Anonymous - 2012-10-11 Are gerbils cute and good pets to have? I'm thinking of getting 2 soon and I just want to know about what they're like because I haven't had any before. Are they easy to train? Are they cute? Good pets to have? Better than other small pets like mice? Thank you!
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Anonymous - 2012-10-16 Thank you, I'm thinking of getting two females.
Clarice Brough - 2012-10-11 Gerbils make super pets. They are cute, very sweet and handleable. Just be sure to get at least two because they really need companionship. If you don't want a lot of babies, be sure they are the same sex too.
Everything is awesome - 2018-07-09 Gerbils are cute fun lively companions very easy to train but they have to gain your trust first but you can’t do it to late eather
Jonathan Street - 2006-09-05 I have two gerbils..there used to be three. Gerbils are amazing pets! They are so smart, you can let them loose on your landing or bed and they are very careful not to get too close to the edge. All the gerbils were girls, a caramel one, mongolian and black one, the black one died. I keep them in a large-ish glass tank, I almost NEVER give them water, we give them vegatable peelings and fruit instead and use them to recycle most of our card. They are still very active, and doing well aged at 4 and a half years, (3 months when we got them).
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Julie - 2010-02-27 It is really important to always have a water bottle in their cage even if they rarely drink from it. You can't always be there and if your gerbils want a drink and have no water, that is not appropriate.
Imogen - 2012-11-30 Are gerbils friendly, lively, cute and tame? Do they smell? (I had mice before and they smelt a bit) also, how often do you have to clean them out and are they noisy at night? Getting gerbils next month and want to know a bit more about them because I haven't had them before! Thank you
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Nicky - 2013-01-02 You have to clean them out every few weeks. They don't smell much and are great fun. Yes they are all those things, they can be noisy at night but you get used to it. You'll love them!
Imogen - 2013-03-28 I have had my 2 female gerbils for 3 months and they have got along fine. I got them together so I didn't think there would be any problems, but just tonight when I put them back from their run around my room they started chasing each other really fast around the cage. One of them was trying to get away from the other one and kept trying to escape. I think there was biting but I'm not sure. I don't know what to do or how serious the fighting is, please help?
Crittery - 2011-05-04 Like the article - good to see advice on splitcaging although personally I do not do the neutral territory part since that conflicts with the point of making both sides smell of both gerbils.
However it is incorrect to say that gerbils can be kept in a wire cage - they MUST have room to dig. A minimum of 6 inches of a decent substrate such as megazorb, carefresh, ectopetbed or finacard is ideal (nothing sawdust, or pine or cedar based due to risk of serious respiratory infection). Hay is a good addition as well, chewing aids digestion and it helps them construct elaborate tunnels!
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Charlie Roche - 2011-05-04 I think I missed something. The Animal World article on Gerbils says to keep them in the same cage but the Animal World article on hamsters recommends a separate cage. Sometimes my brain doesn't go to the top floor but I think I just lost track of whether we are on hampsters or gerbils. I am sorry.
Stephanie Branch-Gratton - 2012-09-04 Is there a good website where I can purchase on of those over the top wire things made for aquariums?
Imogen - 2013-01-02 I use sawdust and it's fine. Should I use something else?
Jeremy Roche - 2013-01-02 Sawdust is not recommended. Can cause respitory issues as well as some commercial woods have toxins in them.
Chelsea G. - 2012-04-05 I have a baby male Gerbil that my two older ones just had about a month ago. It was my females first litter and they all have been doing great hitting all there marks on time and everything. But now one of my baby males is having slight problems breathing and doesn't have use of his legs. Do you know what may be the cause of this and what can help and sadly if it's worth takeing to the vet. I'm not sure if this is treatable and would like to know if it is or not. He is very alert, know's where he is and everything just can't really use his back legs and this is the first time it has happen to him since he's been born. He was the 2nd to leave the nest and explore and also the 2nd to open his eyes and everything. He has been doing great up to this point. But like I said he is very alret as to what's going on around him. He can use his front two legs fine and everything, can't balance to stay up and doesn't have the use of his back legs and slight breathing problems. What could this be and is what's wrong with him treatable.
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Charlie Roche - 2012-04-06 I doubt it is treatable and even if it is, it would be terribly expensive. Possibly, your most adventurous fellow got himself in some difficulty and really hurt his back. He could have pulled a muscle or twisted it to the point where it hurts his back legs or he has lost control over his back legs because a nerve is damaged or hurt. You can try and place him in a smaller area, without anything he can climb up on - and no wheels etc. Make sure he is warm enough via placing a heating pad on low wrapped in a towel under half his enclosure or turning a light on 1/2 his enclosure. Possibly if he is warm and he stops trying to move around and if it is nerve damage - possibly he might be OK. Long shot but worth a try. You can also attempt to feel his legs and see if bones feel normal- same thing with back and hips. Right now, try and keep him so he can't climb, jump, and stays a little quiet and hoepfull if it is nerve damage or even a break, it might heel. If he is eating and pooping normally, there is a chance he might heal.
Imogen - 2011-12-31 I don't have gerbils, but have mice. I was wondering if gerbils are easier to look after than mice? I'm thinking about getting gerbils after my mice in the future but I'm not sure. Are gerbils better pets than mice? What's the best rodent...gerbil or mouse??
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Charlie Roche - 2011-12-31 That is more dependent on what you like. Some folks like gerbils and some mice. Some hampsters (me) and some birds (me) and some like big dogs and some small. It depends on you. You can see them at the pet store and play with them and decide.
Stephanie Branch-Gratton - 2012-09-04 I can not decide which to get hamster or gerbil. I know with hamster I can go with a smaller cage and only get one. but they also sleep most of the time when the kids are up , and the gerbils will be awake when the kids are. But now that I found this site I will have to buy a tank. I have a hamster cage, but apparantly that wont work!
Stephanie Branch-Gratton - 2012-09-04 I would like to ask which is a better pet for 8 and 10 yr old boys? A gerbil or a hamster?
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Clarice Brough - 2012-09-17 They both make great pets, its really comes down to which one the young man wants. Might be best to let him pick it out, then he will be most interested in it and dedicated to it:)
Imogen - 2012-07-18 Is it best to get 2 or 3 female gerbils??
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Charlie Roche - 2012-07-18 Sorta whatever you like. 3 females are fine but I wouldn't try and put a male in with them. Personally, for absolutely no logical reason, I would do two. To me, it seems like when there are 3, one is always left out. I don't think they care but I just think of kids playing.
Imogen - 2012-07-19 Thank you! Getting gerbils soon so wondered how many. I'll definitely get two!
Gemma - 2012-07-21 Two are generally better, for no reason-just everybody goes for two! Three would be fine though, it's fine to get more than two if you want! Three sounds good. Whatever you decide it doesn't matter about how many x
Imogen - 2012-07-21 Ok I'm getting two then thanks
Jordan - 2008-11-15 I don't have a gerbil, but my classroom at school has 5. 2 big, old, fat ones and 3 baby ones. ( The old ones don't live with the babys!) I was just wondering if you could put a hamster, or other rodent, with a cage with gerbils.
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Betsy - 2010-02-27 Absolutely NOT....you are asking for aggression and injuries...
Mongolian Gerbils, often referred to as just "Gerbils", are the best kept secret of the "pocket pet" world!
Are gerbils cute and good pets to have? I'm thinking of getting 2 soon and I just want to know about what they're like because I haven't had any before. Are they easy to train? Are they cute? Good pets to have? Better than other small pets like mice? Thank you!
Thank you, I'm thinking of getting two females.
Gerbils make super pets. They are cute, very sweet and handleable. Just be sure to get at least two because they really need companionship. If you don't want a lot of babies, be sure they are the same sex too.
Gerbils are cute fun lively companions very easy to train but they have to gain your trust first but you can’t do it to late eather
I have two gerbils..there used to be three. Gerbils are amazing pets! They are so smart, you can let them loose on your landing or bed and they are very careful not to get too close to the edge. All the gerbils were girls, a caramel one, mongolian and black one, the black one died. I keep them in a large-ish glass tank, I almost NEVER give them water, we give them vegatable peelings and fruit instead and use them to recycle most of our card. They are still very active, and doing well aged at 4 and a half years, (3 months when we got them).
It is really important to always have a water bottle in their cage even if they rarely drink from it. You can't always be there and if your gerbils want a drink and have no water, that is not appropriate.
Are gerbils friendly, lively, cute and tame? Do they smell? (I had mice before and they smelt a bit) also, how often do you have to clean them out and are they noisy at night? Getting gerbils next month and want to know a bit more about them because I haven't had them before! Thank you
You have to clean them out every few weeks. They don't smell much and are great fun. Yes they are all those things, they can be noisy at night but you get used to it. You'll love them!
I have had my 2 female gerbils for 3 months and they have got along fine. I got them together so I didn't think there would be any problems, but just tonight when I put them back from their run around my room they started chasing each other really fast around the cage. One of them was trying to get away from the other one and kept trying to escape. I think there was biting but I'm not sure. I don't know what to do or how serious the fighting is, please help?
Like the article - good to see advice on splitcaging although personally I do not do the neutral territory part since that conflicts with the point of making both sides smell of both gerbils.
However it is incorrect to say that gerbils can be kept in a wire cage - they MUST have room to dig. A minimum of 6 inches of a decent substrate such as megazorb, carefresh, ectopetbed or finacard is ideal (nothing sawdust, or pine or cedar based due to risk of serious respiratory infection). Hay is a good addition as well, chewing aids digestion and it helps them construct elaborate tunnels!
I think I missed something. The Animal World article on Gerbils says to keep them in the same cage but the Animal World article on hamsters recommends a separate cage. Sometimes my brain doesn't go to the top floor but I think I just lost track of whether we are on hampsters or gerbils. I am sorry.
Is there a good website where I can purchase on of those over the top wire things made for aquariums?
I use sawdust and it's fine. Should I use something else?
Sawdust is not recommended. Can cause respitory issues as well as some commercial woods have toxins in them.
I have a baby male Gerbil that my two older ones just had about a month ago. It was my females first litter and they all have been doing great hitting all there marks on time and everything. But now one of my baby males is having slight problems breathing and doesn't have use of his legs. Do you know what may be the cause of this and what can help and sadly if it's worth takeing to the vet. I'm not sure if this is treatable and would like to know if it is or not. He is very alert, know's where he is and everything just can't really use his back legs and this is the first time it has happen to him since he's been born. He was the 2nd to leave the nest and explore and also the 2nd to open his eyes and everything. He has been doing great up to this point. But like I said he is very alret as to what's going on around him. He can use his front two legs fine and everything, can't balance to stay up and doesn't have the use of his back legs and slight breathing problems. What could this be and is what's wrong with him treatable.
I doubt it is treatable and even if it is, it would be terribly expensive. Possibly, your most adventurous fellow got himself in some difficulty and really hurt his back. He could have pulled a muscle or twisted it to the point where it hurts his back legs or he has lost control over his back legs because a nerve is damaged or hurt. You can try and place him in a smaller area, without anything he can climb up on - and no wheels etc. Make sure he is warm enough via placing a heating pad on low wrapped in a towel under half his enclosure or turning a light on 1/2 his enclosure. Possibly if he is warm and he stops trying to move around and if it is nerve damage - possibly he might be OK. Long shot but worth a try. You can also attempt to feel his legs and see if bones feel normal- same thing with back and hips. Right now, try and keep him so he can't climb, jump, and stays a little quiet and hoepfull if it is nerve damage or even a break, it might heel. If he is eating and pooping normally, there is a chance he might heal.
I don't have gerbils, but have mice. I was wondering if gerbils are easier to look after than mice? I'm thinking about getting gerbils after my mice in the future but I'm not sure. Are gerbils better pets than mice? What's the best rodent...gerbil or mouse??
That is more dependent on what you like. Some folks like gerbils and some mice. Some hampsters (me) and some birds (me) and some like big dogs and some small. It depends on you. You can see them at the pet store and play with them and decide.
I can not decide which to get hamster or gerbil. I know with hamster I can go with a smaller cage and only get one. but they also sleep most of the time when the kids are up , and the gerbils will be awake when the kids are. But now that I found this site I will have to buy a tank. I have a hamster cage, but apparantly that wont work!
I would like to ask which is a better pet for 8 and 10 yr old boys? A gerbil or a hamster?
They both make great pets, its really comes down to which one the young man wants. Might be best to let him pick it out, then he will be most interested in it and dedicated to it:)
Is it best to get 2 or 3 female gerbils??
Sorta whatever you like. 3 females are fine but I wouldn't try and put a male in with them. Personally, for absolutely no logical reason, I would do two. To me, it seems like when there are 3, one is always left out. I don't think they care but I just think of kids playing.
Thank you! Getting gerbils soon so wondered how many. I'll definitely get two!
Two are generally better, for no reason-just everybody goes for two! Three would be fine though, it's fine to get more than two if you want! Three sounds good. Whatever you decide it doesn't matter about how many x
Ok I'm getting two then thanks
I don't have a gerbil, but my classroom at school has 5. 2 big, old, fat ones and 3 baby ones. ( The old ones don't live with the babys!) I was just wondering if you could put a hamster, or other rodent, with a cage with gerbils.
Absolutely NOT....you are asking for aggression and injuries...