Gerbil Care

Gerbils make wonderful pets. They are easy to care for if you know where to start.

Gerbils are social and need to be kept in pairs.



Housing:

I always recommend gerbils be kept in glass tanks with a metal lid. Gerbils like to dig and chew, this means if they are kept in a bar type cage they will chew the bars which can lead to sore noses missing fur and they will toss bedding out and make a huge mess that you will need to clean constantly. Plastic cages will be chewed to bits in a matter of time, it can at the least end in your pets running free in your home or in the worst case scenario they can ingest the plastic and cause an impaction that can lead to death. Tank size should be at least 5 gallons per gerbil.



Bedding:

Pine and Cedar are not appropriate, they have strong fumes that are harmful to a gerbils sensitive nose and respiratory system. Pine and Cedar have also been linked to liver failure in rabbits.

Aspen is a good alternative, as is Yesterdays News, Carefresh and corn cob. Gerbils like to burrow so if you use a harder pellet type bedding like the corn cob or Yesterday's News be sure to give your pets a bit of shreddable material to make a nest with, toilet paper, hay and unscented tissues work nicely for this.

DO NOT BUY FLUFF! The fluff they sell in pet shops for animal nests can get wrapped around tiny limbs and cause amputations or cause impactions if eaten.



Food:

There are a lot of good rodent mixes out there, do your best to find one that doesn't have a lot of dyes and corn in it. Gerbils don't need food coloring, it is usually to make it look better for us! Corn is usually GMO corn in pet food and has been linked to major cancers in rats. I currently mix my own food with organic seed mix and pellets with added organic O cereal, rolled oats, and flax seed. I might make it available to order in the near future.

Some people prefer to use food bowls but I find scattering the food among the bedding gives the gerbils more enjoyment, they dig to find their favorite bits and hid them in little stores under things. When I did use a food bowl it would often become their toilet. 



Water:

Water bottles are the way to go, a bowl would end up dumped into the bedding or have bedding and food tossed in it and make a huge mess. Gerbils love to chew plastic, the best way to keep the water bottle around is to buy a good quality one from the start. I find the Oasis bell bottles are the best, they are rounded and come with a chew guard. There are also a number of glass ones that are perfect for chewy minded gerbils. Make sure the water bottle is filled and functional daily, gerbils have a knack for burying the spout, causing it to clog or leak out into the bedding. In the off chance your gerbil destroys your water bottle in the middle of the night you can put some apple slices or carrot sticks in the cage to provide a source of moisture until you can get to the pet shop the next day.



Enrichment and health:

Gerbils need to chew, their teeth are constantly growing. There are numerous wood treats and toys sold in pet shops that are great for this. On the cheaper side there is cardboard! Toilet paper and paper towel tubes, clean food boxes with any plastic windows removed, drink trays, wax free paper plates and cups and shoe boxes all make inexpensive and safe chew toys. Wheels are always a good deal of fun for an active gerbil, just make sure not to keep them in breeding tanks as the parents can take the pups for an accidental spin that could lead to injury. 













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