|
Gerbils are similar to mice but have fuller cheeks, longer hind legs and tufted tails. They are sociable rodents and like company. They recognize family and kinship. The females are less quarrelsome than the males. Gerbils are equally active in the day and night. They get along fine with one another. They are natural burrowers and jumpers so caution must be taken when selecting the housing.
Decide upon the number of gerbils you are keeping before buying the secure enclosure. A bigger space will give your gerbil/s room to exercise. Overcrowding or cramped housing quarters cause the animals to become aggressive and fight each other. A cramped enclosure is not conducive to breeding.
Your pet shop can advise you on the correct cage size for the required number of gerbils. A suitable cage should include the running wheel, raised platforms, a nesting box, food bowl and water container. You can also use hamster cages with habitat tube systems. Your gerbils will enjoy the tubes as they resemble burrows and tunnels.
Another choice of enclosure is the aquarium tank. As gerbils live burrowing, you can use this type of tank to put in a deep layer of bedding for them to burrow. Make your pet's home interesting by providing plastic toys, tubes, small plastic containers and chewing toys. For general health and hygiene, change the bedding daily and throw away moist, unfinished food and raw decaying matter. Every fortnightly, scrub your tank clean. Put your gerbils in a temporary enclosure such as a cardboard box. Worn-out toys must be discarded. Wash re-usable stuff with mild detergent to kill the bacteria and germs. Dry everything thoroughly and " renovate " your gerbil's home with fresh bedding, toys, food and water. Take this opportunity to also bathe your pet. It is easier and healthier to start everything on a clean slate.
Handle your gerbil with cupped hands. Never frighten it by carrying it by the tail. It may bite you in retaliation.
Feed your gerbil vegetables, fruits and seeds in the fresh or dried forms. The alternative is commercial gerbil pet food. Always have a dish of dried food in the cage for your gerbil to avail itself. Gerbils are very active and need a constant supply of food. However, a sick gerbil may overeat or over-drink and become fat. For the sake of its health, you have to put it on a diet by restricting its amount of food.
Preventive medicine is the best medicine. Cures for illnesses are expensive for these tiny rodents. Cleanliness and hygiene are preventive medicine measures. Overcrowding may compromise the gerbil's health by contagious spread of diseases. Symptoms of illnesses are diarrhea, runny eyes and nose, unhealthy skin, lethargy, excessive scratching and loss of appetite. Please bring your gerbil to the vet for diagnosis and treatment.
| 
