Gerbils - being able to behave normally
Keeping your gerbils active and happy
Do my gerbils need toys?
As well as plenty of exercise, gerbils need things in their cage that they can climb on and explore. They should have an exercise wheel – but make sure it doesn’t have spaces between the rungs, as their legs can get trapped and broken between the gaps. They also need suitable toys such as cardboard rolls and boxes, as well as those made specifically for small pets. Ladders, plastic tubes, seesaws and untreated apple-tree branches are all available to buy.
A gnawing block should be provided because this helps your gerbils wear their teeth down.
Scatter some of your gerbils’ food around the cage and hide some in tubes, to encourage interest and activity.
Should I give my gerbils several different toys at the same time?
You should offer different toys in different weeks so your gerbils stay stimulated and don’t get bored. When a particular toy isn’t being used one week, this also gives you a good opportunity to clean it.
How can I let my gerbils dig?
Digging is important normal behaviour for gerbils and they can do this by being housed in a gerbilarium with appropriate burrowing material such as potting compost (please see ‘a suitable environment’).
Do gerbils need a dust bath?
Gerbils should be provided with a dust bath. Chinchilla sand (available from pet shops) is appropriate. Gerbils, like other desert species, dust bathe to keep their coats in good condition.
Handling
What’s the best way to handle a gerbil?
Gerbils should be carefully handled from a young age so that they become used to being handled and aren’t scared by it . This will reduce the chances of their biting someone.
Always be gentle. Both hands should be used as a scoop, and the gerbil should be held low over a flat surface. Even a small fall can cause serious injury. Never grab the tip of the tail, as this can cause the tail’s skin to fall away.
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