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As Gerbils are comparatively inexpensive and easy to maintain, they are popular all over the world. They are borrowed from Asia and Africa. There are several colors of gerbils are available on the planet like gold, black, and white. If you handle them gently, these can be hand-tamed. Their diet is relatively simple, and the maintenance of their house or cage is pretty easy. In this article, we are going to provide you with some pet gerbil care tips.
Please read out our full Gerbils care sheet.
01. Buy a gerbil that is healthy
A healthy gerbil may live for 2 to 4 years. You should be attentive to choosing a healthy and fit gerbil. If you buy an ill one, you will have to face more and more difficulties. A healthy gerbil’s tail is as long as the whole body and the fur must be shiny. Their eyes must be large, bright, and clear. Dull eyes, red or bleeding noses, and depressed behaviors are signs of unhealthy gerbils. So, you should avoid them.
02. Buy more than one gerbil
As Gerbils are social animals, don’t let them live alone. Buy gerbils in pairs so that they can be happy. But you should buy them of the same sex. Gerbils’ breeding is an expensive process. So, avoid it.
03. Manage fresh food for gerbils
Collecting Commercial food items from pet stores is good for gerbils. You can get these food items online also. You can also provide them with some fresh fruits and vegetables like:
- Apples
- Carrots
- Lettuce
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
Don’t give them these poisonous items:
- Tomato leaves
- Potatoes
- Rhubarb
04. Buy the best gerbil cage
You can buy gerbils’ cage from a shop where gerbil products are found.
- Size
Size should be the main concern before buying a cage for gerbils. Before buying a cage you should consider and quantity of gerbils. The gerbil’s cage should be rectangular in size, not round.
- Bedding
Use aspen wood shavings for the bedding of your gerbils. Other wood like pine or cedar-made bed can be harmful to them. You should clean it per week. Gerbils like to go to one location for the bathroom.
- Dish and bowl
Food and water bowls are important for gerbils. Use a dish or bowl made of clear plastic so that you can monitor how full it is. Offer food, vegetables, and seeds to your gerbils in a food dish. Refill the water spout frequently, so that your gerbils can get access to water.
05. Enrichment
If you spend the whole day in the same place, life can be boring. In order to provide your gerbils with some mental stimulation, you should purchase or prepare some toys for your gerbils. Gerbils love to chew, so don’t provide them with plastic toys which can cause lots of problems for your pets. Providing natural wood products like cardboard tubes, bridges, wooden chew toys, tunnels, etc.
06. Cleaning
If you want some gerbil care tips from us, we will tell you to emphasize cleaning. Generally, gerbils are clean creatures. You must clean all the equipment regularly. Check the cage daily and remove all the extra food. If your cage has more than one gerbil, their bedding should be cleaned at least per week.
07. Playing and exercise
Like other pets, exercise is also important for your gerbils. You can provide a solid wheel for your gerbils’ exercise. You can buy some chew toys from a pet store. An exercise ball can be a good exercise item. If you don’t have enough money, you can manage cardboard.
08. Grooming
As gerbils are clean animals, they don’t need more help from us. If you keep them in pairs, they will spend most of the time grooming each other. They don’t need a bath with shampoo or soap. Even if your gerbil is alone, it will keep itself clean.
09. Handling
Handle your pet gerbils with care. Gerbils are fragile animals. If you buy a gerbil for your children, you should supervise when your children handle it. You must use both of your hands in order to create a big size bowl to take your gerbil. Don’t stand above your gerbil. It will make a shadow.
10. Don’t pick up by the tail
Picking up a gerbil by the tail is not safe. This can break the tail. If you need to do it absolutely, do it gently and hold the other part of their body.
11. Consult with a vet
Bring your gerbils to the vet. After some essential checkups, the vet will inform you of your gerbils’ health condition. This regular vet visit and checkup will help you to make your gerbils healthy and happy. All veterinarians are not specialized in gerbils’ health. So, before adopting a gerbil, make sure that there is a veterinarian near your home who is an expert in gerbils’ health.
