GERBIL

Physiologic
Life span: 3-5 years (females greater than males).
Adult male body weight: 65-100 grams
Adult female body weight: 55-85 grams
Food Consumption: 5-8 grams/100 grams/day (depends on moisture in food)
Water Consumption: 4-7 mL/100 grams/day (depends on moisture in food)

Housing

• Use wire and steel, aluminum or plastic enclosures.
• Aquarium can be used with secure, wire-mesh lid, but moisture and fecal buildup is tough
• Bedding: hardwood shavings or recycled composite bedding to depth of at least 3 inches; can also use shredded paper napkins. Clean weekly.
• Avoid sand, corncob, cat litter as bedding, attempts to burrow and dig will hurt their face.
• Avoid artificial fiber bedding material sold for birds and hamsters – small fibers may wrap around legs, feet; intestinal impaction may occur if eaten.
  

• Provide cardboard roll or box for hiding, exercise wheel, and cleaned natural branch or other wood for chewing.
  
• Temperature: 60-70ºF ideal with maximum relative humidity at 30-50%.

• Commercial rodent pellets with 18-22% protein are recommended (Ex: Mazuri Rodent Diet, Purina Lab Chow, Formulab Chow).
  
• Seed-based feed mixes do not provide adequate nutrition (fractures, bone problems).
  
• Gerbils conserve water by concentrating their urine, and drink very little especially if they receive leafy greens. But fresh water in a sipper tube should always be provided.
  
• Young gerbils may begin sampling solid food at 15 days. Provide soft pellets/warm water.
  

Behavior

• Gerbils are friendly and rarely bite.
  
• Most gerbils are diurnal in activity, although some are nocturnal.
  
• They are diggers and burrowers and emit a faint "cheep" vocalization.
  
• Adults placed in a cage together for the first time will fight, often until death.
  
• Females may be more aggressive than males. Best to separate the sexes.
  
• Gerbils are territorial; both genders produce a yellow-brown musty-smelling secretion from a gland on their stomach. They also mark with urine or feces.
  
• Twenty percent of gerbils exhibit brief seizures following handling or other stressful experiences. No treatment is necessary.
  
• Foot-drumming is general communication/alerting/excitement action.
  

Information taken from The Exotic Companion Medicine Handbook For Veterinarians.

The Animal Health Clinic recommends annual wellness visits for all gerbils. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at: 701-237-9310