How To Take Care Of A Gerbil – The Essentials

Please use the following ingredients to create the perfect home for your gerbils.  Take everything from Section A, pick a few from Section B and add any from Section C.

Section A – The Essentials: Without everything in this section you will just be holding a gerbil in your hand (or just hoping it won’t chew its way out of the cardboard carrier the pet shop gave you before you get home even) it won’t be the perfect environment or even close…  Ideally choose these before you choose your gerbils:

The Home

Gerbils do best in a large solid tank or tub with deep sides and metal mesh in the lid (as they have magic teeth that can eat through most wood and plastic overnight if they want to).  You can use tanks or cages made of plastic or wood as alternatives for homes of course, but you have to check them regularly as there is always the potential that they will eventually eat through them and escape – and nobody wants to lose a beloved pet.

Traditional rodent cages on their own do not do so well as homes, as firstly gerbils love to dig burrows and so they kick the unwanted bedding out behind them – and ultimately through the bars of your cage and all over your dresser or floor.  And secondly – gerbils need deep bedding for digging in anyway, and traditional shallow-bottomed cages can’t offer that.  Gerbilariums can though – so there are suitable cages out there – you just need to look…

Any type or size of cage, however, can be used as a ‘topper’ for your tank (an extension that sits on top of your tank or tub) so they have all their burrowing fun down under in the tank – mess free – and can then climb up into the topper for some fresh air and cuddles.

The Bedding:

You need a bedding that is dust free where possible – like aspen and most wood flakes – so that the gerbils can kick it around all day and live under it without making them sneeze all the time.  Gerbils are prone to respiratory issues in general, so avoiding these is really important – and this is where a topper can be most helpful.  Gerbils can live on a variety of bedding materials (substrates) and some people split their homes up into sections so the gerbils can experience several of them as and when they choose.

They also like nest material in addition, and can include things like shredded paper, safebed strips (not small fibres like kapok wool or natural cotton as it can twist around limbs) hay, straw and unscented kitchen roll.  They will often incorporate their own chewed cardboard pieces into it too.

The Food:

Gerbils are omnivorous with a preference towards seeds and grains.  Most commercial diets will keep your gerbil alive and able to act like a gerbil – but there will always things that it can’t contain – fresh ingredients for a start.  Well it can’t otherwise it would only have a 3 day shelf life for the whole bag.

So, these commercial foods are created as a main base for your gerbils diet and a great starting point.  Some look much more interesting than others and full of variety.   Some people prefer a cheaper base food and then add all sorts of wonderful things to it like broccoli, carrots, sweet grasses, nuts, seeds, berries, egg, fruit, cereals and even meal-worms – but then some people buy a really good base food and still give their gerbils all these extras.

Some owners scatter feed throughout the tank and other weigh each days’ rations exactly; some don’t care if they hoard it – and others use all the good bits as training tools.  As long as they have some at some point – gerbils aren’t too bothered where it comes from.

And please store your food correctly to keep it clean and fresh and it will last longer – this means keep it out of direct sunlight, nowhere too warm, nowhere too damp and preferably in an airtight container or pegged over so that all your gerbil dust and other things can’t settle in it.  Expect that same quality from where you buy it in the first place.  If you buy open loose feed from a bin in a store – look around you first – would you eat from a buffet there?

The Water:

I know gerbils are desert animals and have some wonderful physiological adaptations that mean they can extract more water from their food and can conserve water internally – but they still need fresh water to function so should always give them a water bottle – best if fresh every day.

But they chew plastic – so be prepared to either become really creative with your water bottle habitat and position or be prepared to come home to a sodden tank after the whole thing emptied out in to the bedding and you have to clean it all out.  People don’t always realise at first that a high level of sawdust on one side of the tank can all be on the other side in only a short time.  It only takes a few water bottle accidents to figure it out.

Creative suckers and metal-backed supports are often used, as well as half sized bottles perched on the edges of shelves – and glass bottles are seen quite often if you have some really eager chew monsters. Water bowls aren’t usually advised as so much dust falls into them all the time – and to be honest – only topper set-ups have a flat surface high up above the dig zone where they can have one anyway.

Water arrangements will be a personal challenge and no size fits all.

The Cardboard:

Don’t even think about getting gerbils unless you can find a steady supply of cardboard boxes and tubes.

An empty toilet roll is a much coveted item and sometimes cardboard can change hands at some high prices once your clan builds up.  The pleasure in your gerbils eyes as it climbs into that empty tissue box for the first time, or slides to the end of a giant cereal box is worth driving to town for in the search for some product you can buy that has a nice box around it?

Around a friend’s house one day, you might spy the nearly empty tea bag box on the side, or that last snack bar just sitting there in an opened 6 pack, if you can just get it in your bag without them noticing…

You’ll find a way to get it – and keep it whole (don’t flatten them – that’s half the fun of boxes ruined in a senseless act) and quickly finish up you conversation to feed the furry cardboard demons in your home.

Section B – The Nice Touches: Without anything in this section your gerbils will still be alive and able to chew cardboard but your life and that of your gerbils could be safer, easier and more fun with some or all of these – Go to Section B and watch your bank account and the area of your home not taken over already by gerbils begin to shrink…

Section C – The Dalliances: Without anything in this section your purse will be full of change, your shopping trips will be quicker and with less dithering about making choices.  Your tanks may be slightly less colourful or noisy without these – but why have pets if you aren’t going to indulge them? – Go to Section C to find out more…