RE: [OT][VERY OT] Woodshavings...

["Paul Gale" <groups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Oh - the worst part though was when the adults would eat their dead
offspring - nice :(

Paul.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Gale [mailto:groups@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 18 April 2004 09:24
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [ukha_d] [OT][VERY OT] Woodshavings...
>
> Hi Ian,
>
> I used to use sawdust with my gerbils when I was younger - I started
with
> 2 and ended up with 22!!!!!  Didn't have any problems as you have had
-
> maybe things have changed in the last 20 years?
>
> Paul.
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Ian Lowe [mailto:ian@xxxxxxx]
> > Sent: 17 April 2004 22:17
> > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > Subject: [ukha_d] [OT][VERY OT] Woodshavings...
> >
> > Bit of a strange request, hopefully someone on the list can help.
> >
> > We keep Gerbils, and this time around we ended up with a breeding
pair
> > rather than the two males we thought we had... the first litter
was born
> > about a month ago, and unfortunately, every single one of the
pups died
> > from a respiratory illness - a pretty horrible way to go, and
they died
> > at only 21 days old - all seven of them.
> >
> > It seems the problem is the bedding material - wood shavings that
are
> > sold by Pet World (and almost everyone else) for small rodents
are
> > incredibly toxic to gerbils, especially at the 3 week stage, when
the
> > mother's milk no longer provides a boost to the pup's immune
system, and
> > they are having to fend for themselves. Volatile oils released by
the
> > wood cause a respiratory condition in which the pups make a
horrible
> > clicking, rasping sound as they breath - and don't last longer
than 2-3
> > days.
> >
> > I am told by a couple of US breeders that either Aspen wood
shavings, or
> > hardwood shavings are ideal - Straw, hay etc are fine for adult
gerbils,
> > but not for pups..
> >
> > The problem is, I'm finding it *extremely* difficult to find a
source
> > for these shavings - the local wood yards just chuck all the
turnings
> > into the same waste, so I would end up with pine in amongst the
other
> > woods.. and possibly end up with cedarwood as well - which is
almost
> > guaranteed to be fatal to pups, even worse than pine. :
> >
> > If anyone knows where I can get a reliable supply of hardwood
shavings,
> > or better aspen wood shavings, please let me know. It's now a
matter of
> > life and death - our gerbils just birthed another litter - these
pups
> > will be okay until about day 10, the 27th April - if I don't move
them
> > to other bedding by this point, we may well lose the whole litter
again
> > - and I really don't want to see these pups die.
> >
> > Any help will be incredibly welcome!
> >
> > Ian.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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