# Gerbil Tank Substrate?



## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

I've seen two gerbils in the [email protected] adoption centre.... and hopefully they will be mine on monday  :devil:

So I was just wondering before I go out and get everything, what's the best substrate to put in for them? Wood shavings are the most obvious choice but I was just wondering if anyone would recommend anything better cos I don't want the wood shavings to irritate them or hold too much smell in (even though gerbils aren't that stinky )

aargh im so excited  thanks


----------



## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

I use wood shavings :thumbup1:
I havn't had any problems with it


----------



## SolBhonjai (Dec 4, 2009)

I rarely use bed shavings. Since I have asthma I hate how the dusts makes me sneeze and wheeze for a good half hour. Also it makes the cages stink more.

I use CareFresh bedding eveyr so often. But for the most part I give my gerbils a mix of shredded paper and newspaper. Throw in a handful of toilet paper and by 2 days they have downy soft fluffy bedding.
Also 2 of my gerbils actually are litter trained. They refuse to pee and poo in their cage so I set up a tube and a maze. the maze has actual cat litter and they use one half for the bathroom and the other hand for taking baths.

This worked well since they are a light grey/white so I know when they are dirty. And they smell like earth. So I have started to put cat litter at the very bottom of my gerbils tanks and cages and it works really well.


----------



## Natik (Mar 9, 2008)

i use saw dust, its great for them for digging tunnels and they just love it...with wood shavings its not that possible for them to dig tunnels.....

and its not even that dusty as i thought it would be, so gerbils like it and so do i


----------



## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

Mine dig tunnels in wood shavings with no problems. As long as you get dust extracted then you're fine.

It also depends on where the gerbils are being kept. If they're in a tank, then the best substrates are wood shavings and saw dust but if they're in a cage (which they shouldn't be anyway), then you can use something like carefresh but they won't be able to burrow in carefresh.


----------



## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

thanks everyone 

Some other naughty person has already put their name down for them so it doesn't look likely that I will get them now, but im gonna keep my eye out for another pair (I want a black one and a grey/lilac/dove one) so i've got even more time to have a look now  I still want the two girlies I saw yesterday though 

They'll definately be kept in a tank, I wouldn't keep them in a cage  or one of those bloody gerbilarium things lol! so i will have a look whats out there but I think i'll probably stick with the dust free woodshavings


----------



## SolBhonjai (Dec 4, 2009)

Glad to help hun =^-^=


----------

