Burgess Supagerbil

Caring for your Gerbil

Just because they're small, don't go thinking that you can give gerbils any less care, commitment and love than you'd give to a bigger pet. In this section, we show you by far the best way to give your pets the time of their little lives – which usually last around three years.

Gerbils (Latin name Meriones unguiculatus) make great pets, especially for children. They're friendly, inquisitive and generally very happy to be handled; they very rarely bite.

Unlike hamsters, who perk up when the lights go down, gerbils are active throughout the day. Just like you. And when we say active, they're very, very fast. So when you're handling your pets, always make sure it's in a safe, contained area.

Background

There are lots of different gerbil species, but the Mongolian gerbil is the one most often kept as a pet. In the wild, Mongolian gerbils live in the desert and have learnt to burrow to protect themselves against this harsh environment. Lying cosily under the sand protects them from the intense daytime heat. And at night, when desert temperatures fall dramatically, being underground protects the gerbils from the cold.

Gerbils live in colonies. Their burrows grow to form a complex network with tunnels linking nesting areas and chambers for storing food.

Until relatively recently, no-one had gerbils as pets. They’ve only been domesticated since the 1960s.

To take the best care of your gerbils, you’ll need all these things:

Suitable cage  
Gnaw-proof food dish 
Supagerbil Gerbil Granola 
Water bottle   
Wood shavings  
Soft bedding   
Healthy snacks  
Gnaw block   
Toys   
Pet safe disinfectant   

If you prefer you can click here to download one of our Care Guides.