Gerbils
Taking Care of your Gerbil
Adapted
from Susan Leck, DVM, Dipl ABVP
Of the numerous gerbil genera world wide, the
Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is the prevalent
pet species in the United States.
Mongolian gerbils are native to desert regions of Mongolia
and northeastern China. They
are active both day and night, but peak activity occurs at night.
They are social animals that live in elaborate underground
tunnel systems and burrows.
All pet gerbils are captive bred for this
market. They make
appropriate pets for beginners, and their natural curiosity makes
them interesting to watch as they explore their environments.
Gerbils are available in a variety of color
types: agouti (the
free-ranging type or normal color), black, albino, white,
cinnamon, lilac, blue cream, silver and sable.
Spotted gerbils with multiple coat colors are also popular.
Pet
Potential
Gerbils tend to be friendly, clean, quiet and
curious pets. They
rarely bite and can be easily handled.
They produce minimal odor and only small amounts of waste.
Their small size means those space requirements are not
excessive. With proper
husbandry, gerbils rarely exhibit problems in captivity.
Housing
The minimum cage size should be 36 square
inches per gerbil; a breeding pair requires a minimum of 180
square inches. Cage
sides should be at least 6 inches high, and the enclosure should
otherwise be escape-proof.
Plexiglas enclosures designed for small
rodents make adequate houses for gerbils; however, regular
cleaning schedules must be maintained because this solid-sided
caging (as opposed to wire) will trap ammonia from urine.
A split tank is an ideal way to introduce gerbils to each.
Solid flooring is preferable to wire flooring.
Bedding should be clean, dry, absorbent, nonabrasive and at
least 2 cm deep to facilitate nesting behavior.
We recommend Care Fresh, which can be purchased at your
local pet store. A
hiding place or hiding box should be provided in the cage.
A bowl with a small amount of sand or chinchilla dust
should be provided for 10-15 minutes several times a week for sand
baths.
Natural sunlight is beneficial to all
creatures, but gerbils must not become overheated.
They survive desert temperatures by burrowing underground.
An acceptable lighting schedule consists of 12-hour
alternating light and dark cycles.
Environmental
Enrichment
Like all rodents, gerbils need to have safe
materials for gnawing that will help wear down their continually
growing incisor teeth. Wooden
blocks are readily available at most pet stores for this purpose.
An exercise wheel provides an outlet for energy, and
plastic exercise balls allow the gerbil to explore while safely
enclosed. Gerbils like
to build nests out of nesting material, especially in the cooler
winter months. A
common characteristic of pet gerbils is their propensity to dig
incessantly with their forepaws in the corner of the cage.
They also thump with their hind legs.
Diet
Commercial pellet diets are available for
gerbils. Alternatively,
commercial seed mixes with a variety of seeds (minimal to no
sunflower seeds) may be fed with fresh vegetables (e.g., collards,
kale, broccoli stems, carrots, beets) and soaked seeds or sprouts.
Alfalfa hay should be available for grazing and is a good
calcium source for nursing females.
Excessive consumption of sunflower seeds and
other high-fat foods will lead to obesity, elevated cholesterol
levels and liver disease.
Even
though gerbils are naturally desert-dwelling creatures and are
very good at obtaining their fluid requirement from their food,
fresh clean drinking water should always be available.
A sipper tube or small water bottle mounted on the outside
of the cage with the drinking spout on the inside is ideal in
order to prevent chewing on the bottle.
What
Every Owner Should Know About Gerbils
