Gerbil Care Guide

Pet gerbils are almost always Mongolian gerbils. They are desert rodents that live in family groups and dig deep burrow systems. In practice that means three things: the depth of bedding matters more than floor area, a gerbil kept alone is a welfare problem, and their housing looks more like a glass tank than a wire cage. They suit keepers who enjoy watching tunnels being built more than handling a lap pet.

Care requirements

Need	What to provide
Enclosure	Glass-walled gerbilarium with a secure mesh top and a solid floor, about 20 in (50 cm) tall (RSPCA)
Temperature	60–70°F (16–21°C) (Merck)
Humidity	Relatively dry, below 50% (Merck). No damp or draughts (RSPCA)
Lighting	Ordinary room light, out of direct sunlight and away from radiators (RSPCA)
Diet	Gerbil pellets with 18–20% protein, about 5 g a day per adult, plus fresh water at all times (Merck)
Lifespan	Typically 2–3 years (Merck); the RSPCA says up to 3–4 years, some longer (RSPCA)
Social needs	Same-sex pairs or groups formed young, ideally littermates. Never kept alone (RSPCA)
Legal notes	Prohibited as pets in California. Check local rules elsewhere (CDFW)

Depth before floor space

Wild gerbils dig large, deep burrows to escape heat, cold and predators. In captivity, the RSPCA recommends 8–12 in (20–30 cm) of bedding, in an enclosure about 20 in (50 cm) high. That leaves room for the gerbils to dig down and still stand fully upright above ground. An adult stands about 5 in (12 cm) tall. The best substrate is a mix of rough-grained woodchips and hay, which holds a tunnel’s shape and gives them something to gnaw (RSPCA). Add a flat stone to help wear their claws down and give them a spot to scent-mark.

US care sheets often quote a tank size instead. Merck’s rule of thumb is about 5 US gallons of tank per gerbil, so 10 gallons for a pair. Treat that as an absolute floor, not a target. A tank that small can’t hold a foot of bedding and still leave standing room, which the RSPCA guidance needs.

Wire-barred cages are a poor fit. The RSPCA warns that gerbils slip on bars and injure their legs, and that chewing the bars damages their teeth. If a gerbil in a cage keeps digging at one corner, the RSPCA treats it as a sign that the enclosure is too shallow and suggests moving to a deeper gerbilarium.

Gnawing, shredding and sand baths

Gerbils shred anything they can chew and use it to build their nests. Give them a steady supply of ink-free cardboard, toilet-roll tubes, egg boxes and hay (RSPCA). Provide a dark nest box, ideally with several entrances so a dominant gerbil can’t trap the others inside, plus at least one more hiding place than there are gerbils. Merck also suggests a regular sand bath, because rolling in sand is how these desert animals keep their fur clean. Rearranging the enclosure from time to time keeps them exploring.

Keeping a stable group

Wild gerbils live in extended families of a breeding pair and several generations of their young, in groups of two to 15. The RSPCA says pet gerbils should never be kept alone. The workable setups are:

• Two or more littermates of the same sex, grouped before they mature.
• Mixed pairs only if you are breeding. Otherwise expect regular litters.
• No late additions. Established groups rarely accept a newcomer. The exception is a juvenile under five weeks old. Even then, house the animals side by side for about a week and swap used bedding between the two homes before you put them together.

Signs of bonding are mutual grooming and nose-to-nose contact. If fighting breaks out, the gerbils may need permanent separation. Because they communicate by scent, don’t scrub the enclosure clean of every smell. The RSPCA warns that stripping all odours can trigger fighting. Deep-clean every two to three weeks, remove droppings and stale food every few days, and put back a handful of used but unsoiled bedding.

Handling without injury

Gerbils are fast and can be hard to hold. Let them climb onto your open palm in their own time, then lift them by cupping the body in both hands. Hold them low over a table or while sitting, because a fall from height can injure them.

Never pick a gerbil up by the tail. The RSPCA explains that the outer layer of skin and hair can come away when the animal is threatened, leaving bone and muscle exposed.

Gotchas

• Buying a single gerbil. A gerbil living alone may be stressed, and adult gerbils introduced later often won’t accept each other, so start with a pair.
• Seed-heavy mixes. Gerbils pick out the seeds and leave the pellets, and overfeeding contributes to obesity and diabetes (Merck).
• Slatted hamster wheels. These can trap a gerbil’s feet and its delicate tail. Use a large, solid, axle-free wheel (Merck; RSPCA).
• Putting the tank near the TV. Gerbils hear ultrasound from televisions, computer screens, vacuum cleaners and running water (RSPCA).
• Unfamiliar gerbils in neighbouring tanks. Seeing and smelling strangers they can’t reach is stressful, even through glass (RSPCA).

Avoid

• Sawdust, which may cause breathing problems (RSPCA)
• Cedar and untreated pine shavings, whose oils may be toxic (Merck)
• Garden soil, which can carry bacteria and parasites (RSPCA)
• Commercial “fluffy” nesting material that separates into strands and tangles feet. Use plain shredded tissue or ink-free cardboard instead (Merck; RSPCA)
• Metal-barred cages and slatted wheels
• Picking gerbils up by the tail, scruffing them, or holding them at height
• Homemade diets of seeds and table scraps in place of gerbil pellets (Merck)