My daughters want gerbils

I have a 38 gallon tank that I am hoping we can use if we decide to get them. My questions are: what kind of bedding is best? What is better a group or a pair? Boys or girls? We DO NOT want to mix genders! When my tort was a baby I had it in the tank I am planning on using. I dumped the substrate out but didn't clean it. If I clean it with dish soap and hot water, will that be good enough to put a different type of animal in it? Any other advice you can think of is appreciated!

Just the tittle makes me "giggle" ....

I was always told not to keep rodents in tanks because it's not enough air circulation. That was years ago though...

I had a gerbil. We had her in one of those thin plastic tank. She lived for three years! (Which is alot considering we got her when she was 5.) Gerbils dont live very long, so don't let your daughters get attached. We had some aspen for bedding. They poop a lot. We thought "chewy" was a boy, then she had nine babies that we had to raise. Just warning you. So yeah, gerbils are cool.

One rodent I have t had. However, from what I know from those that have had them is this. First the pet store probably won't be able to tell you the correct sex. Two, my nieces got three of them and two of them killed the third. If you can find a breeder of them, that would most likely be a better place too buy. Also, if they wouldn't mind having rats instead, they would make a better pet. Rats make fabulous pets. Friendly, not as skittish as the smaller rodents and easier too find if they get out, they aren't as small. I had two of them together with no problems.

Gerbils are notorious chewers.... they do better in glass simply because there's less for them to chew I.e. bars/plastic tubes

They also aren't that easy to hold... they are fast when they get lose and they will nip at you.... if a gerbil doesn't nip it's sick.

Rats are actually one of the nicest small animal/rodents... they can learn tricks and even their own name.

Ok so I gave in. *Sigh* I did see all of the cute plastic cages with the tubes at the pet store but I thought those would stink if they peed in them. I just stuck with the tank we have. I got the aspen bedding because I read that is what is best. The animal shelter had two gerbils that had been at the shelter for four months. We adopted them. They are sisters. They are very sweet. It worked out well for everyone. The girls got what they wanted, the gerbils got a home and best of all, they gave them to me for free! My daughter walked over to the tortoise and said "the gerbils are a lot more fun to watch." Poor Mr. Tortoise, he's still my baby though.

I once had a gerbil and I filled his tank with soil, almost to the top. He dug down in it and made tunnels. He loved it. I also used to feel him crickets. Highly amusing to watch him chase them!

Gerbils e.e I despise having them in my household! Don't get me wrong I like them and they're cute, but my children went through the phase of I want a hamster, I want a chinchilla, I want a mouse, I want everything rodent. It was a horrible phase and they left mommy taking care of and loving their forgotten pets. It was HORRIBLE when they got 3 rabbits two where female and one was a male. In the end 3 went to 30 and 30 went to 0 really quick.

If your kids will take care of them go with aspen bedding, a big wheel, and a bunch of fresh fruits and veggies.