Gerbils
Housing
Several types of cages are available which are suitable for housing gerbils. Many of these units come equipped with cage “furniture’ such as exercise wheels, tunnels and nest boxes as added luxuries. Such accessories, as well as sufficient litter depth within which to burrow, are desirable for the pet’s psychological well-being.
Cages should be constructed with rounded corners to discourage chewing. Gerbils will readily chew through wood, light plastic and soft metal; so recommended caging materials are wire, stainless steel, durable plastic and glass. Beware that glass and plastic containers drastically reduce ventilation and can lead to problems with temperature and humidity regulation. These materials make suitable cages when at least one side of the enclosure is open for air circulation. In addition, make sure that the enclosure is escape proof.

Gerbils thrive in solid bottom cages with deep bedding and ample nesting material. Bedding must be clean, non-toxic, absorbent, relatively dust free and easily acquired. Shredded paper or tissue, pine shavings and processed corncob are preferred beddings. Be sure that the wood shavings and ground corncob are free from mold, mildew or other contamination before using. Do not use cedar chips or chlorophyll impregnated shavings since they have been associated with respiratory and liver disease. Provide at least two inches of bedding in the cage to allow normal burrowing behavior. Cotton and shredded tissue paper make excellent nesting materials.

Adult gerbils require a minimum floor area of 36 square inches and a cage height of 6 inches. A breeding pair of gerbils requires a much larger area, approximately 180 square inches. Optimal temperature range for gerbils is between 65&Mac176; and 85&Mac176;F. The relative humidity should be between 30% and 50%. Twelve hour light cycles are preferred, with gerbils being roughly equally active day and night.

Gerbils are social animals that tend to cohabitate well together. The typical social interactions consist of grooming, wrestling and communal sleeping. However, gerbils may become aggressive to intruders, and they may fight when crowded or mixed as adults. Breeding pairs are kept together, with the male even helping to raise the young.

As a rule of thumb, the cage and accessories should be thoroughly cleaned at least once weekly. An exception to this schedule is when newborn babies are present, then wait until they are at least two weeks old. Other factors that may require increased frequency of cleaning are the number of gerbils in the cage, the type of bedding material provided and the cage design and size. Cages are sanitized with hot water and nontoxic disinfectant or detergent then thoroughly rinsed. Water bottles and food dishes should be cleaned and disinfected daily.

Breeding
Gerbils should be paired by the time they reach sexual maturity, at 7 to 8 weeks of age. Life long, monogamous pairs typically form. The first mating typically occurs at about 10 to 12 weeks of age. Loss of or separation from a mate can make it difficult to rebreed a gerbil. Harem breeding of two females to one male has also been successful, but may lead to some fighting. The male gerbil participates in the care of the young. In fact, if a male is removed from the cage for an extended length of time after birth, fighting may ensue when reintroduced only a few weeks later.
© 2004 Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital