Ask The Gerbils

Hi Nellie and Herman!!

I just got my two gerbils today. Their names are Olly and George. We adopted them from a local pet store. Olly is alert and active like a normal gerbil should be but George is sort of lazy and a little chubby. Is there a way to get him moving and active like Olly? Please help!!

From,
-V.



Hi V.,

Thanks for writing! Usually when you adopt a pair of gerbils, you want to choose ones that are active, because it's a good sign that they're healthy. But it's also true that each gerbil has his own personality. It might just be that Olly is naturally more active than George.

There are some things you can do, though, to get George a little bit more excited and active. First, make sure that you give your new boys lots of cardboard tubes, cardboard boxes, and chew blocks. These things should be interesting and exciting for both Olly and George. You can also give them brown paper lunch sacks to run in, dig inside of, and chew. That will get George moving around a bit, too!

If you haven't already given Olly and George an exercise wheel, you might try that, too. Not all gerbils like to run in a wheel, but most do, and that could be a great way for George to stay active and fit.

Good luck with Olly and George! Tell them that we said hello!

From your friends,
-Nellie & Herman