# Pesky nibbling gerbls



## biscuitfudge (Nov 21, 2010)

Our gerbils gnaw everything and have eaten through the anti gnaw rings on the tube provided with the Savic gerbilarium. They have then continued to gnaw the tunnel and so I've had to remove it from their tank. They like the tube and I'd liketo replace it. 

Looks like Rotastack do metal endcaps/anti gnaw rings but does anyone else? Can you buy spare rings for the ends of Savic tubes - I've googled quite a bit but not found anything. I've got quite a bit of other Savic tubing - is anything else compatible?

Any other ideas for an indestructible tunnel - they gnaw any wooden ones to bits.

thanks


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## SophieCyde (Oct 24, 2010)

I used tissue boxes and egg boxes with mine .... very cheap , recycling , and it doesnt matter when they're chewed 

I also used to put a jar in but I've heard they have bag ventilation 

sorry , not much help  ... i only had an aquarium formine so obviously they couldnt chew their cage


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## Mildred (Sep 26, 2010)

Hi

I have nibbly gerbil problem too!! They are in glass tanks with water bottles attached inside, which they chew. I keep replacing the chewed bottles which is a pain although I dont really mind that - it's more the thought of them swallowing the plastic or making their bottle leak and making their bedding damp and horrible. Any ideas? 

Sorry if I have jumped in your thread with a question of my own, it is kind on the same lines though 

From what I understand, gerbils will chew anything!! Other than the water bottles they don't have any plastic, they have wooden tunnels and loads of card which of course they nibble and nibble ...


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

i find if i provide them with lots of other stuff to chew, wood, cardboard, even screwed up newspaper, they much prefer that to chewing what they shouldnt.

you could use willow tunnels rather then plastic ones, they will be much safer if they do decide to chew on them


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## Snails_loved (Aug 9, 2009)

they are pretty anoying and obsessive animals.
they will chew for ever. i give mine anything to chew up mostly paper and cardboard. they like whikar too

never put them in a plastic cage they always chew out. i bought my 1st gerbils a massive 3x2x2 ft cage. in two weeks they where running around my room for a few days where they nibbled the corners of everything in my room little sods!

i cant keep them in my bedroom either as they wake me up though all the scratching.

i have them in glass tanks/ gerbilariums now.

the babies also seem to pick up any habbits the mother has


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## Snails_loved (Aug 9, 2009)

Mildred said:


> Hi
> 
> I have nibbly gerbil problem too!! They are in glass tanks with water bottles attached inside, which they chew. I keep replacing the chewed bottles which is a pain although I dont really mind that - it's more the thought of them swallowing the plastic or making their bottle leak and making their bedding damp and horrible. Any ideas?
> 
> ...


a bowl lol :thumbup:
i tried over 5 diff types of bottles even a GLASS one. they still managed to break it. i gave up and now they have a bowl.

or other option which i cant be botherd to do it drill a hole in the glass and poke the metal sippy bit though.

oh also i wouldnt worry about them chewing plastic. they seem to be pretty indestructible animals and chew everything then leave it in a pile. or put it in thier bed.


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## Truckle (Oct 6, 2010)

biscuitfudge said:


> Our gerbils gnaw everything and have eaten through the anti gnaw rings on the tube provided with the Savic gerbilarium. They have then continued to gnaw the tunnel and so I've had to remove it from their tank. They like the tube and I'd liketo replace it.
> 
> Looks like Rotastack do metal endcaps/anti gnaw rings but does anyone else? Can you buy spare rings for the ends of Savic tubes - I've googled quite a bit but not found anything. I've got quite a bit of other Savic tubing - is anything else compatible?
> 
> ...


Have you got the extra large savic gerbilarium ?

I've always like the look of those, how do you get on with it other than them chewing the tube 

I have my gerbils in glass tanks now, saves a lot of mess.

As for anti gnaw rings, i can only find rotastak ones, not sure if they would fit savic tubes. I think your gerbils will still find a way to nibble the tubes with these on.

I use to have a ceramic tube thing years ago for my previous gerbils, although i cant remember where i got it from. Wood ones are always better than plastic, more natural and generally hard wearing than plastic.


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## Truckle (Oct 6, 2010)

Mildred said:


> Hi
> 
> I have nibbly gerbil problem too!! They are in glass tanks with water bottles attached inside, which they chew. I keep replacing the chewed bottles which is a pain although I dont really mind that - it's more the thought of them swallowing the plastic or making their bottle leak and making their bedding damp and horrible. Any ideas?
> 
> ...


I have the same problem with two of my gerbils ... it seems once they learn the habit of bottle chewing they dont give up ! 

My other 5 gerbils have never had this problem and gnaw everything else but Reggie and Perrin have destroyed three now and I have had them only a short while. I have the idea of building a strong plastic/glass/acrylic box that can be mounted to the inside of the tank with a hole drilled through for the bottle spout and a lid for ease of taking the bottle out for refilling but i have no idea how best to construct this ......


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## Snails_loved (Aug 9, 2009)

Truckle said:


> I have the same problem with two of my gerbils ... it seems once they learn the habit of bottle chewing they dont give up !
> 
> My other 5 gerbils have never had this problem and gnaw everything else but Reggie and Perrin have destroyed three now and I have had them only a short while. I have the idea of building a strong plastic/glass/acrylic box that can be mounted to the inside of the tank with a hole drilled through for the bottle spout and a lid for ease of taking the bottle out for refilling but i have no idea how best to construct this ......


make it out of metal!!! lol. mine chewd though all sorts of plastics. even managed to break a glass bottle!!!!


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## davidc (Dec 15, 2010)

When my gerbils were small enough to go through them, I put toilet roll tubes together, making a hole in every second one I think, so they could get out easily if need be. They explored through them and then chewed them to pieces.

But Ebony used to have a thing for chewing water bottles, I had to replace them at least 5 times, and she was making her bedding wet, but now there's a divider seperatng the plastic bit from her so she can't chew it.

Sandy even had a toy that she loved, one of those sea-saw things, but she still couldn't resist chewing it, but somehow she was careful and only chewed the bits that wouldn't stop it working! But after a couple of months, she couldn't resist it any longer and chewed it to pieces!


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