Pet Species Information: Gerbil

I've been raising Gerbils for over a year now. They were something new to me since I rarely see them sold at Petshops. It might be the very first in our city. They look like mice but are hairier and have hairy tails. They come in may different colors black, brown, gray, white.

 

I started with two Gerbils, one male and one female, and now they are more than a dozen. With those years, that I was able to observe some characteristics that make them quite interesting to take care.

These critters have a systematic social hierarchy. The head of the group is the oldest male gerbil (alpha male), their father, followed by the mother. The next in charge are the older offspring of the couple, it usually is the eldest male. Each individual has a task to do such as gathering food, burrowing, being an outpost, tending the younger ones, etc.

Gerbils also possess close family bonds. They huddle together when they sleep unlike hamsters or mice. Some older female offspring will care for weaning siblings.


They change family standing through occasional fighting but none will get critically hurt nor die. The victor will have the higher position. It is rare for a family member to die in these fights, it only happens when the alpha male is too old to defend himself.

They are nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day and are awake at night. Also are skilled burrowers and must be kept in terrariums instead of cages. Why? Bedding will be all over the place when they dig. They have good jumping abilities; jumping two to three times higher than their height (upright position). 

Like all rodents, they are very destructive. They will gnaw anything laid in front of them. It would be better to give them wood-base accessories or toys. They don't know how to use the hamster wheel, it would be best not to put one in as they will gnaw them.

These rodents are very agile and energetic. When out of their cage, they will run away as fast as they can to escape. They will attack any creature that is not a member of their family. Yet they never bite (I was never bitten by them as contrasted to my hamsters, mice, bunnies).  Just to be safe from their bite, never handle or touch newborn pups, a mother gerbil might attack your hand. I never tried doing so since it is natural for all mothers to fend off intruders from their young. 

Even family members forget each other when separated for a long time. I tried to separate (in another cage) the very first litter of my gerbils after months or so in order to have more offspring. I thought that they were hindering birth. Yes, they eat the young... only when sick. They believe in the good of the majority. Going back, when one of the young escaped and went to their birth cage mother and father gerbil were furiously attacking her. She also retaliated. Good thing, they were separated by the cage.

A major setback in having them as pets is that they easily propagate. They female gerbils are in heat after giving birth. They are incestuous. You'd better separate females, especially the pregnant, from the males if you don't want them to multiply fast.

Over-all this cute little critter is 100% safe to be your pet. You just need to be responsible in caring for them.