Gerbils at Home: Pet Guide

Tiny explorers and great jumpers!

If you have ever wondered what is difference between guinea pig and hamster and gerbil or what do gerbils look like, you will find answers to these and other questions in this short pet guide.

What are Gerbils Like: Appearance and Behavior

In searching for a low-maintained small pet that will bring joy and energy to your life, a gerbil could become the right choice. Rodents are short furred with long tails and big eyes.

Though they are living in the wild it wasn't until the mid-fifties of the XX century when several dozens of male and female gerbils were transported from eastern Mongolia to the United States for scientific purposes. From that time these animals gained popularity as small pets in many-English speaking regions. Most pet gerbils are Mongolian ones kept as house pets.

In their natural habitat, these rodents typically are grayish in color, but as a result of selective breeding a variety of colors appeared from gold and black to white.

Gerbils are small furry creatures, bigger than mice but not as large as hamsters. They have a long, fluffy tails. Their body is about 4 inches, and their tail is of the same length as the body. Males tend to be larger than females. Their weight does not exceed 120 grams. In answering the question of how long do gerbils live, their lifespan is between 2 to 4 years.

Talking about which sense is highly developed in gerbils, that is a keen sense of smell.

In the wild, these rodents tend to live in colonies therefore as pets they cannot live alone and need the company preferably of a same-sex pair. The given small animals could form breeding pairs and stay together during their whole lifespan. The animals touch noses with other gerbils as a form of greeting. But remember, if you have already a mature gerbil it is not recommended to introduce a new one to share the same territory. In such cases, these animals could fight which could sometimes bring to the death of one of them. Furthermore, do not leave these small animals unattended, and keep them away from other pets, specifically cats.

That is a normal behavior of gerbils standing on their hind legs which is a sign of their curiosity or anxiety. They love to explore and have endless energy all day long. Being rather diurnal they still are active at night taking some short naps throughout the daytime.

Gerbils are friendly furry creatures and rarely bite unless they feel threatened or provoked aggressively.

Be ready to spend several hours a day gently handling and interacting with your pet, feeding and maintaining its habitat clean. Playing with these pets will help you form tight bonds with your home animal. You should handle the pet gently and properly never holding it by the tip of the tail. There is a huge risk of tails breaking or even detaching.

Gerbil Cage and Housing Conditions

Since these rodents are chewers the most suitable housing for them is glass tanks, terrariums/aquariums or wire enclosures. Please mind that they could chew through plastic cages. With glass tanks you could provide a thick layer of bedding and gerbils could hide and burrow in it.

Do not forget to equip the habitat with mineral chews, chewing sticks, a food bowl and small wooden houses and drinking bottles. All this will help the rodent to wear down incisor teeth which are continuously growing. You could also put various climbing objects like stairs, platforms or wooden pieces in their habitats. Toilet paper rolls or solid exercise wheels are the best toys for gerbils.

Generally speaking, the habitat should be spacy enough to have a hideout zone for some sleep and relax, as well as plenty of hay and bedding to dig in.

These rodents are very clean creatures and use their claws, tongues and teeth to groom both themselves and their habitats. To keep their fur shiny and clean provide them with sand baths for hygiene purposes. Do not forget to buy such sand together with a sand container in a specialized pet shop since regular sand could be dirty and pose a danger to your pet. Remove soiled spots from the bedding daily and change the bedding weekly, washing everything with mild soap and water in the enclosure.

Originating from warm countries the rodents should be kept indoors. These mammals do not tolerate cold temperatures. Do not leave them unsupervised in direct sunlight.

What Do Gerbils Eat?

Barley, wheat, corn and oats are the best gerbil food since these furry rodents are indeed grain-eaters. They also like grass, vegetables, fruits and hay.

Juicy food (all kinds of fruits and vegetables – except for grapes, potatoes and cabbage) should be given in small portions in such a volume that everything is eaten at one time.

The grain mixture can be left for permanent access. It is recommended to add all kinds of dried fruits, seeds and sometimes pieces of boiled chicken eggs along with the shell. You should also limit sunflower seeds and nuts in your diet; such high-calorie foods in large quantities are very harmful.

In the wild, these animals usually obtain the required volume of liquid from the consumed juice food like fruits and vegetables, as well as greens. However, do not forget to equip the cage with a water bottle and change the water daily.

Feeding of these creatures should be varied, you could set specific days for fruits, vegetables and grass.

The small animals are typically hygienic and robust creatures who infrequently fall ill. Their most prevalent health concern is a common cold, which can be averted by administering preventive vitamins either through drops or by incorporating them into their diet.

Gerbil Toys and Other Entertainment

As toys, you can offer gerbils wooden bridges, large snags or tree roots, twigs, trunk cuts, well-processed and non-coniferous wood, wooden balls and other toys for rodents, cardboard tubes from toilet paper and towels, boxes, tunnels and pressed or wicker baskets, baskets, hay tunnels.

Toys, like other objects in the cage, will certainly be chewed, so the toys must be safe for gerbils. In no case should you offer rodent rags, cotton wool, microfiber and non-woven wipes, soft and plastic toys as toys or instead of napkins.

Reproduction of Gerbils

The gerbil is capable of reproduction from 4-6 months, pregnancy lasts 23-27 days: the animal sleeps a lot during this time, and mating stops.

A female can bring up to 5 litters in a year, each of which contains 5-10 cubs, so you should worry in advance about who will then have to give the offspring to.

For the first 20 days of life, the pups are in the nest and feed on breast milk, gradually trying solid food. The cubs completely switch to adult food after 4-5 weeks from birth. At the same time, young gerbils are transplanted to new housing, and females and males are separated.

10 Principal Rules for Keeping a Gerbil

Ensure regular ventilation of the room, moving the pet to a different location during this process;
Avoid humid air;
Consistently sanitize the cage with antiseptic solutions;
Refrain from interacting with pets of unknown medical backgrounds;
Never handle your pet with dirty hands;
Avoid contact with infected individuals;
Avoid stress, as it is the primary cause of all rodent diseases;
Pre-treat all items placed in the cage with bactericidal agents;
Adhere strictly to dietary rules, occasionally supplementing with vitamins and minerals;
Prevent contact between your pet and other animals in your home.

Pros and Cons of Having Gerbil as a Pet

Pros:

A gerbil is tiny in size unlike guinea pigs or chinchillas requiring smaller space. However, a gerbil cage should be spacious enough for running, climbing and exploring all corners. These fur-tailed creatures are curious and fun to watch;
A rodent has no odor and other unpleasant smells being one of the cleanest small pets. Cleaning the cage once a week would be a sufficient routine.
A gerbil is a low-maintained small animal not choosy in its food. All food could be found at any home and refrigerator.

Cons:

A rodent has a rather short gerbil lifespan of about 2-4 years.
Sometimes a gerbil could be very noisy, loud and active exploring all day long.
Do not leave a rodent unattended as it could cause damage to cables and books. Therefore, you should carefully look after your little friend.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are gerbils nocturnal?

No, many of these rodents are diurnal, which means that they are active during the day like humans. So, their lifestyle is like ours. Gerbils could frequently sleep during the daytime taking short naps. During these sleep periods, they should not be disturbed. These small creatures have a lifespan of just a few years, and their pace of life is much faster than ours, characterized by rapid movements and a significantly faster heartbeat.

2. Do gerbils like sand?

These rodents of a unique way of cleaning themselves and bathing without using any water. Gerbils partake in what is known as sand baths or dust baths. The sand helps to remove dirt from the gerbils' fur and absorbs any surplus oils.

How big should a gerbil sand dish be? The bowl for your gerbil's sand bath should have a minimum depth of 3 inches and should be wide enough for your gerbil to comfortably roll around in.

3. What is the best wheel for gerbils?

The gerbil wheel is a great solution for a hyperactive rodent. You need to choose a metal one, since the plastic will be destroyed in the shortest possible time by sharp teeth. Crossbars should be excluded from the design, as the animal may get stuck between them. A safe option is a mesh on a metal wheel.

4. Can gerbils eat apples?

These rodents can eat both red and green apples provided the seeds are removed. Apply are rich in vitamin A, fiber, magnesium and potassium. You could give a portion slice now exceeding 25 grams at a time. However, apples contain a high level of water and sugar so do not offer apples frequently to your small friend.

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