# Remind me again-how long on average do gerbils live for?



## polishrose

Now we're settling down with the move and all, and recovered pretty much from my op, I'm wondering again about finding the lone gerbil a playmate.However, she is a very bitey girl, was a [email protected] adoption aged approx 6 months and we have had her about 18 months, so am kind of wondering if it's worth doing.I seem to remember one of my gerbils living about 4 years but then again I think most of the others were about 2(school gerbils had babies all the time).I feel very guilty that I didn't think to get her a friend early on when we had her but it honestly didn't occur to me that she wouldn't be happy alone.I was considering getting 2 babies just in case she didn't take to them as I wouldn't want another lone gerbil.


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

I had 2 boys live until they were 7 years old.
Most of mine have made it to about 4 years old though.

I'm really not sure what the average life expectancy is for gerbils.
I've read so many different figures, some say 2-4, some say 4-6 etc.

I think it's worth getting her a couple of younger playmates, she might love the company.
And like you said, if she didn't then at least the 2 younger ones would have each other.


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## polishrose

7??That's impressive!


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## GerbilNik

The average age is around 3 - 3 1/2 but in general they live anything from 2-5 years. Most Gerbils make it to 2, a lot make it to 3, some make it to 4 and a few will make it to 5. Any more than 5 is unusual and doesn't happen very often.


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## polishrose

Thank you..I'll be looking for a couple of babies then-I absolutely refuse to go to [email protected] for animals any more.I don't have a suitable tank that I could split into 2, but I do have a cage that would work.Could I use that instead -obviously they won't be able to dig but it should only be temporary.Can't really afford a tank this close to Christmas.Mine has 3 shelves you see, so no way of putting a divider in.


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

Do you have a zoozone 2?
That would work and should be easy to put a divider in.

I'm sure we dont live close enough to each other but I have a zz2 you could borrow if you need one.
I'm near Cambridge.


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## polishrose

No I don't have a zz2  I have a mini duna which would be way too small.A mamble cage which isn't occupied as yet as the clips didn't come with it.(It's ultimately destined for Oscar(syrian).Klaus' old rat [email protected] gerbilarium,random bird cage but it's a weird roof so would be difficult to divide.Ferplast paula hamster cage(I use this as a vet cage).A yellow base cage which I have no idea about the make but has narrow bars.There's one more but my mind is a blank.None of these are really great.

Would it be possible to put a smaller cage inside a bigger cage and try it that way, swapping them over regularly or would the one in the smaller cage feel vulnerable being surrounded as it were?

I'm in Cheltenham so a bit far from Cambridge, but thanks for the offer


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## GerbilNik

It's not really the best idea to do the small cage inside the big cage. It really needs to be the same cage/tank with just a divider in it. You could get a cheap storage tub and use that?


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## Wobbles

My past gerbils lived about 2-2 1/2 years, but they were [email protected] ones. My current 3 are also from [email protected] and are 20-21 months atm.


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## polishrose

GerbilNik said:


> It's not really the best idea to do the small cage inside the big cage. It really needs to be the same cage/tank with just a divider in it. You could get a cheap storage tub and use that?


Ohhh I have a storage tub. Just need to make a lid.


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