# Gerbil Cages



## nadunia (Aug 14, 2019)

Hi All!
Recently i have been planning to buy a pair of gerbils, and i have some questions if anyone could answer i would be extremely grateful! 
1) is a 29 gallon tank enough for 2 gerbils? 
2) i have only owned pairs of dwarf hamsters before, which need 2 of everything to make sure they don’t get territorial (eg 2 water bottles, 2 wheels, 2 food bowls) is this the same for gerbils?
3) Ive read that having a normal tank usually end up in everything being covered in shavings and covered up.. any one any tips on how to make an affordable tank topper to put wheels, bottles etc ?
TIA!!


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## heidii (May 5, 2019)

nadunia said:


> Hi All!
> Recently i have been planning to buy a pair of gerbils, and i have some questions if anyone could answer i would be extremely grateful!
> 1) is a 29 gallon tank enough for 2 gerbils?
> 2) i have only owned pairs of dwarf hamsters before, which need 2 of everything to make sure they don't get territorial (eg 2 water bottles, 2 wheels, 2 food bowls) is this the same for gerbils?
> ...


For your first question, depends on if its a 29 gallon long, I suppose. They need a minimum of 400 square inches, but I'd personally disagree and say that that is far too small for any small rodent. I think you would be hitting the 'minimum', but as a pet owner, I think you should try and get a larger cage to allow your pets to thrive. I have a single hamster in an enclosure that's 1116 square inches, and I'd say that's what any rodent owner should do as a minimum. This allows for relatively complex burrowing systems, which is what the rodent is bred to do.

Most gerbils are incredibly sociable - to the extent where you might not need additional wheels if you're only getting two gerbils. However, it may be best to acquire a small group of gerbils. Gerbils aren't typically in groups of two, so three or four is better for them.


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Hi 

1. A gerbil cage should be at least 20 gallons. The minimum cage size for a pair of gerbils should be 2,500 cm² (400 sq inches). The cage should have a height of at least 30 cm (12″). A gerbilarium (made of glass) is the recommended cage for keeping pet gerbils. From: https://pocketpets101.com/gerbil-cage-guide/

2. No, you don't need to provide two of everything.

3. I'm not sure myself, but I think I've seen info online for making a topper, I'll see if I can find it.



heidii said:


> For your first question, depends on if its a 29 gallon long, I suppose. They need a minimum of 400 square inches, but I'd personally disagree and say that that is far too small for any small rodent. I think you would be hitting the 'minimum', but as a pet owner, I think you should try and get a larger cage to allow your pets to thrive. I have a single hamster in an enclosure that's 1116 square inches, and I'd say that's what any rodent owner should do as a minimum. This allows for relatively complex burrowing systems, which is what the rodent is bred to do.
> 
> Most gerbils are incredibly sociable - to the extent where you might not need additional wheels if you're only getting two gerbils. *However, it may be best to acquire a small group of gerbils. Gerbils aren't typically in groups of two, so three or four is better for them.*


Gerbils are fine in pairs and it is recommended to only have a pair especially if new to gerbils as the more you have the more likely for them to de-clan. The more gerbils you have the harder it can be. You shouldn't get an odd number either as two (or more if you have 5 for example) could gang up on one, or if you have 4 plus they could split into two groups.


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