Want to get Gerbils, do they smell?

Question

I bought 2 mice about 2-3 weeks ago and even though I have kept the cage cleaned and use the right bedding for them they smell horrible. They literally smell up the whole room. I am guessing this is because I have males which I have read recently smell a lot unlike the females. I am thinking of getting Gerbils instead and are wondering if they will smell up the place like the mice do?

Answer 1

Yes they do. The best thing is to clean the cage weekly, and keep a window open to air out the room.

Answer 2

Gerbils are amazing pets, they are nice easy to care for and do not smell (Even Males) as much as mice/rats do... Gerbils are one of the cleanest rodents I have ever kept and they come in a variety of fun colours. As long as you clean their cage at least once a week and take out any really soiled shavings you should be good. The only thing about gerbils is they are avid chewers, more so then rats, mice and hammies. Provide them with tubes, apple tree dried sticks(from the pet shop) and lots of wood type structures to chew on. I say this a lot, but buy a book!

Answer 3

ok don't get a gerbil in the first place because eventually they will go wild and bit until you bleed and they also stink more then mice do

hope i helped

-Cole's girl-

Answer 4

Well, if they dont clean themselves then they will smell, but they always clean themselves. And if you never clean the cage then it will smell.  

Answer 5

uggghh, no, just their p**p and pee stanks.

Answer 6

GCG WOULD know...

Answer 7

Not on the way in, but they definitely do after you remove them.

Answer 8

Gerbils have a slight natural odor to them.  It's not offensive or very strong.  What causes the odor is the urine in the cage and in the bedding.  If you change them weekly, and the room doesn't get too hot, the smell should be tolerable.  They tend to urinate a little less than hamsters or mice.  

Sometimes, the problem with cages is that after a while, even with washing them out with soap and water, the cage may retain a bit of urine smell after cleaning.  This happens when you have a cage for a very long time.  I use aquariums that are two years old and I run into this problem.  What you can do is add a very small amount of bleach to the aquarium when you wash it out.  Let it soak for a few minutes and wash it out very well afterward.  

Answer 9

All males tend to have a stronger odor than females because of their hormones, so I would suggest getting females only.  Also, males tend to urinate over the side of the cage making a bigger mess, and they do other non-female things, if you get what I mean!  Stick with the girls and use cedar shavings in the bottom of the cage and you should be fine!

Answer 10

I've had mice and gerbils before, and the mice do smell terrible. Keep the gerbils cage clean and they should smell fine. But just so you know gerbils are very active so you have to play with them a lot.  

Answer 11

try using care fresh its cheap and its absorbent!!i use it for my hamster!!i cant smell a thing!!

hope this website helps!!

Answer 12

yes, my cousin has one

Answer 13

gerbils and mice is same animal group like cat and lion. so, gerbils will smell same as mice. and maybe more since its little bit bigger than mice. that's why u should clean the cage very often because of their horrible smell.

Answer 14

They smell a littrle almost every rodent does but deff not as much as mice, you can by clean fesh bedding wich smeels really good and doesnt harm the critter check out my website its about hamsters but gerbils are almost liek hams : http://my-ham-dolce.piczo.com/?cr=2 it has alot of stuff even contests!

Answer 15

Gerbils, being desert animals, drink less water. This means they produce less urine. Less urine = less smell. This results in less smell. Gerbils, themselves, do not smell. They may have a wood odor to them if you house them with wood shavings, but you don't notice unless you stick your nose in their fur. As long as you clean the cage/tank out enough, the smell should be very minimal.

I can go 2-3 weeks without cleaning out the tank, and there's still very little smell. I keep them in my room. No one notices a gerbil smell when they come in my room. The only way you'll smell them is if you stick your nose right in their tank. This is, as Jezebella said, caused by the tank retaining the urine smell after a while. Other than that, gerbils don't smell much. They're probably one of the least smelliest in the rodent world.

If you'd like more information on gerbils, feel free to e-mail me. I'd be happy to answer them for you.