# Gerbils male v female



## Sassysas (Mar 3, 2009)

Hi everyone, my other half has just agreed to me having gerbils,woohoo!!! I have never had any before so I don't know much...
Could you tell be the difference between males and females (apart from the obvious,lol) ie;behaviour, temprament,etc.. and also required enviroments, best cages to get...
Thank you!!!


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## Maiisiku (Feb 20, 2009)

Don't make the mistake I did. Go to pets at home and get a proper gerbilauium. I've waisted so much money on my gerbils cages and I don't even use half of them. I have a tank which I customized with rotastak. I would deffinatly recomend the pets at home gerbilaium because it's huge. It cost £50 but gerbils NEED to burrow in lots of sawdust. You can keep them in groups. I have 2 girls and they are fine. 
Alternatively if you want to make your own cage you can get a big plastic box with a lid that fastens securely. Cut a hole in the lid for wire mesh and attach the wire mesh and get a tank topper or a rotasak cage. I do not rate rotastak very highly for gebils at all unless your using it as a tank topper.
Make sure you have a same sex pair or group and handle them gradualy. I handle mine daily and they love coming out to play.
If you want an excersise ball for them go on ebay and order the dwarf hamster ones because otherwise their tales could get trapped. I'd recomend a solid excersise wheel like a silent spinner or a flying saucer (you'll probably need a medium or large depending on how many you'll keep). 
Also don't feed them hamster food or you'll make them ill. They make proper gerbil mixes now.


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## rebenda (Jan 1, 2009)

Hey yer ive got two lots of gerbils (originally got three what i were told 'females' oh no they werent they went on to have babies very shortly after me getting them and i had to seperate them after theyd looked after the young where by this time had already mated agen unfortunatley them babies didnt survive) 

so anyway i have two lots and deff advise the gerbilarium i origanally bought the rotastack just no good they cant burrow or anything the gerbilarium is great mine love it can burrow as much as they want then up on the wheel on one level (silent spinner) then food and water on next theyr great and they last had mine lke 2 yrs now and cages are still perfectly fine. yea theyr great lil pets very friendly when used to being handled although mine dont like goin into the exercise balls so they just av a lil pen to run riot in and have a sand bath in they love this! will look forward to seing the piccys  sorry for the rambling


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## rebenda (Jan 1, 2009)

and oh yer i cant really tell a difference in tempremant with mine to be honest


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## ChrisTheGerbilGuy (Aug 9, 2008)

Females are far more territorial than the males and also, you can keep a group of males together whilst it is not a good idea to keep more than 2-3 females together (due to de-claning).
I use tanks for my gerbils (perfectos, clear-seal and Jewel). I hate gerbilariums. You wouldn't believe the amount of gerbils that i've heard have broken their legs in the bars of a gerbilarium. Some of my now deceased gerbils broke their legs on them. And to be honest, the money you pay for one, it's cheaper to get a normal tank.
A 15 gallon tank which can be used to house a pair of gerbils can be bought for £25, whereas a gerbilarium starts at £40 for the small one, and £50 for the large one. I should also note that the big gerbilarium doesn't come with a tank, it only comes with the wired top.

I am actually trying to get rid of the gerbilariums that we have at the moment.


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## Maiisiku (Feb 20, 2009)

ChrisTheGerbilGuy said:


> Females are far more territorial than the males and also, you can keep a group of males together whilst it is not a good idea to keep more than 2-3 females together (due to de-claning).
> I use tanks for my gerbils (perfectos, clear-seal and Jewel). I hate gerbilariums. You wouldn't believe the amount of gerbils that i've heard have broken their legs in the bars of a gerbilarium. Some of my now deceased gerbils broke their legs on them. And to be honest, the money you pay for one, it's cheaper to get a normal tank.
> A 15 gallon tank which can be used to house a pair of gerbils can be bought for £25, whereas a gerbilarium starts at £40 for the small one, and £50 for the large one. I should also note that the big gerbilarium doesn't come with a tank, it only comes with the wired top.
> 
> I am actually trying to get rid of the gerbilariums that we have at the moment.


I don't feel so silly about buying a glass tank and adding rotastak to it now. At least mine can't break their legs on metal bars.. I never thought of that.


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## Sassysas (Mar 3, 2009)

Thank you for all of your advice!!Will have to go "gerbil home" shopping soon does anyone know if there are any breeders near eastbourne/brighton area?


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## ChrisTheGerbilGuy (Aug 9, 2008)

I breed but i'm way too far from you. Not sure of anyone down south. I will keep my eye out for you 

Gerbils are amazing creatures to watch, they can keep you entertained for hours on end lol.


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## Sassysas (Mar 3, 2009)

ChrisTheGerbilGuy said:


> I breed but i'm way too far from you. Not sure of anyone down south. I will keep my eye out for you
> 
> Gerbils are amazing creatures to watch, they can keep you entertained for hours on end lol.


Thank you!


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