Average Growth: 5 inches in body length
Average Lifespan: 3 - 5 years
Type: Terrestrial, burrowing
Origin: Mongolia
Humidity and Temperature: Moderate humidity, 25 - 30°C
Behaviour: Typically docile and friendly. Tolerant
of handling and rarely bites. Communal and should live at least in a single sex pair. Active, especially at night. Enjoys
digging and chewing. Generally clean animals. Has the ability of jumping quite high.
Housing: Plastic or glass tank or storage box
of at least 1.5 x 1 feet for a pair and at least 2 - 3 feet for more than 2 gerbils. A lid is necessary. Use 3 -
4 inches of unscented Aspen wood shavings (Recommended Chipsi Classic) as bedding with Timothy hay. Provide wooden
rodent houses or coconut shells as hides.
Diet: Hamster seed mix and grain diet as staple
food. Fresh vegetables such as mustard green, lettuce and carrot should be offered at least every 2 days. Water bottle is
optional if fresh vegetables can be provided daily. Feed mealworms, raisins, millet spray and unsalted cheese sparingly
as treats.
Toys: Cardboard boxes and toilet paper roll for
chewing. Empty bottles for rolling.
Additional note:
Gerbils can easily chew up plastic, paper and non-solid wood objects. Therefore, use ceramic or solid wood dishes and ornaments.IMPORTANT
NOTE: Do not at any time, pull the gerbil by its tail. It will break off easily and does not regenerate.
