Gerbil Care

This is a work in progress!! 

egerbil website-  Please refer to that for further reading.Although there is so much information out there, i thought i would do a simple guide to caring for your gerbil.  I know a lot of people who have contacted me via email after viewing the website would find this useful to know the basic requirements as much information is either outdated or just not accurate.  It may also help my poor fingers tapping away similar replies to different people

Gerbil Diet

The main bulk of a gerbil diet should be made up of a good quality gerbil mix.  One of the best to use is “Gerri Gerbil” made by Supreme Petfoods.  There has been some controversy however, of this food lacking in calcium so to counter this i usually make up a mix of 2/3rds Gerri with 1/3rd of Hamster Food (i use Harry Hamster).I use that as the staple diet, but add certain things for nutrition and also variety.  I make up an additional mix of bird seed, soup or broth mix – the dried variety, nuts and some cereal without sugar.  I feed this in addition to the gerbil/hamster mix every couple of days.   Due to the different parts of the mix – the gerbils can selective feed which may result in them eating the things they like, rather than what is actually good for them.  This is why i only feed all of my gerbils every second day, as it more or less forces them to eat the bits they might have otherwise left.  If you do notice a build up of food in the tank, then dont feed for a couple of days until it is finished.

Rather than use food bowls for gerbils, it is much better to scatter feed.  Bowls can easily be buried or knocked over and often even used as a toilet!  They dont really serve much purpose so just sprinkle the food on the top layer of substrate in the tank.  Don’t worry if it gets buried.  They are crafty little creatures and it will enrich their environment by making them search out and forage for their meals.

Treats

Can be given in moderation.  Fruit and vegetables should be seen as a “treat” and i would suggest no more than a small piece once a week.  A gerbils digestive system isnt made for lots of this type of food due to them being desert animals, so too much may upset this balance and cause problems like diarrhoea.

Nuts and seeds are good treats, as are many things in the natural type ranges you can get now.  Millet spray (what a lot of people give to their budgies) is really good for them and a welcome addition to the diet.  You may also give some dog biscuit, cereal, toast (seeded wholemeal is loved), ryvita to name but a few.  Again, more in depth information is available on the egerbil website.

Gerbil Housing

The most suitable type of housing for gerbils is either a glass tank or aquarium, or a plastic storage tub converted into a tank type accommodation.

Glass Tanks

Although these are fairly heavy they really are (in my opinion) the best type of tank.  You get optimum viewing through the clear glass and it allows for plenty of tunnel building if filled with substrate.

 Plastic Storage Tubs

The best type of these are “Really Useful Boxes”.  You can get these online or at stationary shops like Staples.  Although they are a bit more expensive than the storage tubs you can get from discount stores or supermarkets , they are well worth the extra pennies!  They are much sturdier and stronger, and any excess plastic that could be nibbled by eager gerbils, is all on the outside.  This makes them virtually gerbilproof. (i say virtually as i never put anything past their gnawing power!)  Wire mesh should  be secured to the lid of the tubs to allow for ventilation.

Wire Cages are NOT suitable for gerbils.  They must have this tank type accommodation to enable them to build their own tunnel systems. 

Tank Toppers

Although not a big fan on these myself, i know that some people do like them.  If you insist on using a topper, please ensure that it is in ADDITION to a good sized tank and not INSTEAD of tank room.  Some Gerbils may develop stereotypical bar chewing behaviours in these, and if your gerbil displays such behaviour it is best to totally discard the topper.  This can easily become an addiction which is detrimental to the health and wellbeing of your furry friend.

Substrates & Toys

As I have previously mentioned, it is very important that there is plenty of substrate in your gerbil’s tank to ensure proper digging activity.  There are many different types on the market at the moment, but i tend to find no  substrate manages to hold tunnels well on its own.   The best mix i have found is a combination of dust extracted woodshavings, (“Snowflake” bedding or “Bedmax” woodshavings tend to be the best)card based bedding like finacard or bedmax excel, (megazorb can also be used and “Aubiose” seems to be growing in popularity)some shredded paper , toilet roll and/or kitchen roll and a few good handfuls of hay.  This mix is really good for tunnel building – especially with a few cardboard toilet paper or kitchen roll tubes thrown in for good measure.

Try to aim for at least 8-10 inches of bedding – even better if more.  Your gerbil will definately appreciate it.

Toys

The best type of toys are wooden, willow or cardboard.  The good thing about gerbils is that most of their “toys” are things lying around the house like egg boxes, cereal boxes and other cardboard type treasure!  Anything that can be safely chewed is a hit.

Plastic Toys should not be given, unless under supervision at playtime.  This is because its most likely the gerbils will chew them and if ingested, this can prove fatal.

Other ideas for toys are :  Terracotta Pots (Hiding place plus keeps nails trim), Glass Jars (for digging hiding and using as a toilet!) or Rope type or sisal toys for chewing.  A welcome addition to playtime is a shallow dish with some chinchilla sand (Charlie Chinchilla recommended) or even better “Aragonite” sand.   Although the aragonite tends to be harder to source locally it is widely available online.