a wheel. I do know they need very deep bedding and tunnels within the bedding. Have attached the RSPCA sheet with details of the right kind of environment for gerbils - it doesn't mention a wheel. I haven't actually seen a wheel in a gerbil set up before.
I would think the set up of the cage is more important than a wheel. ie a tank style with a good height and about 40cm deep of bedding with some large tunnels under the bedding. There's a sample photo on the link below.
https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwe...ls/environment
Gerbil set ups I have seen have either been in a gerbilarium (a glass tank with a cage topper) - the 100cm Falco cage seemed popular for this on Zooplus. Or in something like the Living World Eco Habitat.
When we were children a friend had a gerbil who had a heart attack after running in a wheel, and when we got one we were told they run until they drop and they shouldn't have a wheel - but that was a very long time ago. |
The RSPCA are not a reliable source of information. These are the same people who say goldfish can be kept in 10 gallon tanks and say a hamster doesn’t have a minimum cage size as long as the set up correct. They’re the last people I would get information from