Gerbils are highly valued pets for good reasons: they are friendly, outgoing, and curious. While they are not as expensive as cats or dogs, they still require daily attention and care. Above all, you will need to provide them with adequate habitat, which allows these little animals to dig as they would in the wild.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Buying Gerbils
Step 1. Find a breeder
Your best bet is to buy your gerbils from a breeder. Given the large number of animals housed in the shops, it can be difficult for staff to verify their sex and to know the relationships between the different animals. This can be a problem, as they are social but territorial animals, requiring carefully planned interactions. A gerbil breeder will almost always know the sex of his animals, their attitude to each other and their degree of kinship.
- A breeder should allow you to meet the parents of the gerbils you have chosen. Ask to be allowed to do this and make sure they are healthy and good natured, as many of the parental traits are passed down to puppies.
- Ask the breeder about the pet you have chosen and its litter. Was he born healthy? What was the death rate of the litter? Are relatives descendants of gerbils related to each other? How do parents interact with other gerbils?
Step 2. Look for the healthiest and friendliest gerbils
Even healthy gerbils only live for an average of two to four years. You should therefore always pay attention to the signs that may indicate their disease. There are also details that can suggest whether a gerbil will be friendly or not.
- To find a healthy specimen, look for a tail as long as the body and rich in hair; bright, large and transparent eyes; stocky and sturdy body. Animals with dull eyes, red noses, nosebleeds, and a depressed attitude are often ill.
- The signs that a gerbil are friendly are pretty obvious. The most sociable animals will approach the glass of the cage and seek attention. It is common for younger specimens to nibble to explore their surroundings. They shouldn't hurt you though. If a gerbil bites you too hard, it is likely not as sociable.
Step 3. Purchase more than one
These are naturally social animals, which can become depressed and apathetic if left alone. You should always buy at least two, if not more. Usually the best choice for first-time breeders is to buy two of the same sex. If they reproduce, you may find yourself facing huge costs, in terms of time and money.
It is not always easy to recognize the sex of a gerbil. To do this, turn it over on the palm of your hand. After three weeks of age, females will have a shorter distance between the anal and urinary orifice. After five to seven weeks of age, males will develop prominent testes which will make identification easier. The help of a professional can help you, but if you don't buy them from an experienced breeder, the seller may not be able to offer you useful advice
Step 4. Find gerbils that get along well
It may not be easy if the vendor is unfamiliar with animals and their interactions. If possible, you should purchase gerbils from the same litter, six to eight weeks old. This is the ideal time for them to establish a relationship with each other. If you can't find animals of the desired age, you can introduce them with the separate cage method.
- To introduce two gerbils who have never socialized before, buy an aquarium divider. Place it in the center of the case and separate the two rodents. Flip the sides of the animals several times a day to get them used to each other's smell.
- After a week or so, remove the divider and observe them carefully for a day. If they paw together, it wouldn't be a problem, but if they got into a fight or start rolling around and fighting furiously, you should part them right away. On the contrary, if they sleep together, it is a sign that they have established a bond.
- If this procedure is unsuccessful, try it three more times. If you still don't get results, the two will probably never get along.
- Never try to introduce a third gerbil in an environment where two have already bonded. They would unite against the newcomer.
Step 5. Buy a cage
The best habitat for a gerbil is a large glass case. For two specimens, a 40-liter display case should suffice. For each additional animal, the display case should be 20 liters larger. Fill a third of the display case with substrate for rodents to burrow. Gerbils should always have enough space to burrow, stay active, and have fun.
- Never line the bottom of the case with sawdust, as pine and cedar shavings can cause severe breathing problems.
- The case must have a lid to protect them. The best choice is a fine mesh net that you can buy at a pet store. It is an ideal solution because it allows you to hang objects on it, such as a wheel and a bottle of water.
- Avoid the cages with bars. The legs of gerbils could get caught in the nets. Consider this when shopping for all items to fit into the display case, including wheels.
Part 2 of 3: Caring for the Gerbil
Step 1. Feed him properly
The first step in raising your pets well is looking after their diet. Like us humans, these rodents also need a balanced diet consisting of vegetables, proteins, fats and vitamins. The basis of the diet should consist of specific commercial feed, because these are products created specifically for their dietary needs. However, you can complement it with occasional delicacies. To feed the animals, simply spread the food on the surface of the substrate.
- Start with pellets or seed mixes for gerbils that you can find in pet stores.
- Gerbils love seeds, but avoid giving them too many sunflower seeds, which are particularly fatty. Pumpkin ones are more suitable.
- Supplement dry food with healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables, such as pears, melons, apples, oranges, cucumbers, carrots, pumpkins and fennel. Remember, however, that rhubarb and grapes are poisonous to gerbils. Hay is also a healthy food that you can give to your rodents; use the variety you can find in pet stores.
- You don't need bowls. Spreading food is simpler and a better solution for gerbils because it stimulates them to follow their natural instinct to go for food and prompts them not to fight each other.
Step 2. Place a bottle of water in the case
Find one with a metal drinker. It may be helpful to choose a clear plastic container so that you can check the water level by eye. Hang it on the mesh lid if you're using a glass aquarium, or attach it to bars in a traditional cage. Clean the drinking trough regularly and always make sure they have enough water.
Step 3. Prepare a bed
A simple wooden box, which you can buy at pet stores, is ideal as a den. Tear some paper handkerchiefs into small strips and place them in the box to complete the bedding of the gerbils.
Step 4. Clean the cage periodically
You should check it every day and remove any food that has not been eaten. Regardless of the leftovers they leave behind, gerbils are relatively clean animals. You will need to replace the substrate, but not more often than once a week.
Part 3 of 3: Making the Life of Your Gerbils Happier
Step 1. Encourage them to play and exercise
Physical activity is also important for the health of pets. Fortunately, gerbils are naturally active. Space and the ability to dig are the most important requirements for their well-being. But other items can also be useful.
- A solid material wheel is great for training them. Avoid buying mesh wheels, as the legs or tails of the animals may get caught. Always make sure to keep the wheel suspended off the ground, hanging from the mesh lid, so that it does not take up space on the surface.
- Pet stores sell wooden chew toys that gerbils can amuse themselves.
- Training balls are the best way for a gerbil to explore the world outside the cage and get training.
- Gerbils also love cardboard. A simple object that they can have fun with is the cardboard center of the toilet paper rolls.
Step 2. Don't rush
When you first bring a gerbil home, it may be too shaken by the change of environment to be friendly. Don't try to pick it up during the first few days. You could, however, begin to create a positive association by using the palm of your hand to offer him food.
Step 3. Handle them with care
You should often pick up your gerbils to get them used to interacting with humans and make them happy. It is important, however, that you pay attention. Wash your hands before touching them and use both of them to form a cup to house the animal. Allow the rodent to climb up by placing your hands close to it.
Avoid standing directly above the gerbil. These rodents associate the shadows that cover them with predators and may fidget
Step 4. Don't grab him by the tail; it could break
Keep your hands cupped and lift the animal gently.
Step 5. Don't make them reproduce
A pair can produce up to 96 puppies per year. The puppies, in a short time, would be ready to reproduce themselves. If you don't have much experience with gerbils, you should make sure you don't own mixed-sex pairs. If not, before you know it you will find yourself raising a small army of rodents.
However, if you have to choose to have them mate, do not remove the male and then reintroduce him at a later time, otherwise the female will attack him to protect the puppies from a "foreign" animal. Males can play an important role as parents, but adults will continue to mate almost immediately after the birth of the cubs and this could have a negative impact on the female's health in the long run
Advice
- Make sure you change the water every day to prevent bacteria from growing.
- While it's a good idea to give them something to chew on, make sure it's not anything dyed, painted, enameled, etc. - the coatings contain dangerous chemicals.
- You can buy some pieces of wood to put in the display case. The best are half-length logs and perforated blocks. Try placing more objects that the gerbils can interact with in their case. The different textures, sizes and shapes will amuse the animals. You should always be careful, though, and only choose items that can't chew and break and that aren't made of metal or glass. Also avoid treated wood or wood that produces a lot of splinters.
- Make sure the gerbil gets out into fresh air at least once a month.
- Do not purchase substrate or burrow material that is too stringy, as it could strangle the animals or cause obstructions if they ingest it.
Warnings
- Modular cages are not suitable for gerbils, and neither are hamster cages. They must have room to dig.
- Gerbils strike and fight each other for fun, but in some cases the fights can escalate. If you see bloodshed, you'll need to separate the fighters right away. Use gloves to protect your hands. Do not separate the specimens for more than a day if you do not intend to do so permanently. After a day, they would no longer remember the smell of the other animal and would lose their bond.
