# Gerbils?



## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Im really interested in getting some gerbils, i cant seem to find many gerbil forums out there so wanted to ask some things,
I see they need some digging space how deep should this be?
They will be ok in a pets at home bought cage (even though its mainly sort of plastic) says suitable for gerbils.
I see there fast which worries me slightly im not going to be chasing them around my living room am i lol.
Oh and people seem to hate pets at home, the 2 i saw there today seemed happy and healthy , people complain where pets at home get them from? Where is it? And they say they die weeks after you get home? 
Thanks


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

Phil2 said:


> Im really interested in getting some gerbils, i cant seem to find many gerbil forums out there so wanted to ask some things,
> I see they need some digging space how deep should this be?
> As deep as you can provide, i would say atleast 6" but more is better
> 
> ...


answers in red


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Will they always be digging so ill never see them? I just dont like gerbilariums i think they look silly and too confined in a tank plus tAnk would be huge and harder to move will they actually slice the plastic tamks?


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## HazelandDan (Apr 22, 2012)

You need to consider what is best for the animals, they will be spending their lives living in the home you give them, what you think it looks like should not be a big consideration. Gerbils need to dig and burrow, it's in their nature and you will have much happier friendlier and more approachable gerbils if you allow them to display their natural behaviours. I suggest getting a glass tank around 3 foot long for 2 gerbils and as lil miss said, filling it up with a substrate such as finacard to about 8-10 inches. Gerbils are incredibly inquisitive animals, so will naturally come out on the surface to do gerbily things as well as find food etc, but as prey animals need tunnels etc to hide in when they feel threatened or when they're letting their guard down to sleep etc. Mine tend to be active and on the surface in the evenings, which is when i get to spend time with them, so them being underground really is not a problem.

I have found the information on this website invaluable eGerbil | For everything gerbil! and should give you everything you need to know, but always feel free to ask here 

As lil mis has linked too, pets at home or any pet shop is not the best place to get animals from, if you can find a breeder or find rescues near you who have animals who need rehoming.

I have owned gerbils for about 3 years, they are adorable wonderful little animals, incredibly interesting to watch and fun to handle. they are fast, they wont sit still on your lap to let you stroke them, but they will climb all over you


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Aww sure they will let me play and do they know you personally, and i still would put 6-8 inches down in any tank i buy, so why not pets at home as i dont think theres any breeders in liverpool?


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## Fluffydd (Jul 28, 2013)

My first gerbils came from [email protected] and they lived to 2.5 years which is not too bad an age for gerbils. Unfortunately they all developed health problems at around age 2 and needed to have their teeth trimmed every month. One of them also developed tumours. Another had a respiratory infection and a heart problem and vets bills for those gerbils was just over £600.

So you should be aware that gerbils can become very expensive. Gerbil breeders are much more concerned about the quality and health of their breeding stock and gerbils from a breeder are likely to be healthier and live longer lives.

Gerbil breeders also breed gerbils with good temperament and they handle their pups daily. My gerbils from [email protected] had not been handled at all, and despite me working very hard to tame them they were never happy being picked up, and they were often quite difficult to catch.

I would not get any more gerbils from [email protected] now I am aware of the conditions in the rodent mills that they are bred in. It's not so bad for the pups as they get to leave in a few weeks but the mothers are kept in tiny containers and have one litter of pups after another. They have an awful life and I don't want to support that.


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

How can you tell the age of gerbils and do you know any ones in liverpool


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## Neelam (Oct 24, 2013)

The age is difficult to guess but there are some signs for young gerbils I noticed in the many years I used to keep plenty of them:

There is first of all their size. The younger, the smaller. A fully grown gerbil is mostly in size similar to a grown Syrian hamster and secondly for a male you can see his gender quite clear around the tail root. Don't know how to describe exactly but it seems like is sticking out towards his tail more than the females.

The best size to be sold is a around 1,5 times the size of a white mouse, then they are surely young but not too young anymore. The younger the more difficult to sex them if the pet shop personal isn't well trained so be careful if you take a couple of it can happen you end up very soon with some more...



Gerbils shouldn't be considered cage pets but terrarium pets if you want them to be happy and you being happy with them and not fed up because you have to clean their mess outside 24 hours a day.

I used to have an old fish tank of about 140L I got from a page like Gumtree. This has the huge advantage that when they dig everything remains INSIDE otherwise you end up living in their cage very soon, too... (at least will feel like). I have covered it with galvanized mesh wire that had 3 weights on top so they couldn't lift it. It has to have very narrow holes and must be like those you get for rabbits as the Gerbils can bite their way through thin wires without problem to get out. They should have a cave like place to hide and sleep. Cheapest version is an big enough clay flowerpot. Carefully break a little piece out of the top and put it in upside down. They can't chew it up which they will immediately do with in pet shops offered wooden and plastic houses. Same is for food trays. Only use clay ones or ceramic. For water better use those bottles as otherwise it will be soiled all the time. When digging things will fly inside.

Best is when your cage has different levels. Put their food as high as possible to keep it clean from the flying stuff when they dig. Believe me, they seem to get really exited by doing it, almost mad.

If you consider an old fish tank don't worry about the silicone they will chew if there is any inside, they don't eat it, just bite it off, at least I never had any problem through that and always found the small pieces inside the terrarium.

Wood shavings are good but the finer the consistence the better for them or you separate a part of the terrarium with 6 inches minimum. The deeper it can be the happier your pets. Fill this part with this sand you get for parrots, it's more coarse then the other one for smaller birds and more suitable for the digging. 

They will be very exited with tunnel systems. You can easily build them from thicker cardboard boxes, water spouts, toilet paper or kitchen towel rolls (of course empty) and so on. Put them a bit underneath their litter but with part of the opening up. They will use it very often, often take food inside to eat in a safe place and depending on the materials you have to renew them. Be aware, toilet paper and kitchen towel rolls will not last longer than a few minutes (sometimes).

Do not buy this expensive bedding stuff you get for hamsters that looks like kind of colorful materials or this white cotton wool stuff you get for a fortune of money. Give them toilet paper. They rip it the way they want and are happy and that is cheaper. Just fill up their house not pressed full but full. From time to time just threw a few inches of new paper, they will take care of quickly. 

Gerbils keep their nest very neat and clean so it is not necessary to change their bedding every time you change the litter.

In fact, they do not drink a lot (but never forget the water!) therefore mostly you'll find poo and only few wet corners. That to me is another plus point for them as they hardly develop any smell. Mostly they like to go in one place to whee so easy to clean the wet parts on a daily basis while the litter can last much longer. 

If they get a wooden root, a stone as an observation deck or what ever you might find, they are adorable watching in their actions and easy keeping (and quick in mating).

They will be happy with any rodent food if you cannot get a special mix for them (I never had but at that times there was only for hamsters anyway or rabbits and guinea pigs, nothing in between). Pumpkin seeds are liked and sunflower seeds as well, nuts, raisins, fruits in any form, with vegetables they seemed to be a bit more picky and you'll find out what they like and what not. Dry bread or wooden sticks for the teeth is essential but mineral stones aren't.

Bring them twigs from trees with leaves or without is cheaper and healthier for them and your wallet (but obviously from places with best no traffic nearby).

To tame them food is always kind of magic. Special treats they won't get every day.

Well, that is, I think, all I can tell you out of 10 years of keeping and breeding Gerbils.

If you have any further question that is not answered you can also send me a PM.

About the pet shops here in UK I don't know, no experience so far but the PAH here in our town has friendly stuff and at least about fishes they do know enough to answer ones questions... But believe me, if you go into a German pet shop comparable to PAH you'll find PAH like paradise for pets and in experienced stuff...

Have fun with your new pets!
Neelam

P.S.: Almost forgot: A cover on top is important! They can easily jump 7 inches and higher out of the stand! I've seen it.


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Lol wow thanks so much for the detailed reply, im off on holiday today so if i have anymore questions while away ill ask, im waiting till im back tog et them sl i can look after them myself, i cant wait and will proberly think lf one or two more questions. Again thanks


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Im home now sadly but exciting as i can look at getting gerbils, i wanted to ask though you have to put a vitamin stone or something in occasionly dont you ? Where can i get one and how often and also a dust bath? Again can i get these in pet shops? Thanks


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## beckimoorcroft (Jul 31, 2012)

If you feed them a correct diet (including some insects and fresh tidbits) you will not need any suppliments for them. Try looking on freead sites, people often have accidental litters when they've bought their parents in a pet shop and they were mis sexed, although still with the health problems they'll be much friendlier (in theory as they'll have been handled).

And yes I once used a plastic gerbilarium to seperte some young boys from their sisters and erm... I had to go out and buy a load of those humane mouse traps the following morning as there was a lovely 2 inch hole in the side.


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Rotastak Adventure Zone | Pets at Home

This is the one i was lookin at geting


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## reallyshouldnotwearjods (Nov 19, 2012)

Fish tank x 

Two most recent Gerbil additions (free/free tank cage) I collected last Monday - its a PAH, tank on the bottom wire cage on top, its fine for 2, but not so good for any more than that, I have 1 temperamental female in a fish tank with a wire lid on her own, whilst the others we have kept in a 4ftx2x2 tank x 

as everyone else has mentioned they like to dig, tunnel and chew, its much cooler to see them in their tunnels than run around a coloured plastic tube x but thats my opinion x 

I think everyone on here has said much the same - but you will get what tank you want x


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

Phil2 said:


> Rotastak Adventure Zone | Pets at Home
> 
> This is the one i was lookin at geting


huge no no, not big enough on its own, you would need a minimum of 3/4 of those to make any where near a half decent set up size wise, and the gerbils will chomp out of it in no time at all, also gerbils may well struggle with fitting through the tubes size wise


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Why it says suitable for gerbils? And it looks big for me theres a gerbilarium but its small, where would they chew on it.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

Phil2 said:


> Why it says suitable for gerbils? And it looks big for me theres a gerbilarium but its small, where would they chew on it.


never belive anything you read in a pet store, especially not PAH, most of the cages they sell as "suitable" for a certain animal are not suitable at all. all pet stores care about is profit not long term welfare of the animals and if they sell you a cage thats going to be chewed through then you will go back to them to buy a new one


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Where will they. Chew then ? So you think this would be better? Gerbilarium by Pets at Home | Pets at Home because to me that doesent look much bigger in terms of floor space?


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

no i would say this (if you wish to buy from PAH)
Aquarium by Clearseal (Available in Selected Stores Only) | Pets at Home

no smaller then 30"x15"x12"


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Don't really know about gerbils but wouldn't this be the best gerbil cage from pah? Extra Large Gerbilarium by Pets at Home | Pets at Home


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## Fluffydd (Jul 28, 2013)

Phil2 said:


> Rotastak Adventure Zone | Pets at Home
> 
> This is the one i was lookin at geting


This would make a terrible home for your gerbils. They will chew the bars, they will chew the underside of the lid of the round chamber on the top and they won't have enough space. I was given some rotastak very similar to this which I used as a playground for my gerbils when they had out of tank time. And they chewed on the bars and the lid. They could very likely chew their way out of that cage. Please don't buy it for them as it really isn't suitable at all and they will almost certainly escape from it.

If you don't want a heavy glass tank then what about this one? It's an adequate size for 2 gerbils, although personally I would prefer to give them more space than that. It's only a few pounds more than the rotastak and it would be so much more suitable for them.
Great deals on small pet cages and accessories at zooplus:Small Pet Cage Habitat XL
I've ordered from zooplus many times and not had any problems.


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Ok ill look into them


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## Fluffydd (Jul 28, 2013)

The pets at home XL gerbilarium and the one from zooplus are exactly the same, it's just cheaper at zooplus. The £40 gerilarium that you linked too is far too small.


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## Phil2 (Nov 7, 2013)

Ok i think i may leave a gerbil for a bit then


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