PAIRING:

Gerbils are social and should be kept in pairs so they do not get lonely. Males can live in groups of 2, 3 or more but females may fight when older if 3 or more are in the same cage. Females are the dominant of the sexes and tend to be more territorial if more than 2 are together.

It is ideal to buy 2 brothers or 2 sisters from the same litter. If you do not do this, you will need to introduce them through the split cage method. We will introduce the ptwo pups we are adopting out. If one of your adult gerbils passes away, you would want to introduce a companion using the split cage process. An adult male can be introduced to 1-2 male pups and an adult female can be introduced to a female of the same size.

CHILDREN:

Gerbils are ideal for kids ages 8 and up. Our gerbils are adopted out at six weeks old, making them especially small and fragile, until they become adults at 13 weeks old. We prefer not to adopt gerbils to any child under age 7. We realize sometimes there are younger siblings in the family; younger children would require adult supervision at all times.

HANDLING:

Avoid handling gerbils high above hard flooring; sit or kneel while holding them. Young children should be supervised at all times. Doing so can cause the tail to come off. Tail slip is one of the most common gerbil injuries. Though horrifying, the gerbils will live through it. 'Tails coming off' is a natural defense mechanism for the gerbil. Never grab ‘em by the tail. Hold them with both of your hands.

It is best to wash your hands before handling the gerbils to avoid being mistaken for food. They might nibble your hand if they smell something good on it. While your hand is in the cage, it is good to place it flat on the bottom of the cage. Be patient and wait for your gerbils to walk over your hand. One day it may feel comfortable enough to crawl up your arm. The more you chase them the less they will want to come.

THINGS TO CHEW:

Gerbils need somehing to chew at all times. Use shipping cardboard, toilet paper tubes, food packaging boxes, or other cardboard boxes. Avoid newspaper where the ink rubs off easily. Glossy print on paperboard (like cereal or frozen pizza boxes) is ok. All chews located on the hamsters page are safe as well.

FOOD:

An average gerbil will eat 1 pound of food in 3 months. One gerbil will eat about one tablespoon of food per day-- half that for young gerbils and almost twice that for pregnant mothers. It is fine to feed them three times a week, which means you will give them enough food for 2- 3 days at a time. You could schedule specific days to make it easier to remember: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.Friday.I personally scatter Higgins Sunburst as food and encorage foraging, its a natural boredom-breaker. My Gerbs loves this 😊 i also have a bowl of Mazuri Rat Blocks and fill as needed. I freeze food (also my bedding) for 72 hours before giving to kill any bugs/bug eggs. Also, if you accidentally open it and rip the bag you take it all out and put it in a ziplock bag. Its gotta be sealed or bugs will get it.

WATER:

Fresh water should be provided at least twice a week. If going away for more than a day, put two bottles in the cage.

HAZARDS:

Temperature: Gerbils tend to do best in temperatures of 68-78F. Be aware of where the sun lands in the room you keep your gerbils. Keep the gerbils out of direct sunlight, especially in warmer months.

Scents: Avoid room fresheners around your gerbils. Even the plug in fresheners can be fatal if next to the cage. If there is a mirror above your cage, be aware that mist from glass cleaners can fall into the cage and make your gerbils sick.

BREEDING:

Don't jump into breeding without first understanding that gerbils can breed every 26 days, meaning you will need to find homes for several gerbils every season. Also the pups will interbreed after 6-10 weeks making things even more interesting.