Do not pick up a gerbil by the tail! It can fall off! It is best to learn to pick up small mammals by gently placing your fingers around their middle, then placing the animal into the palm of your other hand while holding them still with the hand you just used to pick them up. They can jump, so it's best to keep one hand over the other while the animal sits in your palm. These little guys can bite if frightened, so be careful and do not move quickly or squeeze them too hard.
Gerbils should be kept in pairs if you adopt ones who were already together and get along. It can be hard to introduce two animals who are strangers because they may fight. It is best to keep two of the same sex, because if you have opposite sexes, they will quickly have litter after litter of babies, and you will have more animals than you can ever find homes for. Two males will sometimes fight, even if they were raised together, so the best choice is two females. A gerbil living alone can get lonely, because they like the company of other gerbil friends!
The best place to get a small mammal is at your local animal shelter. The animals waiting for homes need you! Most shelters get these animals when someone gets tired of caring for them and brings them to a shelter.
When setting up your gerbil home, think about how much time you have to keep it clean. Habitrails are fun for the animals but remember, you must take it apart periodically to clean the little rooms and tunnels. You might choose to get a ten gallon or larger aquarium with a secure screen lid. Some of these little animals are good at finding a way to escape, so make sure the lid is on tight! Cages are also sold for these animals, but make sure they allow enough room for the animals to run around and play, and climb. You can use sticks, pet bird ladders, paper towel rolls, and small cardboard boxes for the animals to play on and hide inside so they feel more secure. Exercise wheels should be put in the cage, too.
You will need some sort of bedding for the bottom of the cage. Please don't use cedar shavings, because they can cause breathing problems in animals and irritate their lungs. Pine shavings, corn cob shavings, or recycled newspaper shavings are better.
Gerbils need fresh food and fresh water every day. If the water is in a bottle check to see that it isn't leaking and it has enough water in it. Be sure to buy food that is made just for the type of animal you have. They also like a small amount of fresh fruit and vegetables (one tablespoon for each animal). Apples, bananas, peas, green beans are good choices. Be sure to remove whatever the animal doesn't eat so it won't spoil.
Your pets will like time outside the cage every day. Just be sure to let them run in an area that is safe and they won't get lost. A bathroom floor is the best place, as long as there are no holes around pipes or cracks in the walls where they could squeeze through and be lost forever! If you sit still, they will probably climb on you!
The cage should be cleaned out and the bedding replaced. Do not use harsh cleaners like Pine sol or ammonia. Use water with a small amount of dishwashing soap and wipe the cage down with a sponge, then wipe again with a sponge dipped in just water to rinse. Dry the cage completely before putting in the new bedding. Watch for signs of diarrhea when cleaning the cage - that can be a serious health problem in a small rodent. Look in the yellow pages under veterinarians who treat "exotic" animals and "pocket pets" if your pet needs attention.
Check your pet for anything that could be a health problem, such as missing fur, lumps or bumps.
These little animals only live 2-4 years, so you may want to find a veterinarian in your area who treats them BEFORE you need one! Some people take their small animals for a yearly check up even if they seem healthy. And, you might have an emergency and need a veterinarian fast, so it's a good idea to know where you can go ahead of time.
