# How do hamsters and gerbils breathe in deep burrows?



## rainstars (May 3, 2012)

I've always wondered how do they do it? I've been avoiding posting this question thinking I'd look stupid for asking. How much air can actually be inside a burrow.  When they tunnel down does it keep it's shape and let air through? What if it doesn't keep it's shape? I've been looking at a burrow box online and I want to make something similar but I worry about air and also about them being at the bottom and not being able to climb back up lol. Especially if they are old, weak, or small.


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

This is a good question and one I'd like to know the answer too as well. And also what to give a gerbil to make the burrows hold up better-he has megazorb and hay at the moment but it all collapses as he digs.


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## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

I think its something to do with the amount of CO2 they carry in their blood which means they require less oxygen to breathe.


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## peter0 (Oct 4, 2011)

It's a good question, i'd like to know too!

I have a chipmunk aviary outside and one of them dug down into their digging patch underground and moved her food store and all her bedding down last year in about November and she went into hibernation and didn't appear until March. We got pretty worried but she popped up and was completely fine. It's weird to think she lived down there


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## GerbilNik (Apr 1, 2011)

I'm no expert but I'd imagine as the tunnels aren't solid and air can pass through them then it's as simple as that. In the wild they would live in burrows many metres underground, so a few tunnels a number of inches deep in captivity is nothing!


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## rainstars (May 3, 2012)

So mesh lids and caged bars keep the moisture low, and the ammonia fumes down more than anything else. I still find it hard to believe they don't need much air even though it's obviously true. It's because I can't find any proper information online, in books, anywhere. I've been trying to find an explanation for a while now. So the tunnels lead to sectioned off places like a hoarding corner, somewhere to defecate, somewhere to sleep etc? And if it collapses they can breathe and they can also dig all the way back up?


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## rainstars (May 3, 2012)

GerbilNik said:


> I'm no expert but I'd imagine as the tunnels aren't solid and air can pass through them then it's as simple as that. In the wild they would live in burrows many metres underground, so a few tunnels a number of inches deep in captivity is nothing!


It can't be as simple as that, because like you said some are so deep and wait.....MOLES lol be right back....

_"Moles have been found to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide than other mammals, because their blood cells have a special and unique hemoglobin protein. Moles are able to reuse the oxygen inhaled when above ground, and as a result, are able to survive in low-oxygen environments such as underground burrows."_

Secret of how moles breathe underground 

Hahahaha that picture is so funny. So, maybe it works the same for all burrowing rodents? What do you think? Oh no now I have more questions like is a mole definitely a rodent? Which rodents have the ability mentioned above? Do mice and rats create burrows in the wild too? I'm sure they do.


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## GerbilNik (Apr 1, 2011)

Well yes - if the tunnels collapse they can find their way out by digging very easily. It's what they are made to do.


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## kat04kt (Sep 11, 2011)

Polishrose - mine have snowflake shavings, megazorb and hay. 

Plenty of toilet roll tubes - anything cardboardy - they will gnaw it down and use it to build support structures. 

Wooden bridges come in handy - I have numerous ones in mine - my tank is massive though, I had it custom built because I couldn't find anything on the market suitable. 

My gerbils make tunnels and structures galore and it doesn't give. 

I think with the sawdust/shaving (whatever people refer to it as - what I mean is the good stuff, dust free etc) well essentially it's a toss up really. Yes rodents have more sensitive respiratory systems. Gerbils have tougher ones though than their rodent cousins the rat and the hamster. For me their emotional well being has to be considered. Like you say megazorb and hay just doesn't cut it when it comes to tunnel burrowing, shavings do!


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## elmthesofties (Aug 8, 2011)

rainstars said:


> _"Moles have been found to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide than other mammals, because their blood cells have a special and unique hemoglobin protein. Moles are able to reuse the oxygen inhaled when above ground, and as a result, are able to survive in low-oxygen environments such as underground burrows."_


I know this is a bit gory so I haven't been toooooo keen on saying this but..
A lot of the guides for DIY euthanasia involving CO2 do specifically say that you will need to wait a lot longer if the animal is naturally a burrowing animal. (just to clarify, this isn't something I do or have ever done) So it's not just a theory or anything, it's unfortunately been tried and tested.


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