Gerbils are social animals. They live in colonies in the wild. Gerbils are much happier if they have a friend. Females are best kept in pairs, but males can be kept in trios. A lone gerbil is likely to not live as long or be as happy as one who lives with a bonded friend.
Because they are terrific chewers, it's not a good idea to keep them in wire and hard plastic cages. They will chew through the plastic in no time. I keep mine in 10 gallon fish aquariums. These are great because you can add plenty of substrate(bedding/litter) so they can create burrows like they do in the wild. Some people also will keep them in the big, clear storage bins that you can get at places like Wal Mart and Target. Just cut a large opening out of the lid and cover with wire mesh to make sure your gerbils get plenty of air circulation. Also, make sure there are no edges or corners that they can chew on the inside. You can search the Internet for more detailed instructions on how to turn one of these bins into a suitable cage for your gerbils. When you are planning the purchase of your tank, the recommended size is 5-10 gallons per gerbil.
As for substrate/bedding, please DO NOT use pine or cedar. It is very bad for the gerbils health. I use a mixture of Aspen and Carefresh bedding in mine, or just Aspen by itself. There are other beddings, such as Eco Bedding, that are good to use as well. Just make sure it is dust free. You can give them a cheap roll of toilet paper, tissues(lotion free), paper towels, or paper to shred to make their nests. Do not use the "fluff" sold in pet stores for their nests. It can get tangled around their legs and cause them to lose circulation and possibly lose their limbs. Timothy Hay is another great thing you can give in their tanks for them to make tunnels and nests. It's very soft and they can chew on it too.
Even though they are desert animals, water is still very important. Always make sure you keep fresh water available. I feed my gerbils Ecotrition or Ecotrition Organic. It's a great mix and you shouldn't have to add anything to it. I also give them small pieces of celery, carrots, strawberries, or green peas every couple of days.
For toys, anything made of wood that hasn't been treated is fine. I also give mine toilet tissue rolls and paper towel rolls to chew up. They love them! You can also put cardboard boxes under their bedding for them to tunnel through and hide in such as: cereal boxes, kleenex boxes(remove all the plastic), small shoe boxes, coke boxes, wrapping paper tubes, etc. Just make sure the box is not waxy.
They need to have their baths at least twice a week. They take sand baths to keep their coats oil free. I just fill a small ceramic dish or a critter bath dish that I got from Petco with Chinchilla Sand, and place it in their play bin I have set up for them. Do not use the Chinchilla dust. The particles are to small and cause them to have respiratory problems. The baths can be placed in their cages, but don't leave them in there for a long time.
Just remember, as with any pet, gerbils require your time and love. They will enjoy tunneling and creating burrows in their cages with their friend, but they also crave your attention and having their "playtime" with you.
Information on taming your new gerbils
When you first bring your new family members home, it may take a while for them to adjust to all of the new sights, smells, and sounds. This will cause them to be very skittish. I do handle my babies every day and make sure they stay familiar with my scent and voice, but they lose that sense of security that they have had with me when they move to their new homes. Please be patient with them and give them time to adjust. Sometimes it can take 2-3 weeks for them to become their normal, sociable selves again. Below are some tips to help you with getting them used to your family and their new home.
DO NOT CHASE THEM! We are all so excited when we bring a new pet home. The first thing we want to do is hold them, stroke them, and cuddle with them. However, gerbils are not like puppies and kittens. They may not want to be held at first. They are prey animals, so their instincts will tell them to hide and avoid until they know it is safe. When you have to chase them around their tank to pick them up, you are reinforcing their instincts that they are in a dangerous new place.
To show them that you mean them no harm, this is what I do whenever I bring a new gerbil home. I bring them home and place them in their new tank. After making sure they have food and a water bottle that works properly, I leave them alone for the rest of that day so they can get settled in. Starting the next day, I stick my hand in their tank and rub it in the bedding a little to get their scent on my hand. Next, I place 1-2 treats (sunflower or pumpkin seeds-plain and unsalted-work good) in the palm of my hand and lay it on the top of their bedding. I hold it there very still and let them come up and sniff at it. Eventually, they will get brave enough to start actually taking the treats from your hand. They may even climb into your open palm to sit and eat the treats. If they do this, try slowly lifting them in your palm a few inches, then slowly lowering them back down. It will get them used to be lifted out of their tank in your hand. There are some Gerbils who just will never like to be lifted out by your hand. My Gerbil, Pinky, is one of those. I put a small plastic container in her tank, she’ll hop in, and I lift her out. This is just what she prefers.
After about a week of getting used to your hand being in there, you can try to pick them up using a clean, glass jar or plastic container. Do not chase them with the jar/container to get them out. Just wait until they climb in it to lift them out. Trust me, they will climb in it. Their curious nature wouldn't let them leave it unnoticed. You can take them and put them in the dry bathtub and sit in there with them so they can crawl all over you, really getting used to you. If they nibble at you, don't jerk your hand away. They are just tasting you and testing to see what it would take to make you leave them alone. Just gently wiggle your fingers, but leave your hand in place.
Keep repeating all of the steps, and, with a lot of patience, you will have created a very strong bond between you and your new loved ones!
DO NOT CHASE THEM! We are all so excited when we bring a new pet home. The first thing we want to do is hold them, stroke them, and cuddle with them. However, gerbils are not like puppies and kittens. They may not want to be held at first. They are prey animals, so their instincts will tell them to hide and avoid until they know it is safe. When you have to chase them around their tank to pick them up, you are reinforcing their instincts that they are in a dangerous new place.
To show them that you mean them no harm, this is what I do whenever I bring a new gerbil home. I bring them home and place them in their new tank. After making sure they have food and a water bottle that works properly, I leave them alone for the rest of that day so they can get settled in. Starting the next day, I stick my hand in their tank and rub it in the bedding a little to get their scent on my hand. Next, I place 1-2 treats (sunflower or pumpkin seeds-plain and unsalted-work good) in the palm of my hand and lay it on the top of their bedding. I hold it there very still and let them come up and sniff at it. Eventually, they will get brave enough to start actually taking the treats from your hand. They may even climb into your open palm to sit and eat the treats. If they do this, try slowly lifting them in your palm a few inches, then slowly lowering them back down. It will get them used to be lifted out of their tank in your hand. There are some Gerbils who just will never like to be lifted out by your hand. My Gerbil, Pinky, is one of those. I put a small plastic container in her tank, she’ll hop in, and I lift her out. This is just what she prefers.
After about a week of getting used to your hand being in there, you can try to pick them up using a clean, glass jar or plastic container. Do not chase them with the jar/container to get them out. Just wait until they climb in it to lift them out. Trust me, they will climb in it. Their curious nature wouldn't let them leave it unnoticed. You can take them and put them in the dry bathtub and sit in there with them so they can crawl all over you, really getting used to you. If they nibble at you, don't jerk your hand away. They are just tasting you and testing to see what it would take to make you leave them alone. Just gently wiggle your fingers, but leave your hand in place.
Keep repeating all of the steps, and, with a lot of patience, you will have created a very strong bond between you and your new loved ones!
