Gerbil Care

Here is a compilation of the questions I hear most often from new gerbil keepers or "keepers-to-be" =)  They are not in any particular order, so just scroll around and find the question(s) that you need answered.  If they are not covered on this page, just e-mail me and ask!  (sunraygerbils@yahoo.com)

What is a gerbil?
Gerbils are small, cute rodents, measuring about 8 inches long, including the tail (their fully-furred tail is about as long as the gerbil itself).  They are most closely related to hamsters.  Unlike hamsters, which are strictly nocturnal (meaning they sleep during the day and are active during the night, and thus do not make very good pets for children), gerbils are crepuscular (both nocturnal and diurnal), meaning that they are active both night and day, but take naps all throughout it.
In general, they are very curious, playful and active animals, and will never cease to amaze you with their endearing tactics.  Although they make wonderful pets for adults and children alike, they are not appropriate pets for young children due to their small size and being highly active (young children would not be able to handle them easily).
Provided their cage is cleaned regularly, they do not smell at all.
Gerbils typically live between 2-4 years, although gerbils as old as 5 are not unheard of!

What do gerbils eat?
The primary diet of gerbils should consist of a seed mixture meant for hamsters/gerbils, which can be found in pet stores.  It should consist of a variety of seeds, but not have a large amount of sunflower or pumpkin seeds, as these have a very high fat content.  The seed mix should be available to them at all times.
In addition to this seed mix, gerbils enjoy a handful of timothy and alfalfa hay a few times per week.  A limited amount of fresh fruit or vegetables, such as a slice of apple or a piece of lettuce, should be given once or twice a week.
Fresh water should always be available, and should be contained in a water bottle (not a water bowl, as gerbils will bury or tip over the bowl, dirtying the bedding and depriving them of water). An 8 oz. water bottle is a good size.  If you have your gerbils in an aquarium, you need to buy a metal bottle chew guard/holder to hold the water bottle in.  Both the water bottles and holders are available in pet stores, and even at many grocery stores.
For treats, gerbils love many of the hamster/gerbil treats available in pet stores.  Vitakraft Yogurt Drops and Waffles are especially appreciated by my gerbils.  You can also give them many kinds of unfrosted breakfast cereals, such as Cheerios.  An occasional raisin will also be much loved.


What should gerbils be housed in?
A wire cage is not a good choice of housing for gerbils.  Originally, gerbils came from the Mongolian Desert, where they lived in underground burrows.  Even in captivity, they still love to dig, and when they attempt to do so in a cage, they will kick their bedding out of their cage, and onto your floor.
The plastic cages that have connecting tubes (such as S.A.M and Habitrail) are not a good choice either, as gerbils will readily chew and scratch on the plastic, and therefore you will have to constantly replace these tubes.  The gerbils may also be able to chew their way to freedom from these cages.  They are also difficult to clean, and begin to smell quickly.
Plastic aquariums are not recommended, either, due to the gerbils scratching the sides of the cage until you will no longer be able to see through.  Most of these plastic cages are also much too small to permanently keep gerbils in.
By far, the best housing for a gerbil is a glass aquarium.  In a glass aquarium, the gerbils will be able to dig and not mess by doing so.  They also cannot escape from these, nor scratch the sides.  The aquarium should be at least 10 gallons for a pair of gerbils, or preferably a 20 gallon long.  You will need to buy a screen cover top for the aquarium, since gerbils are good jumpers and can easily escape without the cover.  These aquariums and the screen covers are available from almost any pet store.

What bedding should I use?
 First of all, DO NOT USE PINE OR CEDAR BEDDING!!  This fact can not be over-emphasized.  Pine and cedar bedding contain phenols, which are toxic to small mammals such as gerbils.  They cause respiratory infections and allergies, especially in pups, which can lead to death.  The phenols also cause a variety of internal problems, such as brain and liver damage, and may be carcinogenic.  Therefore, do not use pine or cedar, no matter what you are told at the pet store (note: most pet store employees know only what the gerbil books tell them, and most gerbil books are very incorrect).
Suitable beddings are: Aspen, corncob, and CareFresh.  I use Aspen at times, but have found it to cause allergies in some gerbils (allergies can be identified if a red crust, which looks like dried blood, develops around the gerbil’s nose).  However, aspen is much better than pine or cedar!  It is dustier than CareFresh.
I have never tried Corncob, but I have heard it to be good other than for it being quite hard and therefore probably somewhat uncomfortable for the gerbils. Personally, I use CareFresh, and have found it to be wonderful.
Do not use cotton or any of the commercially available nesting materials, such as “Sleep Stuff”, because it has been common for gerbils to get their limbs or tail caught in it, which may result in the need to amputate the limb/tail.  Instead, gerbils will appreciate unscented, unlotioned toilet or tissue paper as their nesting material.

How many gerbils should I buy?
Gerbils are sociable animals, and should not be kept alone.  However, larger groups of gerbils, especially females, might eventually start fighting.  Therefore, a pair of gerbils is the best choice if you are a novice gerbil keeper.  A pair of gerbils, whether they are two females, two males, or a male and female, will be very devoted to each other, and will play together, sleep side by side, groom each other, etc.  Males can be kept in larger groups too, and usually do very well.  I, as well as several other breeders I have been in contact with, have also been able to keep groups of females together with absolutely no problems - but I do not recommend this unless you have had a lot of experience with gerbils and know what signs of any brewing trouble to look for.
Since you are reading this information, you are probably a new gerbil keeper (or just thinking of becoming one), and therefore I would strongly advise you to get a same-sex pair.  A male/female pair will almost always breed, and breeding should be left to experienced gerbil owners only.  Breeding gerbils is not as easy as it may seem, and even a pair of gerbils can produce a lot of pups in their lifetime (with well over 50 pups being common).  Finding the pups good homes is not easy, especially since they should never just be dumped in the pet store; even the best of pet stores don’t know where each and every one of their animals are going, and thus your beloved babies might end up as snake dinner.   If you should decide that you want to become a breeder after you have owned your gerbils for a while, visit my Breeding page for more information.

Which gender makes the best pets?
In general, males tend to be bigger and more laid-back than females.  Contrary to popular belief, male gerbils can and should be kept with another male.  The rumor of male gerbils fighting has been circulated by most gerbil books, which are loaded with incorrect information.  It is common for males to play fight (they will wrestle and “box” by standing on their hind feet and boxing at each other with their front paws), but this is nothing to worry about.  Actual fighting (in which one or both of the gerbils actually get hurt) is virtually unheard of with a pair of gerbils, regardless of sex.
However, gerbils must be properly introduced; if two adult gerbils are just put together, they will fight, often violently enough to kill each other.  For this reason, gerbils that do not live together can never be allowed to be in any contact.  Gerbils must be introduced by a split-tank introduction; you can read more about the split tank method later on this page.   Male gerbils like to “mark” their territory with their scent glands.  However, the odor of this scent gland is barely discernible by the human nose, and not the least bit offensive.
Female gerbils, on the other hand, tend to be smaller and more active and curious than the males.  Whereas a male gerbil would be more likely to just sit on your hand or lap, a female would be constantly exploring her surroundings.  However, gerbils are individuals, and therefore this is not always the case.  Both sexes make equally good, devoted pets, and the choice of which sex to take is entirely up to your own preference.

How do I sex my gerbils?
Sexing gerbils is really not as hard as many people make it out to be.  Especially in adult gerbils, the difference is quite obvious.  In males, there is a definite "bulge" under the tail; this is where the testes are.  If you hold the gerbil in your hand and very gently lift up the rear by holding the very base of the tail, you will see two "holes"; these are the urinary and anal openings.  In males, these are quite far apart, whereas in females, they are very close together.  In mature males, you will also see the testes, which of course are totally absent in females.  By looking at the distance of the two "holes", I can sex pups from the moment they are born!  Pups that are about 6-10 days old can also be sexed by the "dent" method.  Females will have 8 little "dots" on their bellies (most noticeable around where their limbs connect with the rest of the body); these are the nipples, and they are absent in males.  The National Gerbil Society has a very good page on sexing gerbils, complete with pictures.

What toys and supplies do gerbils need?
 Gerbils are quite easy to amuse.  In addition to a food bowl and water bottle (and a metal bottle hanger/guard), your gerbils will appreciate a wooden nest to sleep in.  These are available in a variety of sizes and shapes from the pet store.  Do not use a plastic nest/house, because within a week, the gerbils will have chewed it to pieces.
Most gerbils also love running wheels.  Get a metal, not plastic, wheel for the reason stated above.  Running wheels come in a variety of sizes; I have found the ones meant for hamsters or rats to be the best (the ones meant for mice or even gerbils are often too small).  If you are worried about the gerbils’ long tail being caught between the bars of the wheel, cover the outside of the wheel with duct tape, and then cover the inside of the wheel with bedding, so that the gerbils’ feet do not get caught in the sticky duct tape.
Glass jars, such as pickle or jam jars, also make good toys for gerbils (just make sure the jars are large enough!).  Gerbils love hiding and sleeping in them.  Unfortunately, however, many gerbils will also use this as a toilet, so be prepared to wash it out every few days.
Being rodents, gerbils love to gnaw!  For this reason, give them plenty of toilet and paper towel rolls, wooden gerbil toys, etc.
Gerbils are originally from the deserts of Mongolia, and still have an innate desire to roll in sand sometimes to keep their fur in good condition.  For this purpose, you can buy some chinchilla dust bath, available in the pet stores.  Get a large bowl to put it in, and fill it with about half an inch of the chinchilla dust bath.  Place the bowl in their cage, and let the gerbils roll!  If they have never seen chinchilla dust bath before, it may take them a while to figure it out, but pretty soon they will be rolling around in it.  Most gerbils love dust baths!

Questions to be answered soon....
How do I handle my gerbils?
How often should the cage be cleaned?
Where should I buy my gerbils from?
Is there any difference in temperament between the different gerbil colors?
 

If you have any questions about general gerbil care that I have not covered on this page, just e-mail me and ask, and I will answer you and put up your question on this page.

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