# Gerbil jumping and chewing their roof!



## Claire17 (Oct 27, 2014)

Hi all,

My gerbils are in lovely big tank with lots of bedding and stuff to chew on. 

The tank has a mesh wire lid. One of the gerbils has started to leap up and hang on to the lid whilst chewing it. Any ideas how I can stop her? I'm worried she's going to hurt herself! 

Thanks!


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## Timern (Feb 17, 2015)

Would it be possible to get a taller tank? My other thought would be to put a lightweight can on top of the mesh roof. Fill it with a few coins, pebbles or something to make a noise. When she jumps up, it will likely shake and startle her. Im not positive it will work, but you could give it a try.


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

She won't harm herself I would say that every single gerbil/hamster/mouse and rat I have ever kept has done this at some point...if it worries you try putting some chew bars/toys in the cage, chances are she'll go back to what she likes though. My last gerbil....years ago now it was when my kids where little but anyway...he managed to get out his cage on night...next morning I came down an had a sense something was different ...heard a noise under the cooker and thought it was a mouse...so there I was huffing and chuffing...didn't give it a thought it was dark in my kitchen...anyway, the gerbil had got out of his cage....somehow managed to turn into a ninja , he'd managed to climb up the back of the cooker...chewed through the rope of the kitchen blind making it drop down leaving the place in darkness....ate through a bag of bread...leave little poop drops in a trail down the worktop...create loads of mess and finally settled in the draw under the cooker....how that bloody thing stayed alive for so long is beyond me he was a right little sh1t haha...good job I realised before I put a mouse trap down lol


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## Claire17 (Oct 27, 2014)

Thank you both for replying so quickly! I can't afford a new tank at the moment, but I like the idea of putting something on top that will make a noise. It might discourage her! It's tough mesh and it's on tight so I think she'll have a job to get through it but obviously I'll keep an eye on it and replace it as I need to. 

I've just put a bottle on top with some stuff in that should make a noise if she jumps up again. 

She's a little trouble maker!


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

Claire17 said:


> Thank you both for replying so quickly! I can't afford a new tank at the moment, but I like the idea of putting something on top that will make a noise. It might discourage her! It's tough mesh and it's on tight so I think she'll have a job to get through it but obviously I'll keep an eye on it and replace it as I need to.
> 
> I've just put a bottle on top with some stuff in that should make a noise if she jumps up again.
> 
> She's a little trouble maker!


They are...if there's mischief to be found they will find it, the way they chew though it's doubtful that they would make cages like that if chewing it would harm them, she'll be keeping her teeth down tat's all. My lads rat got out his cage a few weeks ago and chewed through his favourite top...then the next morning he woke up with him sat on top of him staring him in the face, so of course me being me told him stories on how he was lucky he woke up before Ziggy chewed off his nose....next thing I know the rat is in his cage on top of the dining room table haha...taught me not to wind up a 20 yr old with aspergers lol


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## Timern (Feb 17, 2015)

Honestly, I dont think she will hurt herself. But gerbils are little pains in the butt!


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Claire17 said:


> Thank you both for replying so quickly! I can't afford a new tank at the moment, but I like the idea of putting something on top that will make a noise. It might discourage her! It's tough mesh and it's on tight so I think she'll have a job to get through it but obviously I'll keep an eye on it and replace it as I need to.
> 
> I've just put a bottle on top with some stuff in that should make a noise if she jumps up again.
> 
> She's a little trouble maker!


Hi Claire, To be honest if your girls are anything like my boys something making a noise will encourage rather then scare her, my two love anything that makes a noise! :crazy:

I have no idea about stopping her, maybe she'll stop once she is bored of it.


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## Claire17 (Oct 27, 2014)

Hi there, 

I tried it the sudden noise approach.... it startled her once and then she just ignored it! 

I'm hoping she will just forget about it. If not I think I've come up with a way I can possibly make the roof higher if I need to. 

It's typical, I moved them from a gerbilarium to a tank to stop her rubbing her nose on the bars, and she's found another way of doing it!

She's such a little monster! :001_rolleyes:


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