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Gerbils for Sale
Gerbil
Keeping Gergils as Pets
Itchy and Scratchy
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Find a Gerbil
Breeder
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Rescue a Gerbil
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Type |
Warm blooded mammal in the
rodent family. Diurnal, they are up during the day and sleep at night.
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Temperament |
Gerbils are naturally friendly,
curious, very sociable, athletic, active, bold and entertaining to watch. They
can take a lot of handling and like to gnaw cardboard and dig tunnels. They
are one of the few rodents that are awake during the day and sleep at night. The
more you handle your gerbil, the friendlier and tamer it will be. Gerbils who
are not handled enough will become less tame. When picking
up your gerbil approach it slowly so you do not startle it. Being careful not to
squeeze, curl one hand over its body, with your fingers and thumb around its
abdomen, holding it securely. Place the other hand under its legs while you are
carrying it. Gerbils who are gently handled often from a young age will rarely
bite. It is best to get your gerbil from a breeder who has handled it from
birth. Happy gerbils often "sing", making noises like small birds chirping. A
gerbil will be happiest if kept in pairs. Gerbils do not like to be alone. Lone
gerbils have been found to live shorter lives and tend to be harder to tame and
less friendly overall. Gerbils do not like to sleep or eat alone and they
thoroughly enjoy having another gerbil groom them. If gerbils
are housed together at a young age, they will usually get along well regardless
of their sex. However if you do not want a litter of gerbils to tend with, be
sure you are housing the same sex together. Gerbils tend to choose one mate for
life, and will be aggressive toward newcomers if introduced too quickly. It is
best to get 2 gerbils at the same time which are about 5-8 weeks of age. If you
get two adults you will have to use the Split Cage Method to introduce them to
avoid fights. The Split Cage Method is when you put a divider into the cage
allowing the gerbils to see each other, but not fight. Two to three times a day
switch the sides the gerbils are on allowing them to get used to each others
sent. Females may bat at the divider the first day or two, this is normal. Do
this for about 10 days then try introducing them in a neutral territory. If
after a half hour of running around with no fights occurring, clean out their
cage to rid it from each others sent and try putting them together in the same
cage. Watch them for about 3 more hours to ensure they are getting along. Look
out for bites near the tail or rump; this is a sign of trouble erupting. This
method will not usually work when trying to introduce already established
groups. It is only recommended for introducing a single gerbil to another.
Females do best in groups no larger than two, while males tend to be a little
more tolerant of each other in groups of 3 or more. For the average gerbil owner
it is recommended to only have 2 gerbils together, as sudden fights can occur
within a group of either gender. |
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Size |
A Gerbil's size is halfway
between a rat and a mouse. About 2-4 oz |
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Housing |
A fish aquarium tank with a
tight-fitting wire mesh lid is the recommended housing for gerbils. For 2
gerbils you should have at least a 10-20 gallon tank. For 3 or more gerbils at
least a 20-30 gallon tank should be used. Keep in mind that gerbils can jump, so
a tight wire lid is essential. Wire mesh cages and plastic Habitrail homes can
also be used, however they are not the preferred housing. Plastic Habitrail
homes do not have enough ventilation, will get chewed fairly quickly and tend to
get smelly. You may not want to choose a wire cage as a gerbil will kick bedding
out between the bars of a wire cage, making a daily mess. If you do choose a
wire cage, the cage floors should be solid and should be at least 24 inches long
by 14 inches wide by 12 inches high. The wire
in the mesh cages should be no more than a centimeter apart to prevent the
gerbil from escaping. Gerbils can squeeze through very small spaces and are
great jumpers. A secure top is essential. A gerbil's cage should not be kept
in direct sunlight or heat. They should be placed in a quiet, dimly lit place. The bottom of the tank
or cage should be lined with newspaper. Aspen, carefresh or corncob bedding
should be placed on top of the newspaper lining to absorb their droppings.
Hay, shredded newspaper, paper bags, paper towels, or toilet paper can be put
into the cage for the gerbil to make a nice nest out of. Cedar and pine shavings, can irritate your
gerbil's liver and respiratory system and should be avoided. Cloth should also
be avoided as they can choke on it. Toys should be provided in the gerbils home
to give the gerbil something to chew on and to hide in. For example, empty toilet paper
and paper towel roles, wooden houses and toys full of holes. They sell some
great gerbil toys at your local pet store. Placing a small card board or wooden box in the cage
will give
it something to hide in and chew on. Wood made just for small animals, found at
your local pet store is recommended over just any old piece of wood as it
eliminates the risk of giving the gerbil wood that is treated which can be toxic
to gerbils. Placing anything with an unknown source into the gerbils home is
placing them at risk for diseases or mites. |
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Clean-up |
Gerbils tend to eliminate in one
area of the cage, keeping the rest of the cage fairly clean. The area where they
eliminate should be
cleaned every day. The rest of the bedding should be cleaned every 2-3 weeks
depending on how many gerbils you are housing. The more gerbils you have in one
unit the more you will have to clean it. Tanks should be allowed to thoroughly
dry before new bedding is added and placing all of their toys and nesting
material back in. |
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Grooming |
Gerbils do not need humans to
groom them as they groom themselves. Grooming not only keeps them clean,
but it is also a part of their social structure. The dominant gerbil will often
be seen grooming the submissive gerbil to assert their dominance, especially
when two gerbils are first introduced. This behavior will continue throughout
their relationship. Like all rodents, a gerbil's front teeth grow constantly.
They must chew on things to keep their teeth filed down. |
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Feeding |
Gerbil food can be found at
your local store. They can also eat, timothy hay, alfalfa hay, sunsalted
sunflower seeds, unsalted peanuts, Cheerios, Rice Krispies, apples, carrots,
lettuce, dried bananas, dried kidney beans, dried
lentils, dried lima beans and dried black-eyed peas. Keep in mind that sunflower
seeds and peanuts are fatty and should be saved only as occasional treats.
Cheerios, Rice Krispies, apples, carrots, and lettuce should also be considered
a treat and given only occasionally. Foods which spoil should be removed after
one day. A
heavy dish that is not easily knocked over should be used. A 2 inch (5 cm.) high
ceramic bowl will due nicely. Water should be provided at all times. Water
should be given in a gravity driven bottle with a medal spout that hangs on the
side. Water should be changed daily. |
| Exercise |
An exercise wheel can be
provided. You can also use an exercise ball. All exercise ball time should be
100% supervised. Some feel wire wheels pose the hazard of gerbil's tails getting
caught, hanging the wheel up on the side of the tank will eliminate this risk.
Gerbils will greatly enjoy a run outside their tank at least once a week in a
gerbil-proofed room, such as a small bathroom with no nukes and crannies for
them to escape. |
| Life Expectancy |
About 1-5 years.
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Health Problems |
Prone to Tyzzer's disease
(mites) which is deadly. A gerbil should be alert, bright eyed, playful,
inquisitive with a clean nose. Their coat should be soft and shiny. If your
gerbil shows any sign of illness take it to a small animal vet. |
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Gestation |
Gerbils reach sexual maturity at
about 5 weeks of age. The gestation period for gerbils is about 21-26 days. They
will usually have an average of 5 babies. Parents can mate again immediately
after the birth. Baby gerbils are called pups. Pups are born blind with naked
ears. The ears open in about 3 to 7 days. In about 7 to 10 days the coat will
start to grow in. The eyes will open in about 14 to 20 days. Weaning occurs by
the age of 21 days. A pair of gerbils can produce a new litter every 30 to 40
days, for a total of 6 or 7 litters during their reproductive lives. The female
gerbil is reproductively active until she is about 18 months of age. Males may
continue to be fertile until they are about 24 months of age. |
| Origin |
The common pet gerbil
originated in Mongolia. |
Baby Gerbils bred by "Jerbos-Gerbils" gerbilry.
Baby Gerbils bred by "Jerbos-Gerbils" gerbilry.
Baby Gerbils bred by "Jerbos-Gerbils" gerbilry.
Baby Gerbils bred by "Jerbos-Gerbils" gerbilry.
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Pono (Black) - Photo Courtesy of 'Little Paws' gerbil breeder.
Flame (Argente Golden) - Photo Courtesy of 'Little Paws' gerbil breeder.
Angel (Dove) - Photo Courtesy of 'Little Paws' gerbil breeder.
Timmy (slate & white pied) - Photo Courtesy of 'Little Paws' gerbil breeder.
Itchy
Scratchy
Curly
Shadow
Moe
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