Rabbits N'Rodents

Gerbils

Gerbils

Click on the section you would like to go to.

Go Home or join the Forum

Are Gerbils right for you?

Gerbils as Pets

The type of gerbil I am referring to is the Mongolian Gerbil, the most common gerbil kept as a pet.

Picture taken with permission from this entertaining website: Jazz's Gerbil House

Gerbils make great pets as they are inquisitive, friendly and relatively cheap when compared to a dog, cat or rabbit. In my experience they make fun and rewarding pets.

Some of their best qualities are shown below:

Clean-Gerbils come from the desert so have evolved to do without drinking much water, after all, the desert is hot and water isn't in abundance. Therefore they produce little waste, so smell is minimal.
Sociable-They enjoy company of their own kind, a single gerbil is a lonely gerbil, so let them live in single sexed pairs or small groups. I never would advise you have one gerbil, unless they are one of those gerbils who just doesn't get along with others.
Active-They are very energetic rodents, making them great fun to watch as they go about digging burrows, running around and interacting with each other.
Diurnal- They are awake during the daytime, unlike most rodents which sleep during most of the day.
Quiet-They are quiet animals who just go about their daily business.
Friendly-They rarely bite once tamed and are a pet you can interact with.

Some of the not so good qualities:

Short lived-They don't live as long as a cat or dog, and on average live for anywhere between 2-5years, but then again, most other rodents don't live for long either.
Large cage- Gerbils require a large cage, as they are very active and a 10 gallon aquarium is a bit too small for a pair of gerbils, you ideally should look into getting an aquarium of at least 20 gallons, but the bigger the better. For small groups, a larger cage will be needed. Although, most rodents need a cage of similar sizes, some rodents like rats, degus and sugar gliders need even bigger cages.

So overall, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, and if you can set aside time to play, clean and care for gerbils as well as take them to the vet when ill and afford a large cage for them, then they may well be the right pet for you!

Before you rush out and get some though, make sure you read ALL of the following sections so you are prepared for your new pets!

Gerbils Vs Hamsters

Gerbils	Hamsters
Awake during the day, unlike hamsters which are awake in the evening and early morning which is a benefit for kids.	Awake for a lot of the time we are asleep, especially kids unlike gerbils, but this means they are awake in the evening when most adults and kids have free time at home.
Very entertaining to watch as they are very quick and love digging burrows, unlike hamsters which are slower and tend not to dig interesting burrows.	Hamsters are slower and therefore easier for kids and inexperienced adults to handle. Due to being slower, they are often a more cuddly pet than gerbils once tamed.
Gerbils need gerbil friends, and can live in same sex pairs or small colonies whereas syrian and chinese hamsters must live alone and it is hard to get colonies, sometimes even pairs to get along when dealing with the dwarf hamsters.	If you only want one pet, a hamster is a much better choice, and if you want a pair, Russian dwarves can be kept together in same sex pairs, whereas with gerbils you are strongly advised to have more than one.

History

Mongolian Gerbils in the Wild

These gerbils live in the desert where temperatures range from very hot summers to very cold winters, and there is very little rainfall during the summer and therefore vegetation is not in abundance. They eat grasses, farmers crops, the odd insect and seeds.

They live together in family colonies and each colony has its own underground home, which are burrows they dig out themselves as the ground is soft sandy soil. Each burrow is quite substantial with various levels for individual breeding pairs. Throughout the burrows there little chambers where food is stored and nesting areas. The gerbils can retreat down here for quite some time when temperatures are at an extreme, especially in winter when they may be trapped in due to heavy snowfall.

Therefore the Mongolian gerbil is a hardy rodent who should be housed in a cage that allows them to dig burrows in captivity, as that will allow them to fulfil a natural activity, as well as keep them entertained.

Gerbils were first discovered in April, 1866 by a French naturalist who happened to be travelling through Mongolia. The First gerbils came to the UK in the 1960's, and were not to be originally kept as pets, but instead to be confined to a life in laboratories, however, their charming appeal soon resulted them being added to the pet market, thus today gerbils are kept as pets throughout many countries.

Picture Taken with permission from Jazz The Gerbil's website

Choosing your pet gerbils

Getting Your Gerbils

How Many?

Two males or two females from the same litter is the best set-up and recommended for the first time gerbil owner. Same sex small colonies can work, but a large set-up will be needed to try and minimise conflicts, and you will have to ensure one gerbil isn't being picked on by the rest. The colony idea should not be attempted with females, as they are the dominant sex and often fights break out if there are more than two. Whereas small male colonies of 3, maybe 4, are usually fine but you must have spare cages incase it doesn't work out.

Which sex?

It doesn't really matter which sex, males tend to be plumper, whereas females are more lean, but two sisters or two brothers will usually get on very well with each other and form a close bond.

What age should they be?

If you are buying babies, they should be no younger than 5-6 weeks old, and it is better to get them before they reach 10 weeks old.

Where to buy

Thinking of popping down to your local petshop? Well stop and think about this. The majority of petstores are supplied by mass 'breeders', sometimes labelled as mills, ever heard of puppy mills? Well there are mills for every kind of domesticated animal, gerbils included. The conditions in these mills are horrible and male gerbils are put in with any female gerbil to produce pups, and they are fed cheaply and shipped long distances, so you could end up with a sick gerbil, besides why support these cruel mills? Some petstores are supplied by local breeders, but they could keep their gerbils in similar horrid conditions, and therefore I cannot and will not recommend any petshop.

Instead why not go to a rescue and give some gerbils a second chance at life? They are not always old, sick and or aggressive, many are well handled young, healthy animals just longing for a second chance, can you deny them that? I strongly recommend you rescue, why buy when animals in shelters die?

The other alternative is a breeder, however, breeders can be as bad as petshops, so it is up to you to check out the breeder you wish to purchase from. Do they look after their animals? Do they sell for money? Do they genuinely care and know what they are doing? Do they have petstore bought breeding stock or quailty animals from other breeders? If they breed animals from the petstore, do not buy from them as breeding petstore animals is like playing with fire as the full genetics of the animals are not known. If you do choose a breeder, choose carefully.

Wherever you decide to buy from, ensure the cages are large, clean and provide toys and gnawing objects for the gerbils to chew on. The cages should not be over crowded and all the gerbils should have clean water in bottles and plenty of food. The gerbils should be active when awake, clean and no ammonia smell should come from the cage. Their stools should be hard and dry and all animals in the cage should look healthy, as well as be spilt into same sex groups. Any babies for sale in mixed sexed cages should be avoided, as the females will likely be pregnant. They should be bright eyed, clean and alert. If there are sick animals in the cage, you should alert the owner and hope they take the sick animal(s) out and stop the selling of any gerbils from the cage, as they all may be sick.

Ask the owner if you can handle the gerbils and see what they are like, and ensure your hands are clean. Choose whatever two gerbils from the same cage that you like, and if you go to a breeder, they will likely have a lot to choose from and will be more than happy to help you choose some.

Rescues may be limited in what they have, and may have only adult pairs, but think of the second chance you are giving to a homeless animal.

Bringing Your Gerbils Home

Your New Gerbils

You should go out and buy the cage, bedding, food and toys and have it all set up before you go out and get your gerbils, so as they can go straight into their cage, causing less stress. It is also ideal to bring with you a small pet carrier which you can buy at most petstores for quite a cheap price, and it can be used again for cage cleanings and vet visits.

Alternatively, you can bring a plastic container, like an ice-cream box with holes punched in the top, and a little food and bedding in them. Do not rely on a cardboard box as if you have a long journey home, they may well chew their way out, and two loose gerbils in the car is not fun! Plus, it will cause more stress for the little babies.

When you get them home, put them straight into their new cage, and leave alone with ample food and water. Do not disturb them for the next 2-3 nights to allow them to adjust. Make sure their surroundings are quiet.

Keep a close eye on them, to ensure they are eating and are producing normal poops. They should be fine, and you can start interacting with them as soon as they have been allowed to settle in.

Setting up Home

Cages

Its important you choose a suitable cage for your new pets, and the best way to do this, is to keep in mind what you have learnt in the history section about wild gerbils.

So, what aspects do we need to consider?

Gerbils love to gnaw- plastic and wooden cages are not likely to last long, although some sturdy hard plastic cages, like those used for indoor rabbits and cavies, can be used provided your pair don't decide to try and chew their way out!
Size- Gerbils are active creatures, so a big cage is important, a 15 gallon sized cage in the minimum, or a 10 gallon aquarium with a tank topper
Digging-Gerbils love to dig, dig and dig! So no wire flooring, which hurts little feet, and a bar cage will result in litter flung out onto the floor, so a cage with high sides is suitable.
Ventilation- There should be adequate ventilation, or condensation will build up, causing pneumonia.

Now that we know what to look out for, lets look at the different types of cages available on the market;

Wire Cages

These come in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes and are at a fair price, as well as easy to clean and provide good ventilation, however that plastic base may well soon have a large hole gnawed in it, and the base isn't exactly deep enough to build tunnels is it? Plus, that wire top is just a temptation to be chewed and all the shavings will end up being kicked out and on the floor. So, really this cage isn't suited to gerbils.

Habitrail/Crittertrail

These are fun looking, bright cages that come in a wide variety of colours, models and sizes, but also with a hefty price tag. Now, I know they look exciting....but I made the BIG mistake of buying one of these tube systems for my first pair of gerbils. The cages are to be blunt, poor quality, that are difficult to clean and assemble again. Besides what's worse is that trying to tame scared babies is impossible as they dart up the nearest tube, plus for what you pay for they are tiny unless you buy loads of compartments....imagine the price and cleaning all of those tubes! Believe me, they are way over rated so avoid these cages.

Aquariums

This cage is ideal for gerbils! It covers all of those aspects we listed above, it is chew-proof, comes in large enough sizes, allows tunnels to be dug without messing our floors and when a mesh lid is put on top, it provides your gerbils with good ventilation! Added bonus' are that they are cheap and although heavy, not that hard to clean well.

This is the type of cage I used with my girls, a nice large one, probably near 20 gallons and they dug out tunnels and had a great time shredding cardboard and wood! Of course a 10-15 gallon with a tank topper or a 20 gallon or larger on its own will provide a large enough environment for a pair of gerbils. The larger, the more fun they can have! Just make sure you provide them with a secure lid, as gerbils can jump pretty high!

Positioning the Cage

The cage should never be put in direct sunlight, as it will heat up too much, nor should they be kept in a dark cupboard! A shelf out of direct sunlight or a table is where most people keep them. Just be careful that if you put you aquarium on a shelf, ventilation can still get through and isn't blocked by the next shelf.

The gerbils shouldn't be put in the basement, where it is damp, or outside in a garage or shed. A bedroom, living room or spare room are usually where most people keep their pets.

How to make a Gerbil Haven

The cage should have a good layer of bedding on the floor, about 3-4 inches deep at least, but ensure you are using safe bedding by checking out the bedding guide.

The cage should have a water bottle with fresh water in it, food, toys and a wheel as well. See the appropriate sections so as you are providing your gerbils with a safe environment.

Bedding

Bedding and Nesting Materials

There are a lot of beddings to choose from, but a lot of the most popular brands are unsafe! Manufactures are not always as worried about your pets health as they are about making as big a profit as possible.

So I have put together a list of safe and unsafe beddings below, and given a reason as to why:

Unsafe

Cedar	Like all softwoods, it produces toxins, known as phenols which cause respiratory problems, itching and has been linked to internal organ damage. It is rough on little feet too.
Pine	Another softwood, which has similar problems to cedar, but not just as severe. It should never be used, even kiln-dried still produces phenols.
Corn Cob	Often eaten, and can't be digested, and it goes mouldy very quickly, causing bacteria to grow, making it an unhealthy and dangerous environment for the gerbils and owners.
Clumping Cat litter	This swells when moist, deadly if accidently eaten.
Newspaper	The inks are poisonous
Cotton wool	This is a choking hazard as indigestible, and can wrap around limbs, cutting off the blood supply.
Fabrics	Same as for Cotton Wool
Sawdust	Can cause breathing problems as it is so dusty!

Safe

Carefresh	Recycled Tree pulp, one of the safest beddings and is absorbent.
Crittercare	Only in the USA, and is the walmart version of carefresh, which is slightly cheaper, but more dusty.
Aspen	Unlike pine and cedar, this is a hardwood, making it safer, but watch for allergy symptoms- red noses.
Shredded Paper	No inks! Not absorbent, and not good for digging, but can be used.

Megazorb

Megazorb is a uk bedding, like carefresh and can be bought at most horsefeed stores

Nesting Material

All fabrics and cotton fluff advertised in petstores is unsafe, and should never be used as it poses a choking hazard, and can wrap around limbs, cutting off the blood supply! The best nesting material is plain, unscented toilet paper as it dissolves if eaten, and has no tough fibres that can wrap around limbs, plus its cheap and provides a comfy nest for gerbils, hamsters and other small rodents. Tissues, although similar to toilet paper tend to be too dusty, and kitchen roll is usually dyed.

How much bedding?

Allow your gerbils a thick layer of bedding in their cage, about 3-4 inches deep and watch them dig! Beware though, sometimes their tunnels and nesting areas can collapse in on them, so put a few objects buried under the bedding to add support like an old mug or two or a large smooth rock (cleaned in boiling water for a few minutes to kill off germs). This will help add support, and pack the bedding down really well so as it is less likely to cave in.

Feeding Gerbils

What To Feed Your Gerbils

A good quality seed mix should form the basis of your gerbils diet, don't use those lab blocks, as gerbils enjoy to forage and lab blocks do not allow them to carry out this natural activity.

Firstly, gerbils are omnivores which means they eat both meat and plants. In the wild gerbils eat seeds, insects, grasses, various plants and any crops of local farmers. We cannot offer a gerbil a completely natural diet, we can however, provide them with a good diet that gives them all the nutrients they require.

The Gerbil Mix

Like previously stated above, a good quality seed mix should form the basis of any gerbil diet. However there are a lot of mixes out there so which one to choose? A hamster mix is too high in fat, and a mix made for gerbils should be used. Of course there is no mix sold worldwide, making it difficult to list mixes available to everyone with gerbils. However, one mix sold throughtout Canada, USA and Europe that I would highly reccommend is Gerri Gerbil made by Surpreme, who also makes Harry/Hazel Hamster and Science selective which are top foods for those species. If your local pet shop sells ny surpreme foods, chances are they will order in Gerri Gerbil for you if they don't already stock it.

If Gerri Gerbil is not available where you live you could order it online, or try another mix. Ideally you want a mix that has no added sugar and isn't packed with sunflower seeds and peanuts like Gerri Gerbil. In the USA the mix 8in1 seems good as an alternative.

Whatever mix you choose be sure to limit the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and nuts as too many will cause a fat gerbil. Remember, gerbils do not overeat, they only become fat if they eat mainly fatty foods.

Vegetables and fruit

Gerbils come from a dry climate, so they should only have a limited amount of fresh foods, no more than 2-3 portions a week. Of course, care must be taken not to feed too much as it can cause tummy upsets and diarrhoea. Introduce all new foods gradually, do not feed a lot of different types at once, nor feed in large portions if the gerbil has never had fresh foods before. Some safe fresh foods are listed below:

Apple (seedless)
Basil
Bok Choi
Broccoli
Carrot
Cauliflower Leaves
Chickweed
Clover(white NOT red)
Coriander/cilantro
Dandelion Leaves
Grass(young)
Pak Choi
Pear
Strawberry (and young leaves)
Watercress
Wheatgrass

Do NOT feed the following:

Blubous plants
Buttercup
Clematis
Crocus
Cucumber-Too watery
Daffodil
Deadly Nightshade
Garlic
Holly
Ivy
Kidney beans (raw)
Lemons
Limes
Onion
Pineapple
Poppy
Potato (raw, cooked and leaves are no-no's)
Rhubarb
Sage- thought to encourage fits in some species
Tomato leaves
Yew

Treats

Treats are just that, treats and should be fed sparingly, the ones listed below have been listed because they have health benefits as well as being greatly enjoyed. Feed no more than 2-3 times a week in small amounts:

Brazil nuts
Bread (wholemeal and stale)
Buckwheat
Cereal (plain, low sugar, no corn ie: Plain kashi)
Egg (hard boiled)
Flaxseeds
Lentils
Mealworms
Millet
Peanuts(unsalted)
Pecans
Pumpkin seeds
Rice (wholemeal cooked)
Rolled Oats (too many unsoaked causes constipation)
Walnuts

Do NOT feed

Almonds
Butter
Cakes
Chips/crisps
Chocolate
Fizzy Drinks
Jams
Jellies
Junk Foods
Peanutbutter
Salty foods
Sweets
Toffee

Water

Gerbils come from a dry climate and have evolved to be able to live with little water consumption, so when they pee it is very concentrated, but they don't pee much resulting in little smell. They also produce very dry faeces. However, gerbils must have access to clean drinking water at all times, and feeding fresh foods is not the alternative to providing fresh water.

A water bowl is not suited to any gerbil tank, gerbils will likely tip the bowl over or cover the bowl in bedding, which can result in a soaked cage and wet gerbils. It also means that they will be without water. So a bottle should be supplied, and ensure all the gerbils can reach it and change the water daily and wash the bottle out regulary, ensuring it is VERY well rinsed!!

Keep an eye on how much your gerbils drink, as if they begin to drink a lot more it could be the sign of a health problem and if they stop drinking the bottle may have stopped working.

Petstore treats

Yogurt drops, chocolate drops, honey sticks etc are all unnecessary, and these 'treats' are all too often high in sugar, colours and other nasties. Avoid these and feed something of the safe food list above.

Nutrients

Foods are made up of the following:

Proteins- For growth and repair. Found in soya, seeds and hard boiled eggs, however, gerbils do not require a high amount of protein, and only pups and nursing mothers should have a higher protein diet. Older gerbils should be fed a lower protein diet. This can be achieved by feeding them a good quality gerbil seed mix and offering pups and nursing mothers extra protein foods like mealworms, hard boiled eggs regularly, but limiting older gerbils to no more than 2 portions of higher protein foods a week as a tasty treat. Feeding a high protein diet when it is not needed, can cause more problems than good.

Carbohydrates- Needed for energy. Found in wheat, rye, oats, and carbohydrates are the main source of energy for gerbils and probably all rodents.

Fats- Needed for energy, protection and warmth. Found in seeds and nuts, and should only make up a small percentage of the diet. A diet too high in fat will result in an obese gerbil which has other health implications like being closely linked to cancer etc.

Vitamins-Many different types all needed for a healthy gerbil. Found in a variety of foods. Important nutrients are:

Vitamin A- Needed for bone growth, night vision and healthy skin, found in plant and animal products.
Vitamin B- There are many B vitamins- B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12 all have important functions. Found in vegetables, wholemeal bread, eggs and nuts.
Vitamin C- Needed for healthy skin, teeth, gums, energy production and wound healing. Found in most fruit and vegetables.
Vitamin D-For the absorption of calcium and is found in sunlight rather than food really, but some vitamin D can be found in hardboiled egg.
Vitamin E- Acts as an antioxidant and good sources are wheatgerm and nuts.
Vitamin K-Needed for blood clotting and found in dark green vegetables, but is made by the body anyway.

Minerals- Each mineral has different functions, all are important in varying amounts. Examples are:

Calcium- needed for the develop of strong bones and teeth, especially needed for babies and older gerbilss. Too much calcium is harmful as it can cause bladder stones. Calcium is found in foods like dark green vegetables and soya.
Iron- Needed for the process of haemoglobin, and can be found in foods like dark green vegetables, hard boiled eggs and soya.
Zinc-Needed for cell division, and is used in metabolisms. Good sources are pumpkin seeds
Copper- Needed for red blood cell formation, found in nuts, wheatgerm and vegetables.
Magnesium- Found in green foods and grains, a lack of magnesium is associated with fits.

Fibre- Needed for roughage and a healthy digestive system, not enough causes constipation, too much causes diarrhea. Good sources are timothy hay and vegetables. Too much fibre can hinder the absorption of important nutruents due to the amount of phytic acid

Toys

How To Keep Your Gerbil Entertained

Gerbils LOVE to chew, and you must provide them with suitable materials, to help prevent their teeth from becoming too long and if you don't give them something to chew, they'll find something, the cage included!

Rule number one, no soft plastics or fabrics!! Gerbils are unbelievably quick at destroying and stripping down objects in their cage, and you must ensure that they cannot be choked or poisoned.

So some great chewing ideas are listed below:

Cardboard kitchen/ toilet rolls- great for hiding and chewing
Wrapping Paper rolls- longer than kitchen/toilet rolls and serve the same purpose, and sometimes are slightly harder.
Hay-Timothy/meadow/brome/oat and orchard grass are great.
Wooden chews- Available at petshops, try to get ones with no dyes
Willow toys- Made for rabbits, must be untreated willow!
Fruit tree branches- Apple, pear and gooseberry are fine, no peach, cherry or plum which are all toxic. Make sure they have not been treated with pesticides.
Nuts in the shell- All nuts are fine, apart from almonds. Walnuts are a favourite.
Cardboard boxes- They can strip them down pretty quick, just make sure it hasn't got a laminated cover which will feel waxy. Undyed boxes would be better.

Other ideas

Gerbils don't spend every waking hour chewing, and they will appreciate other toys that allows them to dig, explore and climb. A good solid plastic wheel is vital, just stay away from those horrid metal ones with open rungs as tails and little feet can get trapped. Wodent wheels, silent spinners and comfort wheels can be used, but expect a bit of chewing.

A chinchilla sand bath can be provided in a ceramic dish, although it often gets covered in bedding, so you may need to have it in a raised area. Just be sure NOT to use chinchilla dust as that can cause respiratory problems!

For climbing, you could add a tank topper if you have an aquarium, or just add levels to the cage.

Gerbil Picture Taken with Permission from Jazz_The_gerbil 's website

Routine Care

How to Care for your Gerbils

Daily

Everyday you should check your gerbils have clean water, the water should be changed daily and provided in a water bottle. Make sure it is functioning properly.
Make sure they have food, which can be hard to determine as the often bury the food dish! Feed them gerbil mix every other day, and in each feeding offer them about 3 tablespoons per gerbil, being sure to limit the sunflower seed, peanuts and pumpkin seeds.
Check the cage for blood, poop changes etc and quickly inspect each gerbil.
Allow the gerbils at least 20-30 minutes of the cage for exercise, either in a secure room, playpen, hamster-ball or dry bath tub.

Twice/three times a week

Feed fresh foods 2-3 times a week, introducing all new foods slowly, in bitesize quantities at first, broccoli, pear and apple are all firm favourites.
Feed protein foods twice a week, like a mealworm or a bit of hardboiled egg in small quantities!

Weekly

Give every gerbil a thorough check over, including checking the nails etc.
Clean the cage if necessary.

Cleaning the cage

Gerbils do not pee much, so the cage usually can go longer than a week without cleaning, allowing for the space and amount of gerbils you have in the cage. Really every 7-10 days the cage should have a thorough clean out to get rid off mouldy food, soiled bedding etc.

To clean the cage, put the gerbils out to play in a secure area, like a secure playpen, spare cage or hamster-ball so as they do not get in the way.

Remove all the bedding and throw it out, keeping back one small handful so as the gerbils can smell themselves when they go into the clean cage. Next, wash the cage using a petsafe disinfectant, do not use bleach or anything that turns the water white! Spray the cage with the disinfectant, wait a few minutes and rinse well, do NOT leave it to dry or just wipe off, no matter what it says on the bottle. Once rinsed well and dried, fill the cage up with plenty of bedding and nesting material and pack it down well and sprinkle over the small handful of old bedding. Then put in fresh food and change the chinchilla sand bath if you have one. I also wash the wheel at this point.

Once finished, return the gerbils, and expect them to be a bit annoyed that they have to re-dig all their tunnels!!

Behaviour

Typical Gerbil Behaviour

Hierarchy

In the wild, only the dominant male and female pair will mate, however, in captivity, where it is basically impossible to set up mixed groups like in the wild, there will be a dominant gerbil whether the gerbils are in same sex groups or pairs. In mixed pairs, the female is the dominant sex.

Gnawing

You may be wondering why your gerbils gnaw everything in sight, well the reason is that they have to! Like all rodents, gerbils have teeth that never stop growing, so they must gnaw to keep their teeth at the right length. Failure to provide gnawing material, can cause the gerbils to die as they have nothing to grind their teeth down on, causing overgrown teeth that does not allow them to eat. The first signs of overlong teeth may be dribbling, blood around the mouth, dehydration and/or weightloss, and the gerbils will need their teeth cut by a vet, do not try to yourself.

Digging

Gerbils LOVE to dig, and you should let them fulfil this natural activity by providing a deep layer of bedding. Care must be taken so that these tunnels cannot collapse, so always press the bedding down well, and hiding mugs and mixing in hay can help give support to the tunnels.

NOTE Gerbils have been known to dig compulsively, which is when they constantly dig at the corners of their cage, and to avoid this, research has shown that gerbils should have a tunnel leading to a nest area. I would recommend using a wooden nesting box with a cardboard tube shoved through the hole into the nestbox.

Scent Marking

Gerbils have a scent gland on their bellies, and both males and females will use this to mark their territory, so do not be surprised if you see your gerbils rubbing their bellies against objects in their cage. We cannot smell the scent on these glands though.

Thumping

Gerbils thump using their hind legs, either because they sense danger and want to alert other members of the possible problems, or if they are excited. If it is in fear, the other gerbils will run for cover and start thumping.

Grooming

If gerbils start to groom themselves then it is a sign that they are relaxed, and if you have more than one gerbil, you may see one gerbil roll onto its back in front of a fellow member, asking to be groomed, which is a good sign that the pair/group is getting along.

Bonding/Introducing new members

Bonding

Gerbils love company, and should live with another gerbil, any young gerbils under 10 weeks are likely to accept a new friend, but older gerbils will be more tricky. If you have a pair of females, do not try and bond another female, as they generally do not work out as females are so territorial and do better in pairs.

If you have males, then they can have a new member added, although if they are older than 10 weeks I wouldn't risk trying to increase the numbers personally. NEVER put a gerbil straight into another gerbil's tank as it will almost certainly result in severe fighting, if not death.

All introductions must be done gradually, using the spilt cage method, which I have highlighted below, this is aimed at bonding young gerbils, single gerbils or a male/female combo:

Step one: Clean out the cage that is to be used really well, then using fine wire mesh, spilt the cage in half, ensuring the wire goes from the floor to the lid, so as gerbils cannot dig under or climb over. This way the can smell, hear and see each other, but not touch. Fill the cage with bedding etc

Step two: Place the different gerbils on separate sides and switch them over after 2-3 days.

Step three: repeat step two, several more times.

Step four: Clean out the cage and accessories really well so as it becomes 'neutral territory' and put the gerbils in together and watch them closely for 3-5 hours. Any signs of fighting and they will need to be spilt up and tried again from step 2. If no signs of fighting happen during the first 5 hours, they should get along, but you must check on them often for the next few weeks.

Disclaimer: Please note, by bonding gerbils, you do so at your own risk, some gerbils will not accept another, so this method is based on my own information and may not work out all of the time. It is up to you to ensure their safety.

Taming

How to have a tame gerbil

Gerbils do enjoy sharing their lives with their human, but there is no set time that it takes to tame a gerbil, like all domesticated animals, they are individuals, and all have had different experiences with humans. Some are shy, others are outgoing, and the odd one may not really want to make friends. I'll warn you now, they are not cuddley animals, they don't mind being handled, but are too active to sit and be cuddled.

When you first get them home, leave them to settle in, trying to grab them the first night home will only make them worse! If you buy from a breeder or rescue you may be lucky enough to have them already used to humans, but this should not be expected.

Always wash your hands before and after each handling session, and expect the odd nip.

Start off gradually, by offering them tasty treats, like sunflower seeds, a small mouthful of apple or broccoli etc. It may take them a while to come up and take it out of your hand, so set by some time to achieve this and talk to them in a soft voice. Don't remove your hand after they have taken it, allow them to sniff your hand, so as they can get used to your scent. You may need to do this a few times, and with each session they will become braver. Problem is, you can't keep feeding them treats every night, so really choose carefully, use a rolled oat if you have too!

Once this has been achieved, time to move onto step 2, place the treat in the palm of your hand, and wait for the gerbils to climb on and take the piece. It may take a LONG time, and believe me, your arm will begin to ache unless you can rest it on something! They will be very jittery, but after a few tries, they may even sit on your hand. Don't forget to keep talking to them.

Once you get this far, you are doing well, now comes the time to try and gently pat them once they have been offered the treat, if they except the stoking, you can try and scoop them up, best done by simply raising your hand slowly up a small height when they are sitting on it. Notice the word scoop, not grab, pinch or snatch and never pick them up by their tails! Their tails can drop off! Don't chase them around the cage either.

Gently scoop them over the cage floor, if they jump off, let them, do not restrain them! Thats where a lot of people go wrong, and the gerbils freak out, if they jump off, let them so as they learn to trust you. Of course only let them jump off if you are handling them near the cagefloor! Offer them another small treat, and end the session for that night, and try again later. Eventually they will trust you mean no harm, if you want to, let them climb all over you in a dry bathtub (plug covered) and they will get to know your scent.

My gerbils loved to climb up the inside of my sleeve, and climbed up the outside of my sleeve and sat on my shoulder. So, it shouldn't take too long before they are tamed.

TIP: Keep the sessions quite short, as soon as the aim has been achieved, end the session, don't try and do two steps in one session. Build it up gradually.

TIP: If you are bitten, wash the wound well and spray some antiseptic spray on the cut, if it is deep, you may wish to cover it with a plaster. If you are a child, ask a parent or guardian to help you.

Health

Health and Illness Guide

Gerbils as you know, come from a harsh environment, so they are hardy animals, however, at some point in their lives they are likely to need vetenary treatment.

A healthy gerbil will be active, eating, drinking and should have bright eyes, shiny coat and normal poops. Signs of an unhealthy gerbil may be lethargy, refusing to eat, runny poops, cuts/wounds, red noses, itching, breathing difficulties etc. If you are worried about your gerbil, please do not hesitate to consult a vet immediately!

Click here to go to the gerbil illness guide

First Aid Kit

It is useful to have a few items at home to help in non-emergencies and aftercare, a few things that can be useful are:

Needless Syringe/glass eyedropper- Great for getting your gerbil to take fluids, your vet will often supply you with a needless syringe for free if you ask. I prefer glass eyedroppers though, as the syringes tend to go mouldy after a couple of uses. You also have more control over the amount of fluid released each time with an eyedropper.

Electrolytes- Unflavoured electrolytes can be used for emergency rehydration, and can be bought at your local Chemists. In the USA it often is called Pedialyte, just be sure to get the unflavoured kind. It can be mixed with water in a ratio of 50:50, and can be syringe fed in small amounts, or put in the water bottle.

Salt- tablesalt dissolved in boiled water allowed to cool gives you a saline solution perfect for cleaning wounds. Apply the saline solution either lukewarm or at room temperature, not cold and certainly not hot.

Cotton Buds- Great for cleaning wounds, just make sure your gerbil doesn't get a hold of one!

Hydrogen Peroxide- Can be used to clean out wounds

Antiseptic wipes- Can be used when us humans get a bite, but if it is a deep bite or it becomes infected, you may want to consult a doctor. If you are a child, please get an adult to look at any bites.

Got Rabbits, Hamsters, Guinea pigs, gerbils?