If gerbils were humans, they’d be mountain climbers. They possess an insatiable desire to explore. This desire has its disadvantages for the gerbil owner. If you don’t choose the right cage, your gerbils will constantly escape, which could get them killed. But you also want the cage to be large enough to play about and yet easy enough to clean.
But not all cages sold as gerbil cages are actually much good for gerbils because they can easily escape from them and go off exploring.
Solid Walls
Gerbils will figure our how to escape from barred cages – even from those sold as gerbil cages. They can squeeze under the tightest of places – including underneath closed doors and through the bars of hamster cages. You need to get housing for them that they can’t squeeze out of. Look for housing with solid walls, but a mesh lid for ventilation.
No Plastic
Although there are many intricate and colorful plastic cages sold as for gerbils, do not get them. Gerbils have an incredibly large appetite for plastic. Combined with their desire to explore the universe, they will soon chew holes in a plastic home. Plastic homes also tend to be smellier than an aquarium and are harder to clean than an aquarium because of all the twists and turns of plastic tunnels.
What About Aquariums?
The American Gerbil Society recommends glass or acrylic aquariums as the ideal gerbil cage. Figure ten gallons per pair of gerbils (which should be kept in pairs, else they die of loneliness or the stress of being alone.) Aquariums longer horizontally are usually better than those that are longer vertically, giving the gerbils more room to scamper about. You need to be sure the lid is secure or weighed down, as gerbils are amazingly good jumpers and have been known to push off a lid.
Since they are in acrylic or glass cages, you need to keep them out of direct sunlight or anyplace warm, as it gets hot inside an aquarium pretty quickly. Make the bedding deep enough so the gerbils can bury themselves under it (they like to burrow). Add tunnel toys and chew toys to make an interesting environment. Keep in mind that they will eat any plastic toys. Cardboard paper towel rolls make great and digestible gerbil toys.
Be sure you have a water bottle instead of a bowl for your gerbils’ water. With all of the scampering about they do, gerbils will soon toss bedding, food and feces into the water. They also seem determined to overturn the water dish as soon as possible. A damp environment is not healthy for gerbils. Observe your gerbils to be sure they can’t shimmy up the aquarium wall bracing themselves against the water bottle and then push on the cage lid.
Gerbils learn how to use a water bottle very quickly. They usually have a ball bearing at the tip. Most water bottles sold for rodents will do nicely for gerbils. Check your gerbils’ water bottle every day not only to fill it or clean it, but to be sure your gerbils haven’t nibbled holes in it.
Resources:
“Gerbils.” Sue Fox. THF Publications; 2007.
Gerbil Care Handbook. The American Gerbil Society http://agsgerbils.org/Learn/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/index.php
“A Little on the Different Side.” Jessica Pineda. “Critters USA Annual”; 2009.
