Gerbils as pets
Gerbils can make great pets if they are properly kept and responsibly looked after. They are quite intelligent rodents and provide varied entertainment, both in their cage and out.
Gerbils require fresh food and water every day. Food can be specifically for Gerbils or ready mixed hamster selection (that is safe for gerbils). Other foods such as lettuce or crackers are readily accepted. However, these must be given in small amounts. Water should be given in a gravity-fed water bottle. Also gerbils should be cleaned out about once every two weeks or when they start to smell slightly. Once this is done they will then rebuild their nest.
When gerbils are awake, which varies, they should have a variety of toys to keep them occupied, but PLASTIC WHICH IS NOT PETSAFE SHOULD NEVER ENTER THE CAGE. This is because almost everything you leave in the cage will be chewed.
Taming is easy, but care must be taken not to leave any thing dangerous, including other pets around that could harm these small, fragile animals. Gerbils must be handled correctly from the start.
If you are considering keeping gerbils it would be wise to read a wide range of information as the information on the internet is not always written by responsible people.
Gerbils as pets
Mongolian gerbils were identified in Europe on 14 April 1866. Their scientific name is Merones unguiculatus. Unguiculatus is a name that can be given to any clawed animal and Merones was a warrior, suggesting that they fought in captivity. Gerbils have only been kept as pets in the UK since 1964.
Gerbils are clean, as they produce small quantities of concentrated urine because they naturally live in desert conditions. It is because they live in deserts that they are also hardy. Gerbils are rodents, which means they have a pair of two incisors, which constantly grow and are kept the right length for gnawing. They grow to keep sharp, as the bottom and top teeth wear each other a way to fit almost perfectly over one another.
Gerbils have a fairly long fury tail to keep their balance in there classic position of sitting up right on their back feet. They have claws, used for burrowing and big back feet used for jumping and bounding along to go farther in the desert, where food can be sparse. What makes them good pets is their good nature when handled correctly, and cleanliness, as gerbils like clean neat surroundings.
Gerbil facts
| Common name: |
Mongolian Gerbil |
|---|---|
| Scientific name: |
Meriones Unguiculatus |
| Average adult mass: |
Male: 117 g, Female: 100 g |
| Average life expectancy: |
2-3 years |