Gerbils by Lee
Black-Eyed Whites, Schimmels, Creams, Nutmegs, Blacks
Awesome temperment, good type, fantastic color ~
Gerbil Care and Links
Care Pages » Gerbil Basics »
Pick Your Colors...Keep In Pairs! »
Gerbils come in many different colors, with black and red eyed types. Basic colors like black, agouti, lilac, argente, and pink-eyed white are often seen in Maine pet stores. :) Colorpoints are fun varieties, the most recognizable being the siamese and burmese...warm tan (siamese) or chocolate (burmese) colored body with dark, black "points" (tail, nose, feet). Black-eyed whites are gorgeous! :) I breed them...they aren't generally found in pet stores. ;) Other colors include nutmeg, silver nutmeg, honey cream, polar fox, gray agouti, schimmel, himalayan, dark-eyed honey, yellow fox, red fox... the list goes on. :) Add in spotting patterns, which can come on any color...lol, lots of choices.
Gerbils should be kept in same-sex pairs, they are very social animals and do best with a gerbil companion. New gerbils should always be split-caged, not just placed together. They are very territorial and will fight (to the point of death) if there is a sudden intruder. New owners are advised to get a same-sex pair from a breeder, since they will already be clanned with each other and won't need any special introductions.
Caging »
A ten-gallon tank with lid can house a pair of gerbils. If you have the extra cash... the larger the better...a 10 long, 15, or 20 gallon+ has more room for tank accessories and gives the gerbils more space. Wire cages are not good for gerbils; they will chew on the bars continually and may end up with sore noses from rubbing, loss of hair, etc. Plastic cages (Habitrail type) will eventually need to be replaced as adult gerbs will gnaw the plastic and chew holes in the cage. Generally, cleaning cage every 2-3 wks is fine. Gerbils are not at all stinky pets, and cages shouldn't have an unpleasant odor to a human. If they do...you need to clean the cage more often (or check to see if there was a water spill or leaky bottle).
Bedding and Toys »
Acceptable bedding types are aspen shavings (no pine or cedar), Carefresh, Eco-bedding, corncob, shredded paper (buy a shredder and save on bedding costs lol!), or even a mix of the above for variety... i.e. Carefresh or Aspen base with paper shreds on top. Gerbils love to dig in their bedding and build their nests...they love stuff like paper towel/toilet paper tubes, cardboard boxes, rolled up paper plates, an empty washed glass jar i.e. from spaghetti or Alfredo sauces, hay for nest-building, etc. Commercially sold wooden rodent houses, reptile driftwood pieces, tubes, and wooden chew toys can also accessorize a gerbil tank nicely. Plastic toys and houses don't work as well for gerbils, as they are avid chewers. Gerbils also love taking sand baths and should have access to sand periodically to keep coats shiny and healthy. Chinchilla sand sold at petstores is the preferred type. Fill a small bowl or dish, place in tank, and watch gerbil enjoy!
Accessories »
Mesh-wire wheels are great for gerbils; they will need the larger 8" sized wheels. Provide a water bottle hung high enough off the floor so as to not contact the bedding (no one wants wet gerbil bedding, nasty!). Remember most gerbils will chew plastic bottles so use a metal bottle holder, with a bottle guard. Some gerbil breeders don't use food dishes for gerbils since they are natural foragers and will always cover their food up with bedding. A small pile of food can be placed in one area of the cage allowing the gerbils to dig for it, or one can use a small ceramic dish, owner's preference. :) Either works for the gerbil. For feeding ideas see "Gerbil Feeding Basics"