# Any Duprasi (fat tailed gerbil) owners out there?!



## be_holed (Sep 4, 2017)

Hi! I've just posted this on the general introduction board, then had a bit of a browse around & thought it would be better here...sorry moderator!

I'm new to PetForums but joined because I recently adopted a pair of duprasi (fat tailed gerbils) from the RSPCA. I'd be really interested to chat with anyone who owned/has owned them as I've not owned them before - they are fairly unusual and some of the info out there seems a bit contradictory!

For example, my pair of doops live together (I'm assuming they're sisters). Most of the info seems to suggest this isn't a good idea (although some says males can live together but not females; some says females can but not males!). So far, I have seen no obvious fights/aggression between them and they have no wounds to lead me to believe this is happening. In fact, they're usually very happily cuddled up together! One (Cas) definitely seems more dominant than the other though - she is much fatter(!) & bolder. Caish tends to be much more furtive & wary and is also much slimmer, although I don't think she is underweight. I put their food in two places to try to ensure they both can access it. Should I be worried?!

I've lots more 'is this normal?' type questions I won't go into here but it would be good to chat if you have experience of these little critters.

Thank you!

be_holed


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## Roxyb937 (Nov 2, 2016)

I don't have fat tailed gerbils, but i do have a pair of male gerbils, brothers. I have one who is fatter than the other, i noticed that the fatter one darth vader sits in the food bowl to eat so that luke can't get to it, so i grab a hand full of food and throw it in the bedding but ive been told thats good as it encourages natural behaviour, and luke has now learnt to take food and hide with it to eat as the fatter one does snatch off him. If i give them treats i give the fat one his first so he wont bother the skinnier one.. They do sort of fight occasionally but i would say its more playful but i do just tap on the cage and they stop if i think its too much, but mostly they are together curled up sleeping and digging together there was a point where the fatter one was over grooming the skinnier one he got a bald patch i think it was for dominance but i just kept an eye on them but theyve never hurt each other. i think it just depends on their own personalities if you think they are happy and healthy weight then they are probably fine


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## Shelby94 (Oct 26, 2017)

Hi, 
I own a male duprasi and I owned a female one too, I bought them as a male pair from a pet store 2 years ago, and they started fighting I got them sexed and that is when I found out one was female (I had to seprate them very quickily) but she died earlier this year. But I still have the male. There is lots of things I have learned about them in this time. Which I never learned from a pet store mostly i researched and tried... I am sure yours are fine just make sure the skinner one is eating and she isn't getting bullied by the bigger one. And if she is getting bullied, they can live happily by themselves or you can buy a bigger vivarium to give them more space? 2 of everything might work and maybe moving where the food bowls are so they can't claim it.

I can try my best to answer any questions you may have on their care. But I am also still learning as the info about them is contradictory and it is hard to know what works without trying it out yourself  

Look forward to hearing from you


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## be_holed (Sep 4, 2017)

Hi Shelby 94 great to hear from you!

Well the update is I now only have one doop - the skinnier female started scratching excessively to the point of breaking the skin so I took them to the vets. They prescribed ivermectin for mites (although they couldn’t see any on a skin scrape). However after the 2nd treatment Caish got bad diarrhoea (possibly because she licked it off?) which led to her losing a lot of weight & eventually passing away . The other one (Cas) was fine & they were treated the same, which makes me wonder if there was an underlying health issue. I never saw any fighting & always made sure food was available in several places around the tank but she may have been suffering from stress from being bullied I guess.

Cas still seems good & healthy and is maintaining weight around 60g which looks about right. I do wonder about her diet though - she is on a standard gerbil muesli mix, which I hope to switch to a complete gerbil pellet diet now i’ve found one (I don’t like muesli diets as they pick & choose so much). However I’ve read this should be supplemented with additional protein. I’ve tried cat kibble, dried mealworms, hard boiled egg & tetra fish pellets but Cas doesn’t seem to want any of it! I’m tempted to try some live food but don’t know if I can get hold of just a couple of crickets rather than a box full. What is yours on?

Thanks for getting back to me!

Bee


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## Shelby94 (Oct 26, 2017)

I'm really sorry to hear that one died  these things happen.

I've just started making my own mix with my boy because he wouldn't eat most of the food I gave him from gerri gerri gerbil mix which I was recommended. I found out how to do it online and it works out cheaper in the long run. Cost me about 10 pound.

He is on atm: 
- gerbil mix, budgie mix with sunflower seeds, peanuts, dried carrot, dried banana, softbill universal food, and cat biscuits
I just mixed these all up into a air tight container.
-I give millet spray and occasionally fresh veg, like carrot, spinach, broccoli and savoy cabbage. He likes the cabbage the most 

A trick I tried with mine to get them to eat the cat biscuits at first is I soaked them in boiled water till the went really soft. And just gave them 1 or 2 every other day for 2 weeks. And now mine loves them. I did have live food for a long time but there was alot of waste, but you can get a box of crickets for around 2 pound at pets at home if you want to try it, (it's interesting to see at first) You can give them dried meal worms also, I haven't tried this yet, you can also give them meat, I tried ham mine wasn't keen. Cat biscuits have worked the best for me. He likes the go cat one with the orange label  (think it's turkey) I am trying the universal softbill food he doesn't mind it but it stinks so I might try mealworms instead. Also they can have complete dog food also. So there is plenty of options if you don't want to give her live food.

I've never weighed but he is going to vet soon for a check up.

I also found out that they are allergic to pine it can be fatal and the petstore didn't know this! And recommended shavings and tissue.... What bedding do you use? I use caco sand and tissue. It's expensive for the sand but if you buy a civ you can make it last months.

They can get really greasy fur, I found this out the hard way. They are meant to have sand baths with chinchilla sand. But my one doesn't like to bath and I am taking him to the vet to see if they know anything. I know caco sand can help and I will always recommend it, it's amazing stuff and you can buy different colours  but my boy doesn't bathe ever! And he looks greasy  

I hope this has helped


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## be_holed (Sep 4, 2017)

It is a great help - thanks!

Bedding-wise mine is on carefresh, they were on shavings at the RSPCA but I know they can cause problems so I switched straight away. The carefresh does work out expensive but it is good & dust-free. I’m hesitant to use sand as a main bedding as I feel it could irritate their eyes? Originally I left a dust bath in all the time but it was constantly being emptied with dust kicked everywhere so I thought I would try only putting it in occasionally. She doesn’t seem to use it loads though. I may try the caco instead of the chin dust I have. She does look a bit greasy too

She eats most of the Gerri gerbil (friend’s farm) but definitely avoids some of it which is why i’m going to try a complete pellet - have ordered some science selective hamster/gerbil but could also try beaphar care plus which is another complete pellet.

In terms of your home-mix, is it gerbil, budgie, soft-bill universal & Cat food? Wasn’t sure if the ingredients you listed were part of the budgie mix or extras? I will try getting some go-Cat & soaking it - I just tried mine on the Harrington’s I feed my cat which she wouldn’t touch. She also doesn’t like the dried mealworms. Does yours have any hay? I also give mine green oat hay to nibble on though I may switch to plain meadow. I'm still experimenting!

I bought some small digital scales to weigh mine as i find it invaluable to keep track of her health. Hopefully your vet will have something helpful to say - my vet is great with the cat & rabbits but admitted never having seen a doop before!

Best of luck!

Bee


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## Shelby94 (Oct 26, 2017)

Yes those are all seprate ingredients. I use gerri gerbil and a budgie mix as like a Base mix, as mine wouldn't eat much of the gerri gerbil. And I added small amounts of dried carrot and banana. Then I mixed in a few handfuls cat biscuits and mixed in the universal food. He seems alot happier on this mix so far. Oh and also I add any left over cereal like rice crispies, it's just another thing I heard they like and he loves them too.

He has no interest in hay. I used willow sticks for his teeth and millet spray too. Then fresh veg, but not too much fresh food because they can get diahoerra I've heard so I only use small amounts. 

I will be buying some electric scales as soon as possible. For the same reason you have its bad I haven't really 

Best of luck


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## PepaCub (Sep 26, 2013)

Hello both.

Have you found out anything new about your doops since you last updated the thread. I have some myself now and would love to hear any new information about their diet or their health that you have found out from having them so long?

Thanks (if you are still out there) or anyone else with doops?

My adult doops range from 60g to 100g.


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