The Professional's Book of Gerbils

By Bob Bernhard

The Professional's Book of Gerbils is the definitive text on gerbils. Refreshingly complete and well written, this volume goes beyond the mere basics of gerbil management and concentrates on all the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0866226699
• ISBN13: 9780866226691
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Tfh Pubns Inc
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 2.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.3" x 0.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

A picture book for gerbil lovers

With a title like The Professional's Book of Gerbils, I expected a dense tome for the scientific minded, above-average reader, seeking information beyond the "Your First Pet" variety. Thus, the light-hearted, picture book quality of The Professional's Book of Gerbils took me by surprise. While it didn't deliver much new information, the book's striking photography and the author's genuine appreciation for gerbils' unique and endearing personalities makes it a worthwhile read (or look, as the case may be).The multitude of clear, sharp, colorful photos is this book's strongest selling point. Those featuring gerbils interacting with people serve to highlight the animals' friendly, gentle natures, while others capture these inquisitive creatures enjoying a range of interesting habitats and toys. However, certain photographs depicting inappropriate housing or handling deserve cautionary captions which, unfortunately, are absent.As a long-time gerbil owner, I know how important it is to provide adequate wood and cardboard items for gerbils to nest in, climb on, and to chew. Thus, I was disturbed when several photographs featured gerbils in enclosures with nothing but a layer of bedding. Another showed an obviously too small plastic cage (another no-no) housing two adult gerbils, while several other photos depicted gerbils housed on cedar chips, which are known to cause respiratory problems and liver disorders in some animals. In the handling section, the book did stress that gerbils' delicate tails should never be grasped at the tip, but only at the base if necessary. However, at least one photo showed a gerbil being handled in an inappropriate manner.The book provides a fair amount of gerbil history, selection, husbandry, and breeding information, but what I liked best was the author's informal and lively commentary. His descriptions of gerbils and interpretations of their behavior, though somewhat anthropomorphic at times, reveal great compassion and fascination. As an animal shelter worker who witnesses the tragedy of pet overpopulation on a daily basis, I would have appreciated more comment from the author on responsible pet ownership and greater emphasis on the consequences of overbreeding. Other books, such as Gerbils: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual, by Raymond Gudas cover this topic more thoroughly.I would recommend The Professional's Book of Gerbils to experienced gerbil-lovers who will marvel at the striking photography and hopefully overlook the book's few shortcomings. Aside from its rather misleading title, The Professional's Book of Gerbils is nevertheless a delightful visual foray into the world of these captivating creatures.