Gerbils are among the most popular of all pet rodents, and for good reasons. They are curious and friendly, and much more outgoing than many other pet rodents. They are desert animals, and they drink less and urinate less than other rodents, so they tend to have a less objectionable odor than other pet rodents. They are also not as h2ly nocturnal as some other pet rodents, so you will observe more of their activities. This also makes them more amenable to daytime handling.

While most gerbils are the wild-type agouti color, there are many different colors available today. Regardless of the color, their care is the same.

Mongolian gerbils are the common gerbils of the pet trade. Other species may have different requirements, and you should research their specific needs if you are working with exotic gerbil species.

Housing and Environment

Please see the general small animal care sheet for information on housing requirements for your pet gerbils.

Gerbils are social but territorial. They are best kept in pairs. Older gerbils don not take well to strangers and may fight when introduced, but two young gerbils are likely to get along fine. Same sex pairs are the best option for pets unless you are confident that you can find homes for many offspring. Even two males, preferably from the same litter, if introduced young enough, will be happy together.

A pair of gerbils can be maintained in about 1.5 square feet, about the size of a standard 10 gallon aquarium. Gerbils are very active rodents, and if you can give them more space they will appreciate it. While they appreciate floor space more than height, their preference for digging tunnels means they will appreciate a deep substrate. In light of this, a taller cage may be useful for them.

Gerbils are particularly active rodents, and should be given plenty of structures to run and play on. Some of your options are discussed in the general small animal care sheet. Because gerbils are so active, an exercise wheel should be considered required equipment for your gerbils’ cage.

While not often recommended, gerbils will make use of a sand or dust bath. Chinchilla dust will work very well for this purpose. Simply place a small bowl in the cage with the dust in it. Your gerbils will enjoy themselves while cleaning themselves in the dust bath.

Substrate

The general small animal care sheet gives details on some of your choices of bedding. There are a few details specific to gerbils discussed here.

Because gerbils like to burrow, they should be provided with a relatively deep (several inches) substrate. Shredded aspen is probably the best substrate for gerbils. It is not dusty or aromatic. Additionally, the long, interlocking fibers don’t collapse around the gerbils as they are making tunnels.

Shredded paper products are another good option for bedding for gerbils. Pelleted paper products are not a very good choice, as they do not allow for digging and tunneling.

Pelleted wood bedding is another poor choice, again, because it will not allow for tunneling. It is a very good product for odor control, and may be used in a layer underneath something like shredded aspen. This may not be necessary, as gerbils do not tend to produce h2 odors.

Diet

Zeigler MonsterDiets™ for hamsters and gerbils are designed to be a complete diet. This should be offered free choice to your gerbils.

Treats can be occasionally offered, but only in moderation. It does not take much food to fill up a gerbil, and frequent treat foods will cause your pets to eat less of their regular diet. If they only eat a little bit of their gerbil diet then they could develop nutritional deficiencies. Treats are OK, but only in very small amounts.

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be used as treats, but they may lead to runny stool. If you offer your gerbil’s fruits and veggies, watch their stool to make sure the consistency remains firm. Avoid watery foods, such as citrus fruit.

Grains and unsalted nuts can make a good treat food. Many of these, especially sunflower seeds, are very high in fat and can throw your pet’s diet out of balance if they eat too much. They are good as occasional treats, especially when you are trying to train your new pets. They will quickly associate you with treat foods, even if you only give them small amounts.

If you do have a pair of gerbils that reproduce, you may want to offer some of these high fat foods, such as sunflower seeds, in small amounts while the female is nursing. During, lactation a gerbil will exert a lot of energy and fats, it can be beneficial to increase the amount of fat in their diet.

Maintenance

There are no special requirements for the care of your pet gerbils. Please see the general small animal care sheet for information regarding your pet’s daily care.

There are a few misconceptions regarding gerbil care. First, while gerbils do not need as much water as other common pet rodents, it is still inappropriate for them to run out of water. It is not true that gerbils can receive all the water they need if given fresh fruits and vegetables. Second, while gerbils do not produce as much odor as other rodents, they still need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Allowing their waste to build up untill you can notice the odor is creating a very unpleasant and unhealthy atmosphere for your pet.

Handling

Gerbils are friendly animals, and should be held often so they will remain tame and used to people.

When picking up a gerbil, never pick them up by their tail. The skin and fur on their tail will readily pull off. You should scoop up your pet gerbil from underneath, and allow him to sit in your hands. Young gerbils are hyper, and will continually run from one hand to another, essentially using your hands as a treadmill. They have very little fear, and must be closely watched to make sure they don’t jump out of your hands or run away. As gerbils get older, they become less hyper, and are a little easier to handle. Once they get used to being handled they will spend more time interacting with you, as opposed to being overwhelmed by their new surroundings.

Health

There is one specific health issue unique to gerbils. Many gerbils are epileptic. This is a very common problem that affects a significant percentage of all domestic gerbils. Seizures can be brought on by loud noises or by being startled. These generally last a short period of time, with no lasting affect to your pets. Do whatever you can to avoid triggering these seizures if you find that pet is susceptible to them.