Gerbil Care

Gerbil Care - Still being developed

There are many sites on-line that offer care tips for gerbil owners, as well as tons of books.  Therefore, I will just hit the highlights here.  More specific questions will be answered in a FAQ in the near future.  If you have a specific question that is not answered here, please feel free to contact me.  If I don't know the answer, I will do my best to find the answer for you.

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Background Species Information

Mongolian Gerbils

- Known in scientific realms as Meriones Unguiculatus, which means "little clawed warrior", gerbils are members of the rodent family. Gerbils that we see in this country are actually Mongolian Gerbils.  Though they originated in Mongolia, gerbils have been in this country since 1954.  Dr. Victor Schwentker brought them here for use in research.   A semi-desert species, gerbils have long legs for jumping and running.  Their teeth grow continually through out their lives and are suited for eating hard shelled seeds as well as gnawing and chewing.  They use their teeth to assist them in creating suitable nests from plant materials.  In captivity, it is important to offer suitable chewing diversions in order for the gerbils to wear down new tooth growth.   Like mice and rats, they have a long tail that they use for balance.  Unlike mice and rats, gerbil tails are fully haired and have a tuft on the end.  They do have some predators, but the harshness of their native climate limits those predators to mostly raptors and snakes.

In the wild,

gerbils dig long tunnels with their strong legs in which to place their nests and live in multi-generational clans.  Typically, only one pair mates.  The other members of the clan assist in raising the pups.  In captivity, gerbils need to live in pairs, trios or occasionally small clans.  It is usually best not to have two breeding age females in the same enclosure, as they may fight for the attention of the male.  Having two breeding age males with one female is less of a problem.  In same gender enclosures, it is best to have two females (a couple).  Males may have three/trios more easily.  If you do not intend to breed your gerbils, the best situation is to get two siblings of the same gender at 6 weeks or so, and pair them (trio them) as life companions.

Longevity

- Gerbils in the wild live 2-4 years.  In captivity, they can live 3-5 years with proper care.  Diet is a major factor in gerbils longevity.  Not enough protein reduces their lives, while too much fat causes obesity and the illnesses related to it.  Gerbils cannot digest chocolate; it is toxic to them, as it is to dogs and other mammals generally kept as pets. 

How Do They Differ from Other Common Pet Rodents

- In general, because they are a desert species, gerbils are cleaner than other rodents.  They take in less water, and therefore make less urine.  They do need a constant source of fresh water, though.  Their feces (poops) are drier and smaller than most other pet rodents for the same reason.  They don't waste water by having soft feces.  All the water is removed and recycled in the body.  This means that their habitats smell nicer longer. 

Mice and rats do have tails, though their tails are not furry and certainly not tipped.  Mice tend to also have slightly less smelly droppings than hamsters and guinea pigs.  Mice and rats also have the chewing need to keep their teeth shortened.

Hamsters and Guinea Pigs tend to be more aromatic.  They make more urine and feces, and the feces tend to be a little softer.  Typically, hamsters and Guinea Pigs have very short (if any) tails.  They do chew, but not as frequently or to such as extent as gerbils do.  I have found hamsters to be slightly easier to hand tame, but I have never owned Guinea Pigs.  Guinea Pigs tend to be bigger.

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Getting started with Gerbil Ownership

Before you choose your new friends, give some thought to their needs.  They need to be checked on several times a day (to make sure they have enough water and food, as well as whether they need something to chew.)  Gerbils also seem to do better if kept in a room with moderate traffic, but little draft.  For me, this means my home office.  I can hear them as I work, and can tell when they need something new to chew.  I take them out and handle them during the day (as much for me as for them.)

Think about whether you want a matched gender pair (non-breeding) or whether you are willing to put in the work to have a breeding pair.  This includes placing the pups when they are born.  Check your area to see if the local pet stores accept pups (in case you don't find homes for all the pups).  Make sure the pet stores you are considering take good care of the gerbils they have: keep them with matched gender tank mates, use appropriate bedding and accessories, etc.

Being a responsible pet owner includes not only proper housing, but also placement for any pups, pet sitter arrangements when you need to be out of town, daily hands-on interaction, and medical services. 

Local Laws relating to Gerbils - Some state (California is one) prohibit the ownership of exotic pets without a special license.  Please investigate and see whether your state/city/locality has such a law.   AGS does not accept rodentry registration for breeders in states which prohibit gerbils, so if there is a listing for AGS Breeders in your state, then there is no state law against Gerbils. 

Adopting Gerbils

Gerbil pups are about the cutest thing in the world.  Seeing them play, eat Cheerios, hang from momma as they nurse.  How can anyone resist?  But how do you find the right gerbils for you?  First, remember that gerbils are highly social.  While they need human companionship, they need gerbil companionship too.  If you don't intend to breed, please get a matched gender pair.  It is easiest if they are from the same litter (i.e. either brothers or sisters).  If they have been raised together, you don't have to worry about introducing them.

Look for bright eyes, sleek fur, and clean undersides.  Dull eyes or patchy fur indicate sickness.  A damp/dirty underside may indicate wet tail.  They should be active and inquisitive within moments of waking up.  Watch the breeder as he/she handles them.  Do they look afraid?  Or are they climbing around investigating the arms, shoulders, pockets of their breeder?  Do they sit in his/her hand and look about the room when they get tired of exploring.   Are their tanks clean and smell fresh?  While gerbils don't need their tanks cleaned but once every three weeks or so (so there will be poops in there), there should be no mold or large wet spots.  Non-breeding tanks should have a house of some sort, and maybe some toys.  Breeder tanks should be much more basic (nothing under which a pup could get trapped.

Handling Gerbils

Handling gerbils is great fun.  First, hold out your hand palm side up.  Some gerbils will jump right in.  Others may need to be "scooped" up.  With either one or both hands, keeping the palm facing up, follow the gerbil toward a corner, so that he has no choice put to hop on.  Some gerbils (Lisa, I am  talking about you) like to play with their handlers and consider it a great game to try to evade being picked up, but if the handler stops trying, they mope because the game is over and they really did want to be out. 

Never swoop down on a gerbil and snatch it from above.  This mimics the action of hawks, which could easily scare a gerbil.  The only time I resort to the "swooping" method is with closed eyed pups.  I scoop while I swoop, because I need to have them between two hands, or they may fall and be injured.  I also continue this until they are used to seeing (3 days or so after their eyes open.  As an alternative, I keep a clean plastic food bin so that I can scoop them into the bin and carry them that way.  It also gives me the opportunity to take pictures of the whole litter when they are small.

Introducing Gerbils

Gerbils naturally live in clans in the wild. Born into their clans, they are recognized by the others in the clan by their scent. The existing members gradually recognize the scent of the newborns as the fur over at about 10 days old or so. The pups learn the smells of the adults as they are cared for by those adults.

Gerbils that are not part of the clan are seen as rivals and are attacked on site (or on smell, to be exact). Rivals are seen as a threat to a clan's food source, and livelihood. Therefore, unless you are adopting gerbils which are already living together, they will see each other as rivals - threats to their "clan", even if that clan is a clan of one.

In order to get past this instant "hate", one must gradually introduce the gerbils just as it would happen in the wild with pups. The scent must become familiar in a non-threatening way. To do this, breeders have found that a "split-screen" is the best method for introducing two new gerbils.

Start with a clean glass aquarium tank - one that has no existing scent. If the tank has been used to house gerbils before, clean it thoroughly and let it dry thoroughly as well. Then, go to the hardware store and get "hardware cloth". The name is somewhat deceiving. Hardware cloth is nothing like cloth. It is actually more like wire mesh. Typically, it is galvanized, and comes in 1/4", 1/2" and such sizes. I prefer 1/4" myself. Sometimes you can buy it by the roll, sometimes it is sold by the foot.

There are two ways to set up the tank. If you don't intend to need to do a split screen very often (or more than once), then measure the diagonal and cut the hardware cloth just slightly longer than the diagonal. Make sure it is tall enough to go fully from the bottom of the tank to the lid. Flex the cloth to get it into the tank, and snap it into place. It should fit so snugly, that a gerbil cannot push it away from the corners, nor dig under it, nor climb over.

If you expect that you will be introducing more than one couple, consider setting up a permanent (or semi-permanent) introduction tank. Get some aluminum channeling from the hardware store, glue it to the sides and bottom and sides of the tank to form a channel in which to slide the hardware cloth. This should divide the long side of the tank into two even portions. It should still go completely from the glass bottom to the lid. Some people have successfully used 1/2 cove wooden rug trim as the channel for the hardware cloth. Their thought being that the gerbils won't be in the tank long enough to chew through the wood. I have had some voracious chewers (and I want my setup to last "forever", so I choose to use metal.

Once your introduction tank is setup with the screen, it is time to make it a temporary home for your new gerbils. Place an inch or two of aspen, corncob or carefresh (depending on your own situation). Add a waterbottle to each side. You may either put a food dish on each side, or you may choose to scatter feed, that is a personal choice. Now, it is time to add the gerbils - one gerbil for each side. There should not be anything else in the tank. Nothing in which to hide, nothing to claim ownership of. Twice a day, swap which side each gerbil is on. Do not change anything else. Just pick up the two gerbils, and put them on the opposite side from where they just were. The point of this is for them to start smelling the scent of the other gerbil - through the screen and on the bedding, and on the water bottle, and around the food. Soon, their own scent and the scent of the other gerbil will be intermingled on everything. No matter where they sniff they will smell themselves, and the other gerbil. They will smell it when they wake up, when they eat, when they drink. It will be the smell they smell as they fall asleep. It will begin to be comforting. After a while, they will start to build their nests closer to the barrier. They will be trying to get closer to each other. They may begin trying to groom each other through the barrier. They may build their nests directly next to each other on either side of the barrier. These are good signs that they have accepted each other's scent as part of their clan.

Now is the time to give them a play date. Get a heavy set of leather gloves, a dish towel, and a neutral "playground". Perhaps your tub (cover the drain with a towel.

Put them both in at the same time, so that it isn't anyone's property. Watch them like a hawk. Watch for chasing where one is jumping away from the other. Listen for high pitched squeaking which may indicate that one is saying, "I will fight if you get any closer". It is normal for some chasing (as long as there isn't any of the above.) It is normal for a lot of sniffing of all types of body parts (faces, bellies, bottoms). One may try to hold the other one down to groom him/her. This is okay too (as long as there isn't any "scared" squeaking).

If all seems to be going well, try putting them together in the tank (take out the divider). Again, watch for the warning signs above. If they settle down to nap together, you are pretty much in the clear.

Care, Housing and Feeding of Non-Breeders

Basic Care

Caring for non-breeding gerbils is a lot easier than caring for breeders. Non-breeders have simpler food restrictions and have a wider variety of items that can be put in their tank.

In general, gerbils are curious, inquisitive animals. They like to be busy. Some gerbils will fill their time with digging or "gerbil aerobics" This is a normal gerbil activity, and it doesn't indicate that the gerbil wants to bereleased from his/her tank. It is just a way to use up energy. Other gerbils will spend their time running in a wheel if one is provided. Wheels are a great way to let them run off excess energy, but not all wheels are created equal. Gerbils have very delicate tails. Wheels that have bars have the potential to amputate tails and should be avoided. If you have such a wheel, the best solution is to use duct tape on the outside of the wheel, and then to stick bedding on the inside of the tape (so their little feet don't get on the sticky part). This will prevent their tails from getting between the bars. Silent Spinners™ are as quiet as their name implies. I have found them to be a good solution for casual runners, but for serious runners, these wheels just don't hold up. I have a pair (Lisa and Coco), who can break through a Silent Spinner™ in three weeks; whereas it will last for 6-8 months at least in any other gerbil's tank that I tried them in. After purchasing 8-9 wheels for Lisa and Coco, I broke down and tried a mesh wheel. I was concerned that a tail might get through the small holes, but I have not found that to be the case. These wheels are not as quiet (they need to be greased frequently) but they hold up very well. I have not had one of these wheels break - not even in Lisa and Coco's tank. When they start to squeak, I rub the axels with olive oil or jojoba oil.

Housing for non-breeding gerbils is also an easier task. A breeding pair can't really have anything in the tank as a house because there is a chance that it could injure the pups. Non-breeding gerbils don't have that concern. Some of my pairs like wooden houses. Be careful of those that have small nails holding them together. The gerbils WILL chew on their house, and at some point, those nails will be not only visible but totally uncovered. Once they are sticking out, it is time to get out your pliers, and pull that nail out. If the house won't stay together without it, it doesn't matter, they will continue to chew on it anyway. You will just have to replace it with something else.

There are "edible" houses that some gerbils like. They are usually made of pressed alfalfa and other hay-like grasses, usually with honey or something else to bind it. Again, the gerbils will chew on this house, but it will still work for a while. The only caveat, and this also counts on really any other type of house too, but especially this type, is that if the gerbils urinate under the house or right near it, the house may absorb the urine. This will lead to a very smelly tank much more quickly than normal. If your gerbils tend to urinate under their house, you have few options. One is to change the type of bedding, the other is to not give them a house. Given those choices, I would change bedding.

Other possible "houses" are cleaned and dried out coconut shells, clean unused terra cotta flower puts, clean glass jars (with wide mouths), and human-safe cardboard boxes. What I mean by that is boxes that used for packaging on human food, like cereal boxes, or cardboard egg cartons. Yes, they will chew it up - eventually, but they will have fun with it until they do.

Bedding refers to the substrate in the tank. Many pet stores and pet companies market pine and cedar bedding for gerbils. This is a poor choice. The aromatic oils in pine and cedar are overwhelming to their little noses. Imagine if *your* nose was 2 millimeters away from cedar all day long. Better choices for gerbils are aspen, corn cob or CareFresh™ (do not get the kind that has added colors). These are less likely to cause a respiratory infection. There are some people who use other substrates, for example, I know some breeders who use shredded paper as their bedding choice. This is a reasonable choice if you are comfortable with the quality of the inks that may be on those papers (such as if you know that the inks are organic non-toxic inks). Shredded paper is not very different in content from CareFresh™.

Feeding non-breeding gerbils is different from feeding breeding gerbils. Protein for an adult non-breeding gerbils should be in the 12% range and fat should be about 7%. Gerbils are "adults" when they reach about 3 months old. They become "geriatric" at 2+ years. If your gerbils are still juveniles, they should be getting 15.5% protein and 8% fat. Once they are geriatric, they need 10.5% protein and 4% fat. If the gerbil has problems with his/her teeth, then you may need to provide softer food, like baby food, for the gerbil to eat.

Check their teeth frequently to make sure that they are not growing too long or crooked. A broken tooth will not properly grind against the tooth that meets it, and therefore the opposite tooth will grow too long. In this case, you may need to trim the gerbil's teeth until the broken tooth grows back in properly.