Handling
Care
Housing
Gerbils are naturally burrowing animals originally from the desert, so these factors should be taken into consideration when planning their accommodation. They can be kept in cages with solid floors, made of either metal or plastic. Because they burrow, avoid any cage that has bars as this can cause injuries to their noses. They also stand on their hind limbs quite a lot, so make sure the cage is high enough for this. A minimum cage size for one gerbil is 40cm x 75cm, with a height of 30cm.
The most important consideration is the material put on the floor of the cage. It must be deep enough and be of a suitable type. A mixture of wood-shavings, sawdust and peat can be used as the burrowing material, at a depth of about 15 cm. Their nesting area should have shredded paper. Sand is not suitable as it can cause grazes as they burrow, and synthetic fibre material can wrap round the gerbil's limbs, blocking off the blood supply.
Adult gerbils should be kept in an environment between 15°-20°C and their cages need cleaning out every one to two weeks. Every three months do a thorough clean, wash the cage well and replace all the burrowing and nesting materials.
Feeding and watering
You can feed your gerbil on proprietary diets for rats and mice, which are suitable for gerbils, and adults eat approximately 10-15g of food each day. They love sunflower seeds, but these are high in fat and low in calcium. If the gerbil gets too many it can cause bone abnormalities, which may result in fractures. Green foods should be rationed to make sure the gerbil gets a balanced supply of vitamins and minerals. Any uneaten food should be removed each day, so that it doesn't become mouldy. Gerbils' desert origins mean that they need very little water, due to their excellent water conservation. However, you must make sure that water is always available, even though they can get water from their green foods.
Young gerbils in particular have special needs. They start to eat solid foods from about two weeks of age, so their water bottle should be within easy access, and not too hard to suck. Clean their water bottle at least once a week. Use a heavy pottery bowl for their food, and heavy bowl or bottle for their water.
