General Gerbil Care
So you’ve brought home two or three adorable fuzzy little creatures we call gerbils, and you’re wondering- now what? Well that’s what this page is for, to answer all your gerbil related questions and to show you how to successfully raise loving gerbils! I have provided several links at the bottom of the page for other helpful resources for any questions you have that have not been answered on this page :)
Bringing your gerbils home:
Before you bring your gerbils home, you will need to have your cage set up and ready to go, along with all your other gerbily stuff.
Cage- Your gerbils’ home should be secure, non-chewable, and roomy. Some people choose to make an aquarium with a mesh lid their gerbils’ home, others would choose a cage. I personally like aquariums better, but it can get too hot for aquariums in the summer, but overall, they’re the best habitat for your little fuzzies. You can see through them without any obstruction, your gerbils can burrow easier, and can kick bedding anywhere they want without you having to pick it up! A 10-20 gallon is suitable for 2 gerbils, and can be purchased fairly cheap pretty much anywhere. Some pet stores may even have one with a small crack they can give you for a discount. I get my aquarium lids at Petsmart in the reptile section.
If you have decided a cage would be better for you, try to get an all metal cage, as some gerbils will take to chewing up their cages if made of plastic, and that is NOT something you want to have to deal with. Try to stay away from those brightly colored habitats that look like so much fun- because they’re not. They stink like no one’s business and are very hard to clean. Not to mention, made of plastic and easily destroyed by your gerbil.
Once you’ve selected the perfect home, it’s time for accessories! I’ve made a simple checklist for you to go by.
Water bottle -if you have an aquarium, it can be hard to get a water bottle in there- but.. I’ve discovered a wonderful trick… Velcro! Simply the soft Velcro tape to the desired spot in the tank, and stick the rough Velcro tape to the bottle and hang it up. Easy as pie. If you want to change the location of the bottle in the tank, it will be much easier to do than if you bought the water bottle at Petsmart that has sticky stuff on the back of it, that is permanent once it’s been stuck to a surface. The bottle will need to be changed every other day with fresh water.
Food- My favorite brand of food that I’ve used has got to be Ecotrition, and can be purchased at Petsmart. What I usually do, is take out the sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds and nuts out of their food, set it aside and use it as treats, as gerbils esteem sunflower seeds very highly. They make excellent treats, and aid in taming greatly. Food will need to be replaced and the old food taken out every 3-5 days. The bag should have some good directions.
Wheel- Some gerbils love wheels, others don’t. It usually depends on whether or not they were raised on it. Petsmart sells some mesh wheels that are great. Most warn against wire wheels, but the wheels they sell are mesh, and thus safe for your gerbils and I’ve used them for years. The only downside, is they get a bit squeaky. The squeaky wheels doesn’t bother me a bit, neither does it bother the gerbils, but it does bother some. Simply take some veggie oil and put some tiny drops on the wheel and it should stop the squeaking. Some people like the silent spinners a lot, which are plastic, and probably the safest you can get, but sometimes the gerbils enjoy using them as bathrooms as well, and they may get stinky, but hey… They’re SILENT spinners :)
Hideaway- I usually get a nice wood hideaway- the igloos get chewed up too fast. I try not to keep them in the cage too much, especially with new gerbils, as the gerbils start to only live eat and breathe in there, and become terrified of the outside world!
Toys- oh, toys! So much fun. For the most part, your gerbils can make do on entertainment just fine on a toilet paper tube. So instead of tossing away that toilet paper tube or paper towel tube when it’s empty, give it to the gerbils! They’ll have a blast chewing away at it and using it for bedding. As far as other toys go, just something they can chew on would suffice.
Bedding- Whatever bedding you use, do NOT use cedar or pine. It’s poisonous for gerbils, and I don’t think you want anything to harm your little gerbs, do you? I usually use care fresh. Other bedding I recommend is; Ecobedding, corn cob, and aspen. Try to stay away form cotton fluffy type stuff, as gerbils can ingest this, and it will expand in their stomachs and cause them to die. If you give corn cob or aspen, give some tissue or toilet paper to make a soft bed. Bedding will need to be changed once every 3-4 weeks or so. Gerbils are one of the cleanest rodents, so they don’t stink too much.
A carrier. Usually most places provide carriers with their gerbils, but it’s always best to bring one from home. Critter Keeper is a great brand that works well. They’re also handy for cage cleanings! :)
Extra things- these things are optional, but recommended. A sand bath. Make sure it’s chinchilla sand and not dust, as the dust can cause respiratory problems in gerbils. Make sure the package clearly says “sand”. You can either give them a ceramic bowl or buy a bowl specially made for sand baths. What sand baths do is clean their coats if they’re looking oily, plus, in the summer time it cools them down. I like to stick some sand in the freezer and then give it to ‘em. Another thing would be a play pen. Gerbils love to explore and are very curious so a play pen is a good idea for keeping them confined. However, I found that a dry bathtub with a plugged drain works great too ;)
Once you have these things, and you feel you’re ready to bring your gerbils home, then what are you waiting for? Go get those babies!
Bringing them home-
This is a crucial point, as first impressions are everything! The ride home should be as pleasant as possible, try to keep the critter keeper as still as possible and the car, and those in it, quiet and calm. Once home, either transfer the gerbils to their new home by placing the keeper near the door and let them walk in, or, if you’re comfortable doing this (it’s not hard, trust me! :) ), then pick them up an place them in their home. Make sure the transfer to their new home isn’t traumatizing or a bad experience for either of you!
Once the gerbils are in their home, they need some alone time. Turn on some soft music and leave ‘em be for a little bit. Some people make a huge ordeal in giving them their space, and then they never get their gerbil used to them like they could. An hour or two alone is fine. For now, keep it simple with your hand in the cage. They will most likely come over to explore it. Keep your hand still, and maybe offer them a treat or two in the middle of your palm. If they nibble you, don’t panic, this is their way of learning about you, much like a baby likes to put things in their mouth. If the nipping gets hard, a method I’ve found that works is a soft gentle blow on their face and telling them “no”. They usually get the idea pretty fast. Keep your hand in the cage as often as possible the first few days, and by the third day they should be plenty fine with scampering up your arms and going with you for an adventure, just make sure to keep the adventures short. Gerbils don’t have the longest attention spans, especially when they’re young. ;) Gerbils are very friendly creatures, and should get used to you pretty fast. :)
Below are the links I promised that have lots of great advice for later on down the road. And of course, any gerbil questions you have, you may email me at [email protected] or [email protected] . :)
http://agsgerbils.org/Learn/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/index.php - The American Gerbil Society- FULL of helpful information for both rookie and long time gerbil owners!
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/small-pet-care/gerbil-care.aspx - And who doesn't love the ASPCA? :p
http://www.egerbil.com/ - Over the years, I've found some VERY helpful information from this website!
http://www.thegerbils.com/ - Another website that has helped me greatly.
http://gerbilforum.proboards.com/index.cgi - This forum is FILLED with hundreds of dedicated loving gerbil owners out there to help. You'll meet some lovely people here. :)
http://twinsqueaks.com/index.php - This website was very helpful when I was introducing my gerbils