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welcome | facts | choosing | feeding | looking after | care | links | leaflets As we said at the very beginning you must be committed to providing the very best for your gerbil. It is amazing how many people don’t think it’s necessary to interact with their gerbils once they bring them home. But it is, and it is something you need to consider BEFORE you buy your pet. Click on a link below to find out more about looking after Gerbils: |
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In the wild gerbils live in burrows and spend the majority of their time foraging for food, so you need to provide plenty of room for your gerbil to eat, sleep and run around. Gerbils should be kept in pairs or groups and you must make sure that there is room for all of them. They need to be kept indoors and careful thought must be given to where your gerbils’ cage will be kept. The temperature in the room should be constant, away from direct sunlight and draughts, and out of reach of any other pets. Gerbils need good, secure, roomy housing. They can be kept in a wire cage with a plastic base or a plastic hamster home but the best option is to construct a “gerbilarium” (an aquarium with a well ventilated cover). Never keep them in a wooden hutch as they will gnaw their way out! A good cage will be two tiered and have at least two compartments – one for the day and one to nest and hide in at night. Don’t forget that if you have more than one gerbil you will need a bigger cage. They prefer to sleep separately at night, too, so need their own nesting areas. Would you want to share your bedroom all the time? The minimum size for a good cage is 2ft 6in long x 1ft 4in wide x 1ft tall (75cm x 40cm x 30cm).This will need to be much larger if you are keeping more than one gerbil. Remember that a cage can NEVER be too big – buy or make the largest cage you can manage. You could also provide an “exercise yard” for
your gerbil that allows him plenty of room to exercise. Gerbils are
naturally frightened of large, open spaces but love playing in a
run that contains playthings, such as boxes, flowerpots, drainpipes
and logs.
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Gerbils are one of the easiest small animals to look after. Because their little bodies have adapted to have limited amounts of food and water, they waste very little body fluid, excreting only concentrated urine and dry faeces. If kept in a gerbilarium, with lots of absorbent peat and woodshavings, the animals can live in sanitary conditions for up to 3 months. It is important, however, to check DAILY for stale food, which should be removed. Also check the water bottle regularly, as gerbils are prone to piling litter underneath them which can cause them to leak. Here are some tips to help you make sure you keep your gerbil’s cage clean and hygienic: Every day Once a week Every 3 months
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There are many types of bedding available for gerbils but the best are the natural products made from paper, wood or straw. Some of the synthetic products can harm your gerbil if eaten. It is also recommended that you provide bedding that is dust extracted, as this reduces irritation to the eyes, nose and respiratory system. To
find out more about suitable bedding products, click here.
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Gerbils love to have a dust bath. Place a high
quality sand, into a box or bowl, and let your gerbil roll around and
flip over. They will thoroughly enjoy themselves and the sand will
help to keep their coats healthy by removing excess oils.
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It is extremely important that your gerbil has the opportunity to exercise every day. Exercise is essential to: maintain high levels of fitness Anyway, your gerbil will love running around and playing. Give him some play things, such as toilet roll tubes, flower pots, cardboard egg boxes and pieces of safe wood, such as hazel or apple wood, that they can climb on – and gnaw! You need to provide a large, secure run for daily exercise. This can be free-standing or attached to the cage. Security and position are extremely important to avoid any harm or stress to your gerbil during his playtime. Gerbils are naturally very active and inquisitive animals. They like to keep themselves busy and, when allowed, spend the majority of their time running around and investigating their surroundings. Their natural instincts are to forage, explore and socialise. Meal time is always over too quickly and this could mean that your gerbil will get bored. It only takes a few items to create an exciting environment for them to be in. Gerbils like to look under, hide in, or climb on to small platforms,
empty cardboard boxes, wicker or plastic flowerpots. Chimney pots and
plastic pipes make great hiding places and excellent tunnels. Change
the items around occasionally to provide added interest for your gerbil. Feeding time for a domestic animal is often over in minutes whereas, in the wild, feeding takes most of the day as they forage for their favourite foods. By hiding food and the occasional treat under cardboard boxes, in empty plant or yoghurt pots, or in different areas of the animal’s cage, your gerbil will be forced to hunt for his food – this will keep him occupied for many happy hours and prevent boredom.
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To ensure that your rat becomes tame and affectionate it is important that you handle it frequently and correctly. Picking up a rat incorrectly could lead to your rat being permanently frightened and may lead to it becoming aggressive. Remember that most small animals are prey in the wild. So, if they are approached from above they will see a large shadow and become scared. They might run and hide or try to attack you. Before attempting to handle your rat, make sure he is awake and alert or he might be scared and try to bite you. Talking to your rat makes him aware that you are close by and wanting to socialise. Always approach your rat calmly and gently. Once your rat knows you are near, place a closed fist in front of it and allow it to approach. If he is confident and appears interested, slowly unclench your first and open your hand to allow him to craw on to your palm. If he does not approach you, gently scoop him up and cup him in the palm of your two hands to ensure he is safe and won’t be dropped. To ensure he is safe at all times, you should hold him over your lap or close to your chest. Never squeeze or tighten your grip during handling. Never try to pick up your rat by the tail as this could lead to injury and he might become aggressive. If your rat wriggles during transportation, it is advisable to place him in a container to avoid any accidents.
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Gerbils do not require washing and don’t generally require grooming if they are in a pair, as they will groom each other. But they do really enjoy an occasional dust bath. Whilst handling your gerbil, you have the perfect opportunity to examine your pet closely to look for any signs of illness. Check his eyes, ears, nose and under the tail. Also check that his teeth and nails aren’t too long and make sure his fur is clean and shiny and that there aren’t any lumps or bumps. (Also see the next section called “Is my Gerbil well?” for more details on signs of illness and behaviour.)
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We touched briefly on pairing gerbils at the beginning, but it needs explaining in more detail. Gerbils in the wild live in large colonies of equal numbers. They are sociable animals and can be truly unhappy if kept in solitude. There should be no problems keeping gerbils together if the following rules are followed. Firstly, as we said before, you must have a cage which is large enough to accommodate more than one gerbil. It is best to acquire littermates in order to avoid fighting. Pairs or groups of males or females will be fine if they are from the same litter. They may accept a gerbil from a different litter, but they may fight. Females and males will be happy together but will result in litters.
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A rat is inexpensive to buy, but you must be prepared to pay for veterinary treatment if he becomes ill. |
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If you do decide to breed from your female rat, you will need to give her twice as much food as normal whilst she is pregnant, as the demand for nutrients during this time is much greater. Once she has had the litter she will need three times as much food as normal whilst she is lactating (feeding her babies herself). Do not be tempted to touch the pups for the first week as the mother rat may reject them.
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When gerbils reach the senior stage of life, it is equally important to consider changes in their environment and diet. Older animals tend to be less active, especially in colder weather, and will have lower energy requirements. Their food intake should be reduced to prevent obesity and you should encourage your older gerbil to continue exercising to maintain a good level of fitness which will help fight off disease.
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If you want to go on holiday, you must ensure that someone is happy to look after your pet properly whilst you are away, or you must be prepared to pay for them to board. |
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