The Zone
About
Palette
Palette Two
Funniest Gerbils
Funniest Gerbils Two
Gallery
Gallery Two
What's New
Favorite Links
Gerbil Housing
The Gerbil Help Page
Care and Keeping of Gerbils
Gerbil Care Miscellaneous
|
|
|
Gerbil Care Miscellaneous
About It...
Need to find a petsitter,pet products,or just need a little bit more gerbil informatio? Well this is the page...
Below is Suzie and Joey...A Breeding Pair I got from My Friend Rachael.
|
|
|
When you have exotic pets, finding someone to care for them while you go away on vacation or business can be a real challenge. Here are some tips on finding and using a pet sitter for your exotics.
How do you find a pet sitter you trust?
Trusting A Sitter
In order to trust a sitter first you MUST NOT just dial any number out of the phone book and have them sit you pet.First you need to ask some questions like: What kind of animals do you best work with;what do you know about gerbils;do you have certification;do you have any gerbils of your own; and could I set up an appointment to meet you?
Those are just the basics.
Now after you've met with the sitter,invite them to handle your gerbil and to play with it for about fifteen minutes.If they can last that long then you obviously know that the sitter is good.
So far you sitter is class B good.So what's next you ask?Well,that's the last and final part:Have the sitter come over two times a week.On the first day he/she is there, and on the second day he/she comes go to the store and come back between thirty minutes to an hour.
If you find that the person who is watching your gerbil while you are and are not there is treating your precious lil' buddy well, grade him/her Class A good and hire them.But if the person is treating the gerbil(s) badly or even harming them a teeny bit: first off report them to the owner of the Petsitting place, and then file against to whom ever touched your gerbil in the wrong way, and you can do that because the law about animals states that any person/persons involved with aminal abuse is subject to a trial and may even be put in jail.
For the Laws go to Favorite Links page and you'll find the website I found most useful.Or for specific laws go to the home page and click Email Me and I'll give you the Law you ask for.
Thank You!
|
|
|
The Problem with Shavings...
Cedar and pine shavings are commonly available pet bedding products - but are they harmful to the very animals for which they are intended?
Cedar and pine became popular for pet bedding material because they are good at controlling odor and have some natural insecticidal properties (they kill or repel bugs, especially cedar). These softwood shavings smell nice due to the volatile compounds (e.g. aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols) that are given off. Unfortunately these compounds have been implicated as a potential health risk, especially with regards to respiratory problems (asthma, inflammation, allergic responses) and changes in the liver.
Many of the studies on wood toxicity have actually been conducted on humans, who are exposed to these woods and their by products in the wood product industry (such as those who work in lumber mills who are exposed to lots of wood dust), and these studies often compare the incidence of disease in workers in the wood product industry compared to other workers or the average population.
Studies of laboratory animals have shown fairly dramatic changes in liver enzymes on animals housed on cedar bedding. This in turn can effect the metabolism of drugs including anesthetics, but a direct link between these changes and disease or clinical symptoms hasn't been as clear.
However, based on the studies that implicate the compounds in allergic and respiratory diseases as well as the impact on liver enzymes, it seems prudent to avoid cedar shavings as bedding or litter, especially since alternatives are available.
With pine shavings, the problem isn't quite as clear cut. Pine shavings emit similar volatile compounds but the risks aren't as clear. Many say that drying the shavings releases most of the volatile compounds, so that products such as kiln dried pine are safe. You may still wish to use an alternative bedding or litter completely free of these compounds to be on the safe side.
Better Options
If you are used to using wood shavings, aspen is a good option that is widely available. There is an increasing number of other litter or pellet type products on the market, which are appropriate for use as bedding or in litter boxes. The most difficult part is getting used to the idea of using a pellet to line a cage rather than shavings. The best option depends on the type of animal and what the litter is used for. Some of the harder pellets are more appropriate to use in the litter box of a ferret or rabbit, while the softer types of bedding/litter are better for the smaller pets that need their cage lined.
For mice, rats, and ferrets, alfalfa pellets (rabbit food) can be used - it is cheap and controls odors relatively well. Something like this isn't great for rabbits and guinea pigs as they will, of course, eat it. Other products include paper pellets (several brands) which are fairly hard, but are absorbent and hold together so the wet parts can easily be scooped out. Pelleted litter can also be found made from a variety of organic matter, such as cherry/maple wood, aspen wood or bark, and grain by products. Other products include wood pulp fibers, small hardwood chips, and paper strips, which are a bit more hospitable as bedding (although less absorbent).
So All in All it's best to get Aspin for Young Gerbils!
|
| |
|
|
