Hope thinks it's fun to use humans as a giant jungle gym. In an earlier tip, we covered three taming tips. We have yet another taming method, though, that has helped even the jumpiest gerbils get used to spending time with people. Thanks to Tidy Tuft Gerbils for giving us this idea!

Gerbil-Proof The Bathtub & The Bathroom Floor

Before you let your gerbils play in the bathtub, make sure that it is clean. You don't want any chunks of soap or other items lying on the floor. Also, if you do need to clean the floor of the tub before your gerbils play, just use warm water and avoid any tile cleaners or other chemicals.

You might also want to put a small sandbowl, a toilet paper tube, or another small toy in the tub.

Your gerbils probably won't get out of the tub, but make sure the rest of the bathroom is gerbil-proof as well. Make sure there aren't any holes under the cabinets or in the walls that a gerbil could escape into. If there are any items on the floor that might be dangerous for a gerbil, pick them up and place them on the bathroom counter or in another room.

You can see that Hope got very tame and trusting after a little bit of time playing in the tub.Once the room is ready, make sure you are wearing an old t-shirt, because some gerbils may try to nibble on your shirt a little bit while they're playing. Next, you can bring your gerbils in for playtime in the tub. It is probably best that you carry your gerbils to the bathroom in a critter keeper or other safe container.

Shut the bathroom door before you let your gerbils out of the critter keeper. You can sit cross-legged at one end of the tub while your gerbils crawl around on the floor of the tub and explore their surroundings. At first, they'll probably stay away from you and just explore the floor and walls of the tub. Gradually, though, they'll get more curious about you. They'll probably start by crawling under your legs or over your feet. Eventually, your gerbils should calm down more, and they'll probably start crawling onto your legs or standing on your knees. Eventually, if you rest your hand, palm-up, on your leg or knee, a gerbil may even hop into your hand.

Be Patient

Eventually, your gerbil may even get adventurous enough to crawl up your chest and peer over your shoulder.Keep in mind that this may take some time. Don't try to rush your gerbils. Just sit still and don't make any sudden movements. You might talk reassuringly to them so they get used to the sound of your voice. If your gerbils aren't comfortable crawling all over you after 15-30 minutes, put them back in the critter keeper and take them back to their tank. Then give them another period of playtime in the bathtub in another day or two.

The great thing about giving your gerbils playtime outside the tank is that they start to trust you and get used to you. We've found that once a gerbil starts to enjoy climbing around on us in the tub, they also start to hop into our hand when we place it in the tank. It's all about building trust. Showing your gerbils that you take them out to explore and have fun is a great way to help them see you as their friend.