Gerbil Shopping List

Looking for a quick, no fuss shopping list of the must haves and the good ideas for getting your first gerbils? Something you can have ready on your smart phone or printed out?

Look no farther!

The Must Haves: 

One ten gallon aquarium/terrarium

One screen lid that fits the tank mentioned above

Bedding– Preferably paper, I recommend Kaytee “Clean & Cozy” unscented bedding

Water Bottle –Glass, or equipped with a metal guard to prevent chewing

Food–Gerri Gerbil or Vitacraft’s “Mouse, Rat & Gerbil” food

Chews–Pet safe wood or lava block

Hide House–Wood/Plastic composite or ceramic will last the longest

“Gerbil Dust”–Sold as Chinchilla dust, to be given once a week in a glass bowl for bathing

Exercise Wheel–Metal mesh or “Silent Spinner” style wheels only

The Good Ideas

Play Pen–Make sure it is made for small rodents such as hamsters, or the bar spacing may be too large

Food Dish–Though not required, this does help maintain a cleaner habitat and allow you to know how much your gerbils are eating

Tank Topper (found primarily online)– a tank topper allows for more space for your new friends to roam!

Pet safe habitat cleaner– You can used Windex, but be sure it is completely wiped clean to avoid possible ingestion

Treats– Sold in the small pet isle, Yogurt drops and other treats can be great ways to bond with your new friends

Freebies 

Toilet Paper rolls, small cardboard boxes and bits of paper make great toys, so long as they are not wax coated

Shredded Documents make fun nesting and chewing items, but again, make sure they are not treated with any kind of coating

And that’s it! Not including tax, your typical cost effective gerbil setup is about $45-$60 bucks depending on what kinds/brands you choose. (Compared to a guinea pigs whopping $150-$250 price range, that is a cheap pet!)

Check out this post for a more detailed description of the items mentioned above, and the “why’s” behind them.

 

 

All Stocked Up!

My spoiled babies have no idea how very blessed they are to have me. Because when I get an email from Petmountain telling me there is a 50% site wide sale and I have a $5 coupon… I stock up on stuff.

Look at my pile of goodies!! Including two bags of a gerbil food I’ve been wanting to try for quite a while, as it’s the only food I’ve found that is made JUST for gerbils! Judging by the ingredients list and the smell and look of it, I think my gerbils will think they’ve found gerbil gold.

 

It’s got the same stuff as my current gerbil food, PLUS dried carrots, a few raisons, and pumpkin seeds! My gerbils already are better off on their Vitakraft food than on “Hamster/Gerbil” food, I think this will make them happy.

Also, blue Kaytee Bedding, which they’ve stopped selling in my pet store. I know they don’t care, but it makes their cages look more fun to me.

It’s been 20 days since my breeding pairs have been introduced. No sign of pregnancy yet, but I’m hoping it will come within this next month at least. They’re all old enough now, and they often are pretty flirty with one another.

And now I must begin to get ready for work! We have a whopping 15 gerbils at my store right now. That is A LOT. Several are very pretty, too. Looking forward to helping them find loving homes! 🙂

 

Gerbil Handling

Henry is my calmest gerbil by far, so I used him as my model.

Henry in my hand by the window (the batman symbol is a reflection from my pants.)

Henry is one of few gerbils who doesn’t mind being held still.

Though it may seem more comfortable for you to hold a gerbil as pictured above, it often makes a gerbil feel constrained and uneasy. You may even get nipped or bitten if the gerbil isn’t used to this kind of handling. You can work up to this, but do so slowly and release it if it seems uncomfortable in your hand.

My Dad holding Henry in opened hands–the way gerbils prefer.

Henry peering down at a fallen mealworm.

Gerbils prefer to be held in open hands, particularly if you’re wearing a loose fitting long sleeved shirt that they can climb on or in. They are very active and don’t like to stay in one place for long. Once you’ve found your gerbils’ favorite treat, you may be able to get him or her to munch on it while in your hand. Henry will do this with dried mealworms or yogurt drops.

And now, a badly taken video of Henry eating a mealworm!

 

The Waiting Game

My two females and one of my males are about 10 weeks old, almost three months, so they should be ready to breed any time now, but the waiting is so hard. My other little male (The Doctor) is a bit younger, but when his girlfriend goes into estrous he should become interested. Every day I go and hold them all, check on them and make sure they’re all happy and healthy, and it gets me excited to see what their babies will look like. The girls are both very sweet and readily climb on my hands once they see that the boys aren’t afraid of me.

The boys at my pet store are very pretty, four blondes (Not sure what particular variety) two blacks, a spotted black, an agouti, and a very pretty little burmese, just a shade lighter than mine. I’ve been handling them whenever I can while I’m working and waiting for just the right customer to come and give some of them a new home.

Tip:

If purchasing gerbils from a pet store, do your research before hand, and interview the pet store employee who you are thinking of buying from. If they don’t give adequate answers, ask if there is someone in the store who owns gerbils or works with the stores gerbils regularly. Ask to hold the gerbils or see the employee hold the gerbils. If they get out a leather glove to hold them with, walk away. Find a pet store employee who is confident and comfortable handling the gerbils bare handed and knows the basics about gerbil care. You can also use the American Gerbil Society’s breeder listings and find a breeder in your area, visit an exotic animal show, or go to your local exotic animal vet and ask the veterinarian if he or she knows if there is anyone in the area who breeds gerbils. Try to find young gerbils, as these will prove to be the best pets in the long run.

 

Tank Toppers

(Yes, I know their water is low. I cleaned and refilled it after taking this photo.)

Tank toppers are a great way to add extra space and interest to your gerbils home, without the mess of escaped bedding that often occurs with critter trail style cages. They also allow you to mount a water bottle on a different level, and place a food dish on a different level, encouraging shy gerbils to come out into the open to eat. Toys can be hung or snapped to the bars and provide new chew and play options.

Your tank topper should be chosen with the same ideals as a wheel. It should have grid style floors to avoid tail or foot injury, and should be made solely of metal. I purchased mine from Amazon.com.

Warnings & Tips:

Bar biting is when a gerbil obsessively gnaws on the bars of it’s cage. It can cause baldness on the nose and possible damage to the teeth. It is generally a symptom of boredom and can usually be prevented if other chew options are available. Usually. Henry (pictured above) however is a notorious bar biter no matter the toys and chews I provide. The best way to stop this bad habit is to only allow them to have their tank topper every other week. This prevents boredom and is good for their mental health.

If you are breeding your gerbils, only allow your pair to have a tank topper while there are no young present. Newborn gerbils may be placed by their mother under a ramp, where they are in danger of being crushed if you move it unknowingly. “Toddler” gerbils are clumsy and can hurt themselves falling from the highest level. Wait until your babies are of weaning age before allowing them to have access to a tank topper.

 

Habitat Setup, Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Step One:

Take one tank of appropriate size and insure that it is clean.

Ten gallon tank

Step Two:

Add three(ish) inches of bedding and squish it down.

Step Three:

Add crinkles (optional), water bottle, chew toys (wood & toilet paper tube), and food. (Wheel and hide house not pictured)

Step Four: Just add Gerbils!

Place gerbils in tank and watch them explore! Pictured are the Doctor and Rory.

(Remember that step five is the lid. Don’t forget the lid. 😉 )

This should be repeated weekly to insure clean, happy gerbils!

 

 

Soft & Fluffy

Once a week you should offer your gerbils a dust bath! Gerbils cannot be bathed with water, as they have difficulty drying themselves and can become sick if wet for too long. In the wild, gerbils roll in sandy, dusty earth to clean the excess oils and possible parasites from their fur.

Chinchilla dust is the best option for your gerbils. It is affordable and long lasting!

 

Place the dust in a container such as a glass bowl, mason jar, or gerbil bath house.

 

Allow your gerbils at least ten or fifteen minutes to frolic in the dust and groom themselves. I personally enjoy using a mason jar on it’s side for their dust baths, so I can watch them roll around and clean their faces. Once finished, they will be soft, fluffy and cuddly again! (They may leave tiny, dusty footprints on your clothes!)

 

Critter Trails & Glass Walls

Critter Trail Cage

As a pet store employee, one of my most commonly asked questions is “which critter trail cage should I get for my new gerbils?”, and the answer is: None!

Critter trail cages, though colorful and fun, are not ideal housing for gerbils. Though perfectly fine for dwarf hamsters such as the Robo Dwarf, Chinese Dwarf, and Winter White, gerbils will likely destroy and possibly escape from a critter trail cage.

Gerbils are Chewers and Diggers:

Say goodbye to anything plastic; they will completely destroy it. Critter trail cages are primarily plastic with a wire middle. Often times gerbils will become obsessive bar biters when kept in this type of cage. As shown above, the base of a critter trail cage is fairly shallow, and you will quickly find that more bedding is out of the cage than in!

Cleanliness is Key:

Most critter trail cages have tubes and tunnels, which gerbils will often do their “business” in. This makes it difficult to keep their home clean and neat. Cleaning the tunnels requires a soak in hot soapy water and a long, flexible bottle brush.

The Alternative: 

The ideal housing for gerbils is an aquarium with a metal mesh lid. Ten gallons for two, twenty for four, and so on.

Ten gallon glass tank

Though maybe not as visually appealing, a glass tank is simpler, easier to clean, and will provide your gerbils with a safe, happy, healthy environment.

Set up:

Bedding: Aspen and paper bedding products such as Carefresh and Kaytee’s Clean and Cozy are all acceptable bedding options for gerbils. Personally, my gerbils are kept on Kaytee’s Clean and Cozy white bedding, with a handful of Carefresh “Crinkles” for Nesting purposes. I’ve had gerbils develop allergies to both aspen and Carefresh Colors bedding in the past.

Kaytee’s Clean And Cozy Bedding is a cheap and long lasting bedding with limited dust.

Carefresh Crinkles are a colorful and fun way to provide nesting and stimulation for your gerbils!

Line the bottom of your tank with three inches of your bedding, and then mash it down to make a dense two inch (ish) layer. This will make for a better digging experience for your gerbils. If using crinkles, add a large handful to your bedding. Your gerbils will spread it around as they “decorate” their home!

Toys & Accessories:

Wheel: There is a lot of debate among gerbil lovers as to what is the right wheel. Allow me to guide you through the wheel selection process and educate you along the way!

Option Number One: The Tail Eater

An Unsafe Wheel for Gerbils: DO NOT USE

Though rarely seen in the market these days, this wheel with it’s bare slats has caused pain and heartache for gerbil lovers all over the world. A gerbils tail is very fragile, and can become caught between the bars causing “degloving”, a painful injury when the skin is ripped away from the bone of the tail. Never purchase this kind of wheel for your gerbil.

Option Two: The Solid Wheel

Though “safe”, this wheel does not allow waste to pass through it’s floor, your gerbil will be running in his or her own “yuck!”. Also, these kinds of wheels are usually made of plastic. Thus, they will quickly be destroyed by your gerbils teeth! This wheel can be used, but it is not ideal.

Option Three: The Flying Saucer

Similar to the solid wheel, it often becomes dirty and chewed to bits. Also, many gerbils have difficulty learning to use this wheel and it is a bit pricey, so I do not recommend it.

Option Four: The Grid Wheel

A six inch or larger grid wheel is metal, and instead of bars, it has tiny squares. Small enough that feet and tails cannot become trapped yet allowing waste to pass through. This is the ideal wheel for gerbils! It is also the cheapest and easiest to come by, it can be found at almost all pet stores as well at most Walmarts!

Home Within A Home:

Igloos are the most common hide houses for small pets, but as with all plastics, they are easily destroyed.

If you cannot acquire a ceramic hide house, I suggest this:

It is made of a wood/plastic composite. Though still plastic, is it much denser and harder to chew. It will get a little tattered around the edges, but will not likely be totally mutilated. We use this house in the pet store I work at, and it suits the gerbils well.

Water:

Again, plastic bottles will likely be chewed through, and you may come home to find a small pond in your gerbils tank! (Trust me, I know from personal experience.)

There are glass “chew proof” bottles available, but they are often hard to use in a glass tank. Currently I am using one of these:

Though plastic, it’s round design makes chewing near impossible, and it comes with a metal guard/holder that works well in a tank setup.

Last But Not Least!

Please provide chew toys for your gerbil to allow healthy chewing, as this keeps their teeth trimmed. Some good chewing toys my gerbils enjoy are pictured below.

BUT WAIT, what about food dishes?!

I didn’t forget! Though I sometimes use ceramic food dishes, they are not needed. Scatter roughly 1/8 cup of food in the tank daily and your gerbils will have lots of fun “hunting” for their food! If you are going on a weekend trip, scatter a ½ cup of food and insure the water is full, and your gerbils should be fine.

Tip: Gerbils need at least 15% protein in their diet. Most “Hamster/Gerbil” food is 13.5% or lower. Below is the food I use and love. It boasts a 17% protein content! Meal worms (dried or alive) and crickets make a great treat.

 

Available on Petmountain.com

You can also use this food, which is found at most pet retailers.

 

One is the Loneliest Number

A lone gerbil is a sad gerbil!

Unlike the solitary Syrian hamster, gerbils live in fairly large social groups when found in the wild. This makes gerbils ideal pets, as they are naturally more outgoing, trusting and often bond to their human companions!

The Myth: If I get two gerbils, they will bond to each other and not me!

The Truth: Not so! Gerbils require the security and companionship of another of their species! When kept alone, gerbils often become lonely, depressed, paranoid and more prone to biting and bolting. A lone gerbil will be more likely to be overweight, it’s lifespan will decrease, and it may develop obsessive behaviors such as bar biting. Gerbils need to be housed in same gender pairs in order to live a long, happy, healthy life! They enjoy grooming and sleeping with each other, playing together, and even running on the same wheel together! They will also be more active and enjoyable to watch when kept in pairs, as well as easier to tame.

Female gerbils tend to be a bit more temperamental than males, and may fight as they become older. If it is a companion pet you seek, I suggest a pair of males, preferably purchased at the same time from the same cage.

If you have unknowingly purchased a lone gerbil and are seeking a companion for it, first identify it’s gender, and then seek out a reliable source for it’s same gender companion! Once acquired, use the split cage method to introduce them. Gerbils are usually open to accepting new friends, especially when already alone, but don’t get in a hurry! Gerbil fights can be bloody and violent! Be sure your gerbils are displaying friendly behavior (such as sleeping next to one another on opposite sides of the divider) with one another for an extended period before leaving them alone together.