Dotty the Gerbil

Dalis_mum · 07-13-2015, 12:37 PM

After losing Dali the other week I acquired Dotty from PaH adoption centre...

She seems to be settling in well. She has chunked up in the past 10 days, probably from all the digging she's been doing. She is still rather timid but will take sunflower seeds from my fingers. She is OK to handle, when I can catch her.

RubyDG · 07-13-2015, 01:29 PM

Glad to hear that Dotty is settling in!

**DrKMcK** · 07-13-2015, 02:32 PM

LOL. I adore gerbils. They were my introduction to rodents as wonderful pets. I am so sorry to see that you've lost Dali.

Coco61 · 07-13-2015, 02:38 PM

That is very good news. Sounds as though you are making excellent progress.

cypher · 07-13-2015, 11:50 PM

So good to hear she's settling in well with you, sounds as though there's quite a bond building there

racinghamster · 07-14-2015, 04:42 AM

Nice to hear you got another wee pet Dalis_mum. Gerbils are cheeky little things. Is she kept in a glass viv or aquarium? x

fluffydd · 07-14-2015, 11:26 AM

Congratulations on your new girl. Gerbils are lovely little characters. I have 4

Dalis_mum · 07-14-2015, 11:22 PM

Dotty is my first gerbil in about 20years...

I am acquiring lots of card, boxes and tubes to keep supply and demand rather steady. She is in the viv that i had acquired for Dali. Its got a good deep lip at the front so she can have a good digging depth.

I put her in the ball for the first time yesterday, whilst I cleaned her out... she just sat there, I dont think she understands what it is for...

She also seems to be a bit of a fussy eater... she doesn't like meal worms, millet sprays, dried fruit, fresh fruit and veg. I am worried that all she is eating is musli, the odd bits of the dry food that she will pick out and sunflower seeds which i am using to tame her.... All previous rodents that have been in my care have been little waste disposal units, Dotty is picky...

RubyDG · 07-15-2015, 12:02 AM

Aaaah, the joys of a fussy eater

. The only helpful advice I can give on that one is to get a list of safe foods, print it out and then slowly go through the list to figure out what she does like. Hopefully then you will be able to figure out a few foods she likes and you can just stick with that. At least she's eating her muesli though, as long as she's eating that I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Dalis_mum · 07-15-2015, 12:14 AM

The safe food list is what I am doing. Hopefully we will find something eventually... Part of me is just glad her favourite food isn't her cage like Dali's was... Dotty is so content with digging and chewing up card that I don't have to worry about waking up to a cat with a gerbil in his mouth.