Gerbil care: room to dig, build and live together

Keep an established partnership together

Mongolian gerbils need gerbil companionship. An already compatible same-sex pair, perhaps from an experienced rescue, is a useful starting point. Sleeping together and grooming each other are parts of a relationship that human attention cannot replace. A rescue can also confirm their sexes and explain how the pair behaves together.

Adding a new gerbil straight into an occupied enclosure risks serious fighting. Scent helps gerbils recognise their group, and an unfamiliar animal may be treated as an intruder. Finding a new partner after a death therefore calls for a planned introduction with knowledgeable support. Persistent attacks or bite wounds require safe separation and advice about what to do next, rather than waiting for the animals to settle it themselves.

RSPCA · Zürcher Tierschutz

Build the enclosure from the bedding upwards

Zürcher Tierschutz recommends at least 0.6 square metres of floor space and a height of 70 centimetres for two gerbils. These are starting dimensions. More space allows longer tunnels and makes room for a sand bath and exercise equipment without sacrificing the digging area. Several small shelves do not add up to the same usable space as a generous continuous floor.

A deep tank-style base with a well-ventilated, escape-proof mesh upper section contains the bedding. At least 30 centimetres of low-dust substrate, combined with hay and suitable shredding material, gives tunnels some structure. Heavy houses, the sand bath and other fixed objects need solid supports. Sitting them directly on loose bedding allows them to sink when a gerbil digs underneath.

A quiet, dry location away from direct sunlight is preferable. Glass beside a sunny window can become dangerously warm. Cats and dogs should not have access to the enclosure, including its lid, where their presence can frighten the gerbils.

Zürcher Tierschutz · RSPCA

Chewing, digging and finding something worthwhile

Plain cardboard tubes without adhesive residue, hay and suitable untreated branches can be investigated, shredded and incorporated into a nest. Tunnels should be wide enough for easy movement. A bath of appropriate low-dust bathing sand helps with coat care, provided its container has a stable base and is checked for soiling.

An exercise wheel can offer additional movement if it has a solid running surface and enough diameter for the animal’s back to remain straight. The axle and support must not create trapping points. A wheel cannot replace floor space or bedding depth. A cardboard box with a little food amongst hay often gives a gerbil more to do than another plastic accessory.

RSPCA · Zürcher Tierschutz

Let them forage while keeping track of meals

A balanced food intended for gerbils provides the basis of the diet. Small amounts of appropriate fresh foods can complement it, with new ingredients introduced gradually. Energy-rich seeds are better reserved for occasional small rewards than supplied as a permanently full bowl of extras. Clean drinking water should always be available, even though gerbils may appear to drink very little.

Some of the measured food allowance can be scattered through loose bedding, encouraging the animals to search with their noses and paws. Both animals still need to be seen eating. An empty bowl can mean that one gerbil carried everything to a store, not that both had a meal. Moist leftovers should be removed before they spoil in an underground food cache.

RSPCA

Make contact predictable

Early encounters can begin with a still hand inside the enclosure while the gerbils choose whether to approach. A small food reward can make that hand interesting. Reaching from above or chasing a gerbil around its home is more likely to frighten it. For an essential move, a familiar tube or suitable container can sometimes provide an easier transfer.

When lifting is necessary, both hands should support the whole body close to a safe surface. Tail skin can tear away if the tail is pulled, so it must never serve as a handle. Children need adult help with these fast-moving animals. A gerbil that moves away should retain a route back to cover.

RSPCA

Clean the home without erasing everything familiar

Water, food and visible soiling need daily attention. During a larger clean, some dry, clean bedding carrying the group’s familiar scent can be retained. Wet, spoiled or heavily soiled material should be removed. This approach combines hygiene with a home that still smells recognisable.

Daily checks should account for each gerbil: is it eating, moving normally and maintaining a clean coat and clear eyes? Weight loss, diarrhoea, injuries or unusual breathing call for veterinary advice. A holiday carer needs these individual observations and the details of a practice that treats gerbils. Topping up a food bowl without seeing both animals misses an important part of the job.

RSPCA · RSPCA