HELP! its lost

[corey]

OH man... i just got my gerbils like 6 hours ago from the pound and tempted by their cute faces i took them out to play one hoped on, then off my keyboard tray before i noticed then seemed to magically dissapear as i checked everywhere i could in my room. Then i remembered my desk had a small space under it and since im unable to move the desk i can't tell if the gerbil is actually there or if its even ok as its a far drop from the keyboard tray. I'm in high panic mode here and i really want my gerbil back can anyone help me :(

[corey]

oh i forgot to mention its just a baby

[Zouave]

Be sure the gerbil can't get out. Be sure no other pets you might have can get in. That is the first thing you do - secure the room.

I once had a very fast young black gerbil jump two feet straight out of a bin I had her in while I cleaned their tank. She zipped around the room and I caught glimpses other out of the corner of my eye every now and then!

She seemed to want to go back to where her old tank was (familiar scents?). I took a smaller bin and put some food in it, and turned the bin on its side, and then I froze. Five minutes later I heard the gerbil, and soon she became curious of the bin and the food in it. I remained still. She got closer and closer and then went inside the bin! I instantly righted the bin and kept my hands over the top to prevent another jump out. I grabbed her and back home she went!

That is one way. Lure them into some container is usually a good way. But you have to be patient and very still; if you move or make a sound they will run away.

If no gerbil appears at first just leave the bin, and some water in a bowl, and try another day.

Listening for movement also helps locate her, especially at night.

[corey]

i don't see or hear it at all is that unusual?

[superdude]

its very hard with gerbs but eventually they will get hungry and thirsty and make themselves more visible to you because they know they need your help...and if not that gerbs are so curious that if your just sitting around not making any commotion or much movements (ex. watching tv), they will come out and peek around to see what your doing, they have no natural fear of you so theyre not going to hide out of your sight out of fear, and when they eventually come out

[Doom Gerbil]

boxes/bins with tissue and food in are a good idea
hopefully the gerbil will get tired and hungry, enter the box and go to sleep
dont panic and certainly dont feel guilty cos I doubt theres any gerbil keeper who hasnt had this happen

[Zouave]

boxes/bins with tissue and food in are a good idea
hopefully the gerbil will get tired and hungry, enter the box and go to sleep
dont panic and certainly dont feel guilty cos I doubt theres any gerbil keeper who hasnt had this happen


That's a good idea - a hide box for them to not just forage in but to sleep in, but it has to be in a dark secure quiet place, preferably under something. (They feel most secure with something over their heads for protection).

Maybe some morning you can sneak up on the box and the gerb will be in it.

It once took me ten days to catch a young hamster. Just be sure the room is secure, and you leave out water and food.

[Doom Gerbil]

Less so with gerbils Zouve who are not wallhuggers but certainly in places both you and the gerbil can get at.
Any obvious 'run' or cosy corner will do.

[corey]

thanks alot everyone :) i finally got it back woohoo i felt so bad when i lost it but now its back :)

[Doom Gerbil]

oh I'm so pleased for you Corey
good luck with taming them
:D

[Staley]

Good thing you got it back =] Just two days ago, I had not realized that I didn't secure the tank's top securely, and out the gerbil went. I was unaware of this, since I was downstairs; when Alexis, my 9 year old neighbor told me there was a gerbil running around my room. I think it was Kurt that got loose... she's quite the trouble maker lol. I was scared also, because my cat was in the other room! I actually followed Kurt around my room until I was finally able to cup her in my hands.

Also, last week, I took Kurt, Layne, and their 7 pups out of their tank and put them into a playpin so I could play with them, and the fence wasn't secured either >.< So I had 9 gerbils running around my room. Yet with the help of my cousin and brother, we got them back =] I was freaking out though because I remember a few years back when I had hamsters, when they got loose, they went in my heaters and ran through my house through the heating system =[ I had to take apart the heaters/radiators to get them back each time which was a huge pain lol.

[Doom Gerbil]

how did you catch it?
is it well?
so good to hear such happy news