Why not Gerbils???

[chintasurf]

Hi guys

just a quick question out of curiosity - why do we not feed our BP's gerbils??? I read somewhere that Gerbils are closer to the normal pry they would encounter in the wild - i don't know if that is correct? but my question is why don't we?

Is it because of mice and rats being cheaper? better? or is it to do with a size thing?

just wondered

[monk90222]

there are probably many reasons, but I've heard that they small litters and are expensive to buy.
Also BP's can imprint on them and you would have to always find gerbils to feed.

[OhBalls]

Also BP's can imprint on them and you would have to always find gerbils to feed.

True, one of my rescues would not eat for months...finally tried a gerbil and now thats all he will eat..

they are more expensive as well and IMO, smell worse than mice

[Ophiuchus]

True, one of my rescues would not eat for months...finally tried a gerbil and now thats all he will eat..

they are more expensive as well and IMO, smell worse than mice

Had the same thing happen except with hamsters. Both are expensive.

[J.Vandegrift]

True, one of my rescues would not eat for months...finally tried a gerbil and now thats all he will eat..

they are more expensive as well and IMO, smell worse than mice

Gerbils have close to no smell at all. Are you sure you are not thinking of hampsters? Gerbils drink very little water compaired to mice so they urinte WAY less.

[chintasurf]

Had the same thing happen except with hamsters. Both are expensive.

I just wondered seeing as gerbils are quite easy to get over here and not too expensive - but i quess it could be a bit of a prob to then get an adult bp to change to larger food like rats so it would then be like two gerbils per week.
Thanks for your posts - i just wondered if i was missing some other reason - think i will stick to mice lol !!

[Spaniard]

Another reason is that if you were to sell your snake or need to re-home it would be a lot easier for the future owner of that snake to care for it seeing as how rats are easier to find then gerbils.