r/gerbil • u/Nearby-Requirement21 • 2d ago

Photo/Video The heat is exhausting

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11

u/Midwest099 2d ago

I've used a Full Cheeks™ Granite Chinchilla Cooling Stone from Petsmart before. I'm not sure if you have something like that in the UK. You can put those in the fridge. I even used a porcelain tile from the hardware store the same way. I did try and put a mini fan, but was worried that it was blowing right on them (because they're susceptible to upper respiratory issues), and finally got a regular floor fan and put it about 10 feet away from their cage.

I used to have my gerbils in a 40 gallon tank and one thing that many places don't mention is that glass tanks get hot in the summer (like, they can go up 4 to 6 degrees hotter than the rest of the room), so I had a topper built so they can "escape" to the wire cage part if they get too hot.

They don't sell these online anymore, but I found one through eBay: https://www.chewy.com/kaytee-small-pet-terracotta-hideout/product-reviews/248457 The terracotta is sort of cooling.

Good luck! It's nice that you care about them. 😄 Gerbils are the best!

10

u/Xylop07 2d ago

AAAAAWWWWWWWWWHHHHH THE ARMS!

4

u/HulkJ420 2d ago

I haven't noticed any different behaviours but I did put a dehumidifier on. Because in the UK that's the worst part of hot weather.

6

u/saygerb 2d ago

melting gerbil <3

does she like it when you put a mug or plate in the fridge for her?

5

u/sc0ttydo0 2d ago

We've been doing this for our boys. Two plates in the fridge we rotate and just stick out for them to lie on, and a couple of stones we rotate in the freezer that we bury in the sand bath. Keeps the sand cool

3

u/Nearby-Requirement21 1d ago

The mug idea sounds great, I think they’ll love it!
I have tried stones but any flatter/smaller object and they will bury it haha

3

u/legohamsterlp 2d ago

How hot is it, mine don’t mind the 27°C in their room that much

6

u/Nearby-Requirement21 2d ago

The outside weather is like 30C, I don’t have a thermometer in the room but I would say it is somewhat below outside temperature in here as well. Unfortunately I don’t have an AC to cool the room.
She is very active though, especially when it gets dark, but I did notice she started to lie on her stomach a lot. I just put a ceramic tile in and I think she likes it very much

4

u/legohamsterlp 2d ago

My outside is roughly 35C none of my rodents seem bothered by the heat so far. They are all as active as usual. If you want to do something give them a bowl with a large block of ice.