Now, when it comes to being busy little critters – your gerbils top the list. They just don’t like sitting still when they aren’t asleep.
Running comes third only to digging and chewing – so when they have finished both of those other things – they want to run. They love to move.
However, it isn’t always that straight forward.
Gerbils don’t understand the rules of ‘safe keeping’ and anyone who has ever fished out a house with 3 sides, or the tiny corner of cardboard box from their gerbil enclosure will know nothing ever lasts longer than the point of ‘I wonder if I can chew through this’?
Wheels often come into that category.
Help, My Gerbil Is Eating His Wheel?
We hear this a lot – but of course they aren’t actually eating it – gerbils don’t eat anything they chew – their mouth is designed to keep anything they chew up out of their mouth.
Don’t worry if your wheel is wood, plastic or cork and they are chewing it to pieces – they won’t be actually ingesting any of it (although of course all three could be dangerous in the wrong circumstances – just like we occasionally swallow our own food down the ‘wrong hole’).
Key thing here is the position of the wheel – gerbils only tend to chew a wheel if it is not moving smoothly or it is getting caught on the substrate or sides of the enclosure.
If it is freely moving (ideally suspended from the top; attached high up on the side of the enclosure or in the topper) gerbil rarely start to chew on it in the first place – because they can’t do so easily because it is moving so freely.
Just because your gerbil has chewed part or all of their wheel – doesn’t mean they didn’t want to run in it – they just can’t help themselves sometimes.
Gerbils need to chew just as much as they need to run – they just can’t always do them in the right order!
But, Do Gerbils Actually NEED A Wheel?
Well, depending on your definition of need, and your own personal circumstances – the answer could be yes AND no?
How can it be both, you ask?
Well, gerbils need a wheel in the sense that this offers them freedom. It makes up for the smaller size of enclosure that we often have to compromise on to fit them in our homes – allowing them to run as far as they would care. And all night long if they want.
They need that release of their minds – just the simple pleasure of running and running and running without having to think or stop. It can also act as a mind release for anxious gerbils too – as I have noticed some gerbils jump in theirs when humans approach.
However, gerbils don’t need a wheel in the sense that if they DON’T have a wheel they get ill.
If you house your gerbils in a reasonably-sized or huge enclosure, they have deep and varied substrate; regularly-changing and varied enrichment; as well as plenty of free-running time – then they should have enough going on to keep them occupied and invigorated without a permanent wheel.
However, please don’t take that to mean that all of the above or the wheel are a replacement for each other. Gerbils (and all domestic rodents) need as much mental and physical stimulation as you can give them. They depend on you for everything so if they can have the wheel AND most or all of the others – you are onto a winner.
Also, please don’t – if they have a wheel in their cage – take it out at night (because it is noisy) – because although they are active during the day time too – they do most of their running and digging at night. The exact time they need the wheel the most.
That is like your giant owner taking out your TV or hiding your bicycle during the day and giving it back to you at night!
My Gerbil Doesn’t Use Their Wheel?
Do you see your gerbil move all their substrate from one side of the enclosure to the other?
Do you see your gerbils eating every piece of their food?
Do you see your gerbils totally chew up that bendy bridge?
No.
So what makes you think they aren’t using – and enjoying – their wheel?
If it is free-flowing, and not buried or stuck on something – they are most likely using it – whether you see them or not.
If it IS buried or stuck on something – it doesn’t mean they don’t want to use it – it means they really didn’t plan their digging and kicking very well (or you yourself haven’t got their enclosure set up to be totally gerbil-friendly).
The number of people we see saying ‘how can I stop my gerbil burying their wheel?’ or how can I keep all my substrate on one side?’. Did you not do your gerbil research first?
You can’t stop a gerbil digging.
You can’t stop a gerbil chewing.
You just have to learn how to best set up their enclosure for your gerbils. Set it up so your gerbils can dig safely and deeply in one place; chew anything they want (because you only put safe replaceable things in their enclosure); kick all their substrate around without it going in their water or in their wheel – and never expect tidy from a gerbil.
If you base your enclosure on what your gerbils want and need – you won’t ever be disappointed by what they do or what they destroy.
Think only gerbil first – and then you will know the best answer to the question: do gerbils need a wheel?