Gerbils are somewhat like hamsters but they look somewhat difference in appearance. Gerbils have longer tails, are more slender and they are also longer. It’s essential to buy a cage which a gerbil cannot escape from. If there is a door on the cage I would recommend using a twist tie to keep the door secure. Gerbils cannot bite through the metal piece in the twist tie. Gerbils are very good at escaping their cages and they can jump suprisingly high. You will also need appropriate bedding for a gerbil. You can buy bedding in bulk at the pet stores but I would suggest asking somebody at the pet store what they would recommend. Gerbils love cotton like bedding which they can bury themselves in.
You will need to buy pellet food for gerbils. You will also need a water bottle and food dish. Gerbils teeth grow continously so you will need to buy something for the gerbil to chew on. Be careful when mixing gerbils together. You may need to buy the gerbils together when they are young. Ask somebody at the pet store what they would suggest doing. Never let two gerbils play together that were not previously introduced. Gerbils tend to fight horribly when placed together with a different gerbil.
Never place the gerbil on the floor or next to a door or window. Gerbils can catch colds and get very sick. You should never hold the gerbil by the tail because there is always the possibility that the tail will break off. The more you socialize with the gerbil the better behaved it will be. You can also purchase an exercise wheel for the gerbil to exercise on. It’s fun to watch the gerbil run on the wheel. You could also try to potty train the gerbil, but even if you do, you will still need to clean the gerbils cage every 2 to 3 weeks.
Gerbils are very inexpensive and their cages are the most expensive part. Make sure to buy a cage with a secure lid or your gerbil will turn up missing overnight. They are very good chewers and they will ruin your trim and doors. Never let a gerbil run around unsupervised. Gerbils are a lot of fun and you can let them play outside their cage but you need to do it in a room with the door shut. Make sure there aren’t a lot of things the gerbil could get inside of such as furniture.
Make sure to check the water bottle every 2 days to be sure that the water isn’t dry. You may need to purchase a different bottle or buy a glass bottle if the gerbil chews holes in the side of the plastic bottles. If you are going on vacation you can fill up several food dishes, place in a few chew toys and fill up several water bottles. The gerbil will be fine for short vacations depending on how much food and water you provide it with.
