Things You'll Need
- good gerbil food
- An upright water bottle
- large aquarium
- aspen or Care fresh bedding (not cedar or pine)
- straw, hay, paper (no ink), cardboard, or tissue to use for the nest
- wheel
- salt/mineral lick
- sundried sweet corn
- small hut
- plastic tunnels (for simulation of natural burrows)
- a piece of untreated clean and healthy wood from a pet shop for chewing
How to take care of a gerbil?
Use a drier if possible. Take a damp cloth and wipe the entire body of your pet. This will keep it clean and fresh - no need to drench them in water. You can consider a sand bath every once in a while. Take a bowl full of sand and put the Gerbil inside. It will roll inside and clean itself pretty well.
How to choose a gerbil house for your new pet?
For more advice on choosing a gerbil house, have a read of our Gerbil Cages section. When you bring your new pets home, it’s a good idea to buy some of the food that they’ve been eating for the last few weeks. You can then gradually introduce their new food rather than swapping it to a novel one suddenly.
How can you tell if a gerbil is sick?
Dull or sunken eyes, red noses, bleeding noses, and depressed demeanors suggest that the gerbil is ill. [2] You should not buy a gerbil that has overgrown teeth, patches of fur falling off, diarrhea or has evidence of diarrhea in the cage, seems to be skinny or not eating/drinking, or sneezing and has a running nose.
How can you tell the gender of a baby gerbil?
Recognizing the sex of two gerbils is not always easy. To do so, turn them over on their back in your hand. At three weeks old, females will exhibit a shorter distance between their urinary and anal openings. At five to seven weeks of age, males will develop prominent testicles that will make identification easier.
How do you take care of a gerbil for beginners?
There are lots of different housing options for gerbils - our Qute is designed to provide your pets with a wonderful homeClean them out regularly. Gerbils are very clean creatures, but they'll need to have their enclosures cleaned on a regular basis. ... Provide toys. ... Take them out for exercise. ... Give them health checks.
What you need to know before getting a gerbil?
9 Things You Should Know Before Buying a Gerbil They like to gnaw. They need to live in pairs. They need plenty of exercise. They should only live with gerbils of the same sex.
Do gerbils need vaccinations?
Gerbils do not require vaccines, but they do require annual examinations.
Do gerbils like to be held?
One of the nicest things about having pets is cuddling, stroking, and holding them close to you. But because gerbils get easily nervous and scared, they may not seem to be as affectionate. Most gerbils enjoy petting or sitting in your hand. Some gerbils will allow you to cuddle or hug them once trust is established.
What do gerbils need in their cage?
Gerbils need:A suitable gerbilarium or tank – this is different to a hamster cage – with lots of tunnels to explore and some bedding.Access to regular food.A constant supply of water.Something to chew on such as a gerbil toy.More items...•
Do gerbils recognize their owners?
Gerbils can remember their owners and things they deem important, but precisely what they can recall is unclear. Gerbils remember their owners based on scent and appearance. They can recall gerbil cage mates, learn tricks, and know their names. Gerbils won't forget if you're unkind to them, e.g., you hit them.
Is it hard to look after a gerbil?
Gerbils are popular pets because they tend to be easy to care for and are clean with minimal odor, but they do have some special requirements to keep them happy and healthy. Due to their social nature, gerbils need to live in a pair or group. The lifespan for a gerbil is typically 3-4 years.
How often do you change gerbil bedding?
6—Bedding Care The bedding needs to be cleaned at least once a week, but more often if you have more than two gerbils in the same cage. You will find that your gerbils tend to go to the bathroom in one location, so this should make cleaning your cage easier.
Do gerbils stink?
Gerbils and other rodents have a distinctive, unique scent and can smell like urine or poop. This smell builds up if you don't clean your pet's stinky cage regularly. Smelly gerbils can take a sand bath. To stop a gerbil cage from smelling, spot clean soiled bedding occasionally to get rid of wee and poop.
Are gerbils good first pets?
In many American households, a gerbil is chosen as a child's first pet. This is because parents want to make sure their children are up to the task of caring for a pet, and capable of handling all the responsibilities that go along with owning one.
Are gerbils hard to take care of?
Gerbils are popular pets because they tend to be easy to care for and are clean with minimal odor, but they do have some special requirements to keep them happy and healthy. Due to their social nature, gerbils need to live in a pair or group. The lifespan for a gerbil is typically 3-4 years.
Do gerbils bite?
They are fun to watch and don't smell bad like some other rodents. One of the questions we get most often is from people wondering if a gerbil will bite. Unfortunately, the short answer is yes. Your gerbil can and will bite if provoked.
How to tell if a gerbil is healthy?
For healthy gerbils, look for a tail that is as long as the body and full of fur, the fur should be shiny, it is a sign of good health much like humans; eyes that are shiny, large, bright and clear; and a body that is thick and stout. Dull or sunken eyes, red noses, bleeding noses, and depressed demeanors suggest that the gerbil is ill. You should not buy a gerbil that has overgrown teeth, patches of fur falling off, diarrhea or has evidence of diarrhea in the cage, seems to be skinny or not eating/drinking, or sneezing and has a running nose.
What is the best food for gerbils?
The first step to good health is a good diet. Like us, gerbils need a balanced diet of greens, protein, fats, and vitamins. Their base diet should be a commercially produced gerbil food, because these are designed to accommodate all of their nutritional needs. However, this can be augmented with occasional treats.
What does it mean when a gerbil has a running nose?
Dull or sunken eyes, red noses, bleeding noses, and depressed demeanors suggest that the gerbil is ill. You should not buy a gerbil that has overgrown teeth, patches of fur falling off, diarrhea or has evidence of diarrhea in the cage, seems to be skinny or not eating/drinking, or sneezing and has a running nose.
How big of a tank do gerbils need?
For two Gerbils a 10-gallon tank should suffice. For each additional gerbil, the tank should be 5 gallons (18.9 L) larger. Fill up a third of the tank with a substrate like Megazorb, Finacard, Carefresh, or Bedexcel that the gerbils can dig in. Sufficient room to burrow is necessary to keep your gerbils active and entertained.
How long do gerbils live?
Look for healthy and friendly gerbils. Even healthy gerbils are only likely to live for two to four years. You should be attentive, therefore, to signs that your gerbil is ill. There are also some cues which will indicate whether or not the gerbil is likely to be friendly.
How to make a gerbil bed?
Make a bed. A simple wooden box is ideal for nesting. These can be purchased at a store. Shred tissue paper into small strips and place into the box to make your gerbils bed complete.
How to get a gerbil to trust you?
Do not try to pick it up for the first couple of days. You can, however, begin to build positive associations with it by hand-feeding it seeds, a good sign of it trusting you is when it climbs onto your hand and stays there as it eats. If it runs away with the food to a small space or a corner, do not worry because this is natural as in the wild a gerbil will have to fight for its food.
How to care for gerbils?
Have an enclosure large enough for your animals. One of the key things you’ll need to provide for your gerbils is adequate space. They’ll spend the vast majority of their lives in the enclosure that you provide them with, so it’s best to get the biggest one that you can afford.
How to keep gerbils in captivity?
All pets require constant access to water. Although gerbils are originally a desert species, those that are kept in captivity always need to be able to drink if they need to. Check that their water bottle isn’t blocked and refill it frequently with fresh water.
What do gerbils eat?
Gerbils are an omnivorous desert species, but they mainly eat plant matter. They need seeds, fruit, and vegetables in order to be happy and healthy.
Where do gerbils live?
Gerbils need a nice, quiet area in which to live. This means that you’ll need to pick the right spot in your home for their cage to sit: a quiet area of the house, one away from televisions and running water, and in a room in which people aren’t going to be moving in and out of all of the time.
How old do you have to be to take care of a baby pig?
They are fragile animals, and the ultimate responsibility for the animals’ care lies on the parent or guardian. Children over the age of about ten or eleven can take on a lot of the care, but they will always require parental supervision to make sure that the animals are being fed on time, are in good health, are being handled properly ...
Can gerbils be scared of cats?
You’ll also need to be sure that other pets don’t have access to the cage. Gerbils can easily be scared by cats or dogs peering through the glass at them. Minimise stress by stopping your other pets going near your gerbils’ cage.
Do gerbils need fresh food?
On top of this, most owners will offer their gerbils fresh food as well, both to help their teeth stay healthy and to provide some much-relished variety in their diet. For more information on what you can feed your pets, have a look at our Gerbil Food List. 2. Ensure they always have access to clean, fresh water.
How to look after a gerbil
Gerbils make really interesting pets and they will fit in well with most family environments. They are naturally inquisitive, very rarely bite and are found in lots of different colours. There are around about 90 species of gerbil, however the Mongolian is the most commonly found one kept as a pet.
Gerbil cages and living spaces
In the wild, gerbils live in underground tunnels up to 3m long with several entries and chambers. The best way to copy this natural habitat and keep them happy is to house them in a large tank or old aquarium. The enclosure should have a secure wire lid and plenty of material for them to dig and tunnel into.
What food do gerbils like?
Most gerbil owners like to feed commercial mixes as the basis of their pets’ diet but they should also be given fresh vegetables and fruit. Earthenware or stainless steel feed bowls should be used. They may bury their feed bowl underneath their bedding, but don’t worry about this as it is natural for them to store and hoard food.
Keeping your gerbil healthy
A healthy gerbil has bright eyes, a glossy coat and is alert and lively – apart from in the daytime when they will generally be sleepy. A runny or sticky nose or eyes, dull coat and/or lethargy, are signs of ill health and will generally need veterinary advice.
Exercising and entertaining your gerbil
Gerbils love to dig and burrow, so make sure they have enough bedding to do this to their hearts’ content. They have enormous fun with cardboard tubes, like toilet roll tubes, and will run through them and chew them. They also like fruit tree branches to climb on and, if you will put a flat rock in the tank, they may use it as a lookout point.
Introducing gerbils
Gerbils naturally live in a group, so it’s not fair to keep one on its own as a pet. If you buy two or more baby gerbils of the same sex and from the same litter or harmonious group, they should get on well. However, adult gerbils (over ten weeks old) can be aggressive towards any newcomers to the group.
Handling your gerbil
Gerbils are usually friendly and happy to be handled although some can be timid. Start by placing your hand in the tank so that the gerbils can sniff and get used to you, then gently stroke them (make sure your hands are clean with no fragrances first).
How to keep gerbils clean?
The easiest way is to keep your gerbil’s enclosure clean is by replacing the substrate regularly and wiping it with an antibacterial spray.
What to do with a baby gerbil?
Baby gerbils will become malnourished if they’re underfed. Line the gerbilarium with a substrate, provide a water bottle, hide, wood to chew on, and safe toys. Babies are cared for by the father and mother.
How big are baby gerbils?
Baby gerbils (pups) are easy to care for in captivity. The size of a litter varies but is usually between 3 and 6. The mother will look after these pups on her own throughout their development. The mother performs most aspects of baby gerbil care. Initially, pups only drink their mother’s milk.
Why do gerbils huddle together?
In the first week, all the pups will huddle together with their mother to keep warm. They need to because pups don’t have a coat. Over the course of the first week, each gerbil will grow its first coat of soft, downy fur.
What happens if a gerbil is born small?
It’s the same with any animal which has large litters. If one is born small, it will struggle to push its siblings out of the way to access food, milk, or otherwise. That means that a small gerbil will grow slower than its larger counterparts.
Why do gerbils die?
Over time, it becomes more and more underfed. It may die if it still can’t access any food.
When do gerbils start eating solid food?
Weaning occurs around 5 weeks after birth. The mother will begin rejecting her babies when they come to it for milk. The babies will eventually start solely eating solid food. After weaning, you can start feeding your baby gerbils solid food. The ideal solid food is gerbil food mix, like Supreme Gerri brand.
How to handle a gerbil?
Holding your gerbil close to the floor in cupped hands is the safest option as if they do wriggle out they are less likely to injure themselves. It is important to supervise children with handling and it is essential that they are not ever picked up by their tails. Avoid overhanding and ensure your pet gerbil gets as much time to just enjoy burrowing and digging.
What to feed a gerbil?
Together with a high-quality gerbil dry mix feed, ensure you provide small quantities of fresh vegetables and fruit (carrot, broccoli, apple and orange are all great choices). Instead of placing food in a bowl, these can be scatted around the cage to help your gerbil exhibit their natural foraging behaviours.
How many people are in a wild gerbil family?
In the wild gerbils live in family groups that can consist of anything between two and seventeen individuals. Therefore, to help keep them as content as possible and ensure they can exhibit their natural social behaviour, it is important you purchase more than one and ideally a same-sex pair.
What do gerbils learn from their parents?
Gerbils learn a lot from their parents - for example, favoured foods are learnt from their mothers or from other familiar or related family members.
What is a gerbil?
Gerbils are generally diurnal animals, which means they're out and about during the day. They construct deep, dark, underground burrows. Here are some top gerbil facts:
How long do gerbils live?
Gerbils. Gerbils are generally diurnal animals (active during the day), constructing deep, dark, underground burrows. Gerbils may live for up to 3-4 years, although some may live longer. Take a look at our pet search page to find gerbils up for rehoming.
Why do gerbils shred?
Gerbils shred material for nesting, which also helps to keep their teeth short (their teeth never stop growing!).
Where do gerbils live?
Gerbils are burrowing rodents and are naturally adapted to desert environments in Africa, India and Asia. They keep themselves busy by digging, and they also like to gnaw.
How to keep gerbils clean?
It’s best to have some equipment on-hand for the first few weeks of gerbil ownership - a small, wide-toothed brush for occasionally combing your pets’ fur, and human nail clippers are good places to start. You may also want some scales for monitoring your pets’ health, as well as a sand bath to allow your pets to clean themselves. For more information on helping your pets stay clean, visit our Gerbil Hygiene section.
What to do with a gerbil's teeth?
Gnaws and chews are perfect toys. Gerbils’ teeth grow constantly throughout their lives, and those in captivity often need a bit of help grinding their teeth down a comfortable size. Some non-toxic wood fits the bill, helping your pets wear their teeth down. It may even save you money in the long run, as gerbils with overgrown teeth may require veterinary treatment.
What is a quater gerbil cage?
A Qute gerbil cage provides the ideal space for your pets. When you bring your new pets home, it’s a good idea to buy some of the food that they’ve been eating for the last few weeks. You can then gradually introduce their new food rather than swapping it to a novel one suddenly.
How to help a new pet with stomach upset?
You can then gradually introduce their new food rather than swapping it to a novel one suddenly. Slowly changing their diet will help prevent stomach upsets and reduce the stresses that come with moving into a new home.
Do gerbils have tunnels?
Gerbils are fantastic tunnellers. In the wild their burrows help them survive the fluctuating temperatures of desert environments, and offer protection from predators too. They need to mimic this behavior in captivity, otherwise they become very unhappy. If you provide lots of the right kind of deep bedding, the animals will be able to satisfy their natural instinct to create tunnels and dens.
Do gerbils need a house?
Your gerbils need a secure, quiet place to live – a space to call their own. There are lots of different enclosures available, but whichever you choose, it will need to be large enough for your gerbils to run around and satisfy their burrowing instincts. For more advice on choosing a gerbil house, have a read of our Gerbil Cages section.
How to pick up a gerbil?
The first part of the rule in picking up a gerbil is to be gentle and careful. The second part to remember is always having a backup safety grip when you are handling them. This way you don’t have to worry if you are moving them from one place to another.
What are the signs that a gerbil is giving off?
They will have a basic set of warning signs that tell you they are not up for being held. One sign is foot thumping and another is seeing their hands folded over each other.
Can you hold baby gerbils?
If your gerbils have babies, you shouldn’t try touching them until the parents get used to them. It’s advised not to touch them for the first 14 days because your scent will be confusing for the mother to identify her baby. She can even kill a baby if you’ve touched them before half a month has passed already.
Can you pick up a gerbil by its tail?
Picking up a gerbil by its tail should never be attempted for any reason whatsoever. These are not like mice or rats where their tails are meatier. A gerbil has a very thin and frail tail that can actually break off by accident. This is a problem if you have young children that aren’t aware a gerbil tail can snap off with very little effort.
Do gerbils actually like to be held?
If you haven’t learned any of these methods, you need to get familiar with their moods. They don’t often bite unless they have a reason or if they were push ed into being aggressive.
Should I let my gerbil roam freely in the house?
You can’t let your gerbil roam freely since they might climb inside furniture and get trapped. You may buy them an exercise ball that is safer for them to explore and get some exercise. The only downside is they can poop or pee in these plastic balls so they will need frequent cleaning.
How to transport a gerbil in a hurry?
One of the easiest ways to transport a gerbil in a hurry is using a Tupperware container or deep cup. You should use a clear plastic material so you can see where your gerbil is if they crawl inside the cup.
How to keep gerbils from being sad?
To prevent your gerbil from becoming depressed at the loss of its old friend, you’ll need to spend lots of time with it with frequent handling and playtimes. This will help it get over the loss quicker and distract it from its sadness .
What to put on top of gerbils?
Once you’ve covered the gerbil with soil, you might want to put something heavy on top at first to prevent animals from digging. This could be a heavy plant pot or concrete slab.
How To Dispose Of A Dead Gerbil?
When getting rid of your dead gerbil, you’ll need to do it quickly so that there’s no risk of disease or contagious conditions spreading to other rodents in the gerbilarium. This is even more crucial if your gerbil died of an illness involving bacteria or parasites.
What happens if a gerbil dies?
If your gerbil died at the animal hospital or you took it there to be euthanized, your vet can dispose of your gerbil’s body for you. Dead animals are usually picked up by a crematorium and cremated.
How to protect a gerbil from foxes?
To protect your gerbil from other animals, such as foxes and cats, you’ll need to dig several feet into the ground. Wrap the gerbil in something biodegradable, such as newspaper or cardboard, and place it gently into the ground. Wrapping it in plastic delays the decomposition process, preventing the body from breaking down naturally.
Why do gerbils play dead?
Gerbils also play dead to hide from predators, according to Biological Psychiatry. As a result, you’ll need to ensure that your gerbil isn’t protecting itself from a larger threat.
How to introduce a new friend to a grieving gerbil?
You can do this using the split cage method, where you divide the cage in half using a physical barrier or a split cage.