Gerbils on the Quay
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
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CAGE:
We recommend the 20 gallon "long" aquarium (20L), or the standard 10 gallon (10G). The 20 gallon is more difficult to clean since it is heavier, but does provide a gracious amount of space for your pets to live. The 10 gallon is easy to clean and is sufficient for no more than two gerbils. If you are considering even larger aquarium sizes, keep in mind the added burden of cleaning, and the additional litter required. These two factors may tempt you to clean the cage less often, as it did us. Cleaning less often carries the risk of mites or other issues.
We do not recommend the wire cages. The gerbils are difficult to retrieve in the wire cages, and the litter gets all over.
We do not recommend the Habitrails or Crittertrails. Again, the gerbils are very difficult to retrieve, and the cage is difficult to clean.
We do not recommend any type of plastic cages with plastic tubing. It is not good for them to ingest plastic and chewing on it creates dangerous sharp corners causing potential injuries.
COVER:
Aquarium covers are pretty standard and should be available where-ever you get the aquarium. The type shown above is what we use and is heavy enough on its own to prevent escapes.
LITTER:
Gerbils should be kept in aspen, corncob or Carefresh litter. Pine litter should NOT be used. We sprinkle about 1/4 to 1/2" of corncob litter on the bottom then an additional 1" or more of the Aspen shaving litter on top of that. The corncob gives good coverage of the glass bottom and is low dust, but more expensive. The Aspen shavings are more economical, but right out of the bag provide poor coverage for thinner layers. We also think the shavings are somewhat difficult for the gerbils to walk through, right out of the bag. There are some brands that have smaller pieces, and would be better, if you can find them. After a couple of days, most gerbils will chew the shavings down to a small size, so this is not a permanent issue. If you search the web you will find many different philosophies for how deep to make the litter including some that make the litter about 1/2 the height of the cage, allowing the gerbils to burrow. As long as you avoid pine litter, you should be good.
BEDDING:
For soft bedding material, use the cheaper napkins from a fast food restaurant. They are low in inks and bleach, and are low dust. One or two napkins are all that are needed. Regular cheap household napkins are fine too. Avoid Kleenex and premium toilet paper. The cheaper and rougher the better.
CLEANING:
Clean your gerbil cage every 4 weeks (+/- 2 weeks). Keep a small handful of the old litter (yes the stinky stuff with their scent in it) to sprinkle over the top of the new litter. Wash the bowl, bottle and wheel. We use Simple Green (Home Depot). Do not use glass cleaners (like Windex) since the ammonia and other chemicals atomize into the air and can be toxic to the gerbils. Be sure to throw out all non-washable items (tubes and chew toys). Some of our customers provide their gerbils with chew-able items that are meant to last much longer. Our only hesitation with putting these items back in a clean cage is the possibility of propagating mite eggs. Mites in gerbils are rare, but can happen if the cage is not cleaned regularly. If using some of these longer-term chew-ables, research ways to keep them free of mites, for instance baking (225F for 2.5 hours). If you simply toss the non-washable items every 3 months, you are probably OK. Be sure to let the cage cool-down if you used hot water to clean it.
BOTTLE:
We recommend the Oasis Bell Bottle, or the Petco equivalent by "All Living Things " called "Bottle and Guard Set". The cost is a little more than the economy brand. The bottle comes with a hanger "guard" that the bottle sits in. This prevents the gerbils from chewing and climbing on the bottle. We also notice that the stiff bottle tends to prevent clogging. To avoid a clogged bottle while you are away for a few days, it is a good idea to put two bottles in the cage during those times.
WHEEL:
Check out our awesome WHEEL KITS, which we designed over a number of years of breeding. Alternately, we recommend the simple metal mesh wheels similar to what is shown. Note the opening on both sides. This is important. Gerbils need an 8" wheel. Lubricate with a crayon; rubbing it on the axle.
We do not recommend the mesh wheels attached on one side. They will eventually have mechanical issues and can only be entered on one side. If it tips over, the gerbil can be trapped.
There are newer twists on the "simple wheel theme" out there. One that we have tried is the "plastic bowl shape" mounted on the side or mounted at an angle. These were developed to be a silent alternative and to avoid bumble feet, but we have had no such issues with our gerbils on the wire mesh wheels. The newer versions have the drawback of needing constant cleaning and will eventually wear out and fall off the mount. They can tip and trap the gerbil underneath, so if you do use this type, attach to the top of the cage.
BOWL:
Generally, a small ceramic bowl is fine (~ 1/4 cup). Be sure it is very small (2-4oz capacity) so your gerbil does not get trapped under it. You may want to consider "forge feeding" which eliminates that need for a bowl, but can be wasteful. Also we have noticed that Target sells "dip bowls" for a couple dollars that are perfect for this purpose, or search Ebay for "Ramekin 3oz", but be sure they are ceramic and not plastic.
For breeders, we recommend a 8-oz (5"x 1/2") stainless steel bowl, especially for younger gerbils. The bowl is lightweight so young burrowing gerbils will not be trapped under it.
TOYS:
Gerbils needs a constant supply of chewing material. We recommend using shipping tubes since they will last a long time and can be discarded each cage cleaning. Another good option is rolled up paper board (ex: cereal boxes and paper plates). Toilet paper tubes are a classic gerbil chew toy, but only last 10 minutes. Gerbils need constant chewing options to maintain healthy teeth. If using branches from outdoors be sure to bake them first (225F for 2.5 hours) to get rid of any insects or mites.
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