As we said at the very beginning you must be committed to providing the very best for your gerbil. It is amazing how many people dont think its necessary to interact with their gerbils once they bring them home. But it is, and it is something you need to consider BEFORE you buy your pet. Lets see what gerbils need.
Housing
In the wild gerbils live in burrows and spend the majority of time foraging for food, so you need to provide plenty of room for your gerbil to eat, sleep and run around. Gerbils should be kept in pairs or groups and you must make sure that there is room for all of them. They need to be kept indoors and careful thought must be given to where your gerbils cage will be kept. The temperature in the room should be constant, away from direct sunlight and drafts, and out of reach of any other pets.
Gerbils need good, secure, roomy housing. They can be kept in a wire cage with a plastic base or a plastic hamster home but the best option is to construct a gerbilarium (an aquarium with a well ventilated cover). Never keep them in a wooden hutch as they will gnaw their way out!
A good cage will be two tiered and have at least two compartments one for the day and one to nest and hide in at night. Dont forget that if you have more than one gerbil you will need a bigger cage. They prefer to sleep separately at night, too, so need their own nesting areas. Would you want to share your bedroom all the time?
The minimum size for a good cage is 2ft 6in long x 1ft 4in wide x 1ft tall (75cm x 40cm x 30cm). This will need to be much larger if you are keeping more than one gerbil. Remember that a cage can NEVER be too big buy or make the largest cage you can manage.
You could also provide an exercise yard for your gerbil that allows him plenty of room to exercise. Gerbils are naturally frightened of large, open spaces but love playing in a run that contains playthings, such as boxes, flowerpots, drainpipes and logs.
Cage Hygiene
Gerbils are one of the easiest small animal to look after. Because their little bodies have adapted to have limited amounts of food and water, they waste very little body fluid, excreting only concentrated urine and dry feces. If kept in a gerbilarium, with lots of absorbent bedding, the animals can live in sanitary conditions much longer than their other small animal counter parts.
It is important, however, to check DAILY for stale food, which should be removed. Also check the water bottle regularly, as gerbils are prone to piling litter underneath them which can cause them to leak.
Here are some tips to help you make sure you keep your gerbils cage clean and hygienic:
Every day
Remove all stale food and check water bottle.
Once a week
Check for dirty bedding and remove.
Every 4-8 weeks (depending on the size of your colony)
Remove all bedding. Thoroughly sweep out all the soiled bedding.
Rinse with warm water and mild detergent and wait until dry. Spray inside of cage with a gerbil safe disinfectant/ deodorant spray and wait until dry. Replace with clean bedding.
Remove all stale food and check water bottle.
Once a week
Check for dirty bedding and remove.
Every 4-8 weeks (depending on the size of your colony)
Remove all bedding. Thoroughly sweep out all the soiled bedding.
Rinse with warm water and mild detergent and wait until dry. Spray inside of cage with a gerbil safe disinfectant/ deodorant spray and wait until dry. Replace with clean bedding.
BEDDING MATERIAL
There are many types of bedding available for gerbils but the best are the natural products that are dust extracted to reduce irritation to the eyes, nose and respiratory system when the gerbils burrow..
Carefresh - Supreme Science
Carefresh - Supreme Science is a environmentally friendly bedding made form virgin wood pulp fiber. It contains no inks or dyes and is even more absorbent than other traditional beddings and really helps eliminates pet odors. It is dust free and hypo-allergenic and is, therefore, particularly suitable if your gerbil. It is safe and hygienic and has been heat treated to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth. Carefresh - Supreme Science absorbs up to 3 times its weight in liquid and lasts up to twice as long as traditional bedding.
DUST BATH
Gerbils evolved in dry climates and they love to have a dust bath. Place a high quality sand, such as Charlie Chinchilla Bathing Sand, into a box or bowl, and let your gerbil roll around and flip over. They will thoroughly enjoy themselves and the sand will help to keep their coats healthy by removing excess oils. Remove the bathing sand after each session. You can offer them a bath weekly or daily. They love it!
EXERCISE
It is extremely important that your gerbil has the opportunity to exercise every day. Exercise is essential to:
There are many types of bedding available for gerbils but the best are the natural products that are dust extracted to reduce irritation to the eyes, nose and respiratory system when the gerbils burrow..
Carefresh - Supreme Science
Carefresh - Supreme Science is a environmentally friendly bedding made form virgin wood pulp fiber. It contains no inks or dyes and is even more absorbent than other traditional beddings and really helps eliminates pet odors. It is dust free and hypo-allergenic and is, therefore, particularly suitable if your gerbil. It is safe and hygienic and has been heat treated to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth. Carefresh - Supreme Science absorbs up to 3 times its weight in liquid and lasts up to twice as long as traditional bedding.
DUST BATH
Gerbils evolved in dry climates and they love to have a dust bath. Place a high quality sand, such as Charlie Chinchilla Bathing Sand, into a box or bowl, and let your gerbil roll around and flip over. They will thoroughly enjoy themselves and the sand will help to keep their coats healthy by removing excess oils. Remove the bathing sand after each session. You can offer them a bath weekly or daily. They love it!
EXERCISE
It is extremely important that your gerbil has the opportunity to exercise every day. Exercise is essential to:
- maintain high levels of fitness
- maintain mental well-being
- increase cardiovascular fitness
- control weight levels
- maintain joint mobility
- maintain muscle tone
Your gerbil will love running around and playing. Give him some play things, such as toilet roll tubes, flower pots, cardboard egg boxes and pieces of safe wood, such as hazel or apple wood, that they can climb on and gnaw!
You need to provide a large, secure run for daily exercise. This can be free-standing or attached to the cage. Security and position are extremely important to avoid any harm or stress to your gerbil during his playtime.
Gerbils are naturally very active and inquisitive animals. They like to keep themselves busy and, when allowed, spend the majority of their time running around and investigating their surroundings.
Their natural instincts are to forage, explore and socialize. Meal time is always over too quickly and this could mean that your gerbil will get bored. It only takes a few items to create an exciting environment for them to be in.
You need to provide a large, secure run for daily exercise. This can be free-standing or attached to the cage. Security and position are extremely important to avoid any harm or stress to your gerbil during his playtime.
Gerbils are naturally very active and inquisitive animals. They like to keep themselves busy and, when allowed, spend the majority of their time running around and investigating their surroundings.
Their natural instincts are to forage, explore and socialize. Meal time is always over too quickly and this could mean that your gerbil will get bored. It only takes a few items to create an exciting environment for them to be in.
- Gerbils like to look under, hide in, or climb on to small platforms, empty cardboard boxes, wicker or plastic flowerpots. Chimney pots and plastic pipes make great hiding places and excellent tunnels. Change the items around occasionally to provide added interest for your gerbil.
- Piles of logs (natural wood willow, beech, hazel or apple) make platforms for them to explore or rest under. Gerbils will chew the wood and this will help keep their teeth trim!
- Feeding time for a domestic animal is often over in minutes whereas, in the wild, feeding takes most of the day as they forage for their favorite foods. By hiding food and the occasional treat under cardboard boxes, in empty plant or yoghurt pots, or in different areas of the animals cage, your gerbil will be forced to hunt for his food this will keep him occupied for many happy hours and prevent boredom.
- Gerbils love company, so his best friend could be you!.
Handling your Gerbil
To ensure that your gerbil becomes tame and affectionate it is important that you handle it frequently and correctly. Picking up a gerbil incorrectly could lead to your gerbil being permanently frightened and may lead to it becoming aggressive.
Remember that most small animals are prey in the wild. So, if they are approached from above they will see a large shadow and become scared. They might run and hide or try to attack you.
Before attempting handling, make sure that your gerbil is awake and alert. Let him decide when he is ready to come to you. Your voice is a very good method of introduction as it will make him aware that you are near him.
Always approach him calmly and, once you are sure he is awake, slowly place a closed fist in front of him and allow him to approach. If your gerbil is confident and appears interested, slowly unclench your fist and open your hand. He may crawl on to the palm of your hand or you can gently scoop him up. If he appears hesitant, you could gently hold the base of its tail, near its body, and lift up, placing its feet on the palm of your other hand (always be slow and gentle and never grab hold of the end of his tail as gerbils can shed the skin to escape although this causes them pain and they will likely be frightened next time you approach him).
To ensure that your gerbil is safe while you hold him, place him over your lap or hold next to your chest. If they wriggle during handling they may fall and their skeletons are so small and delicate that they can easily be damaged. This is also true of rough handling never squeeze or tighten your grip around the gerbil during handling.
If your gerbil is difficult to catch when in the cage, you can use a cup or mug to usher him in and then slowly tip him out on to your lap. This is also a useful technique for aggressive gerbils. It avoids injury both to you and your gerbil. If your gerbil is aggressive and hates being handled, it is important that you break him of this habit but if he still wriggles during transportation, it is advisable to place him in a carrier to avoid any accidents.
Grooming and health checks
Gerbils do not require washing and dont generally require grooming if they are in a pairs, as they will groom each other. But they do really enjoy an occasional dust bath. While handling your gerbil, you have the perfect opportunity to examine your pet closely to look for any signs of illness. Check his eyes, ears, nose and under the tail. Also check that his teeth and nails arent too long and make sure his fur is clean and shiny and that there arent any lumps or bumps. (Also see the next section called Is my Gerbil well? for more details on signs of illness and behavior.)
COMPANIONSHIP
We touched briefly on pairing gerbils at the beginning, but it needs explaining in more detail.
Gerbils in the wild live in large colonies of equal numbers. They are sociable animals and can be truly unhappy if kept in solitude. There should be no problems keeping gerbils together if the following rules are followed.
As mentioned before, you must have a cage which is large enough to accommodate more than one gerbil. It is best to acquire littermates in order to avoid fighting. Pairs or groups of males or females will be fine if they are from the same litter. They may even accept a gerbil from a different litter, but they may fight. Females and males will be happy together but will result in many litters of pups. Gerbils are prolific breeders and the offspring can reproduct as early as 10 weeks old.
Veterinary treatment
A gerbil is inexpensive to buy, but you must be prepared to pay for veterinary treatment if he becomes ill.
Gestation and lactation
If you do decide to breed your female gerbil, you will need to give her twice as much food as normal while she is pregnant, as the demand for nutrients during this time is much greater. Once she has had the litter she will need three times as much food as normal while she is lactating (feeding her babies herself). Do not be tempted to touch the pups for the first week as the mother gerbil may reject them.
Older Gerbils
When gerbils reach the senior stage of life, it is equally important to consider changes in their environment and diet. Older animals tend to be less active, especially in colder weather, and will have lower energy requirements. Their food intake should be reduced to prevent obesity and you should encourage your older gerbil to continue exercising to maintain a good level of fitness which will help fight off disease.
VACATIONS
If you want to go on vacation, you must ensure that someone is happy to look after your pet properly while you are away, or you must be prepared to pay for them to be boarded.
To ensure that your gerbil becomes tame and affectionate it is important that you handle it frequently and correctly. Picking up a gerbil incorrectly could lead to your gerbil being permanently frightened and may lead to it becoming aggressive.
Remember that most small animals are prey in the wild. So, if they are approached from above they will see a large shadow and become scared. They might run and hide or try to attack you.
Before attempting handling, make sure that your gerbil is awake and alert. Let him decide when he is ready to come to you. Your voice is a very good method of introduction as it will make him aware that you are near him.
Always approach him calmly and, once you are sure he is awake, slowly place a closed fist in front of him and allow him to approach. If your gerbil is confident and appears interested, slowly unclench your fist and open your hand. He may crawl on to the palm of your hand or you can gently scoop him up. If he appears hesitant, you could gently hold the base of its tail, near its body, and lift up, placing its feet on the palm of your other hand (always be slow and gentle and never grab hold of the end of his tail as gerbils can shed the skin to escape although this causes them pain and they will likely be frightened next time you approach him).
To ensure that your gerbil is safe while you hold him, place him over your lap or hold next to your chest. If they wriggle during handling they may fall and their skeletons are so small and delicate that they can easily be damaged. This is also true of rough handling never squeeze or tighten your grip around the gerbil during handling.
If your gerbil is difficult to catch when in the cage, you can use a cup or mug to usher him in and then slowly tip him out on to your lap. This is also a useful technique for aggressive gerbils. It avoids injury both to you and your gerbil. If your gerbil is aggressive and hates being handled, it is important that you break him of this habit but if he still wriggles during transportation, it is advisable to place him in a carrier to avoid any accidents.
Grooming and health checks
Gerbils do not require washing and dont generally require grooming if they are in a pairs, as they will groom each other. But they do really enjoy an occasional dust bath. While handling your gerbil, you have the perfect opportunity to examine your pet closely to look for any signs of illness. Check his eyes, ears, nose and under the tail. Also check that his teeth and nails arent too long and make sure his fur is clean and shiny and that there arent any lumps or bumps. (Also see the next section called Is my Gerbil well? for more details on signs of illness and behavior.)
COMPANIONSHIP
We touched briefly on pairing gerbils at the beginning, but it needs explaining in more detail.
Gerbils in the wild live in large colonies of equal numbers. They are sociable animals and can be truly unhappy if kept in solitude. There should be no problems keeping gerbils together if the following rules are followed.
As mentioned before, you must have a cage which is large enough to accommodate more than one gerbil. It is best to acquire littermates in order to avoid fighting. Pairs or groups of males or females will be fine if they are from the same litter. They may even accept a gerbil from a different litter, but they may fight. Females and males will be happy together but will result in many litters of pups. Gerbils are prolific breeders and the offspring can reproduct as early as 10 weeks old.
Veterinary treatment
A gerbil is inexpensive to buy, but you must be prepared to pay for veterinary treatment if he becomes ill.
Gestation and lactation
If you do decide to breed your female gerbil, you will need to give her twice as much food as normal while she is pregnant, as the demand for nutrients during this time is much greater. Once she has had the litter she will need three times as much food as normal while she is lactating (feeding her babies herself). Do not be tempted to touch the pups for the first week as the mother gerbil may reject them.
Older Gerbils
When gerbils reach the senior stage of life, it is equally important to consider changes in their environment and diet. Older animals tend to be less active, especially in colder weather, and will have lower energy requirements. Their food intake should be reduced to prevent obesity and you should encourage your older gerbil to continue exercising to maintain a good level of fitness which will help fight off disease.
VACATIONS
If you want to go on vacation, you must ensure that someone is happy to look after your pet properly while you are away, or you must be prepared to pay for them to be boarded.
