What types of Gerbil are there?
Although
there are albino varieties, and occasionally other
colors appear, breeders have failed to produce the
kind of uniformly colored varieties seen in other
types of small rodent such as mice, rats and
hamsters. Inbreeding is the method most likely to
produce color mutations, but gerbils are
particularly prone to deformities such as kinks in
the tail and breathing difficulties as a result.
Because of this random selection is favored more,
and has indeed given rise to such shades as dove,
white, black and golden.
Do Gerbils make good pets?
Although
this much depends on the individual, they generally make
excellent pets. Gerbils are always up to something, whether
it be building a nest, destroying a cardboard
tube, climbing their cage or running about.
Gerbils are far less likely to remain nocturnal
than hamsters, so you get to see all of their
activity. Since
they are desert animals, they also produce very
little urine, making them smell almost odorless
and meaning they need to be cleaned far less
regularly than mice and rats.
What kind of housing do I need to buy?
Most
normal wire cages are unsuitable, since the gaps are too
large. The best housing for a pair of gerbils is a
glass or plastic aquarium with a mesh lid. This
species likes a lot of space - the minimum should be about
40cm by 40cm. You can fill the bottom with wood chips, sand
or peat - and watch your gerbils bulldoze their
way through it. Gerbils will always appreciate
imaginative owners: you can rest assured that
whatever you design or build for them they will
investigate and either climb or destroy!
What should I feed them?
It
is thought that in the wild their diet is made
up entirely of seeds and green plants. It may
also be that they take a little animal protein
in the form of insects - a gerbil running free
in a room has certainly been known to snatch a
passing spider. The addition of a little animal
protein to their diet may be beneficial for the
young, or for pregnant females. This is easily
provided in the form of hard-boiled egg. But
mostly gerbils should be fed a dry food similar
to that of hamsters. This should consist
of wheat, barley, peanuts, sunflower maize seed.
You may also like to provide dried pea or
carrot. The addition of some fresh fruit or
vegetable matter such as lettuce or apple will
be appreciated.
How much water do they need?
Water
should always be supplied through a drip-feed
bottle, since they will almost definitely knock
over a bowl. You may think that your gerbils do
not drink at all because they drink so little,
but it is still important to provide fresh water
regularly. Being desert animals they attain most
of their water from their food and conserve it
by sweating little. If you are providing fresh
fruit they will drink even less.
Should I keep males or females?
By
far the best way to keep gerbils is in a
breeding pair. They will remain together for
life and the male will assist in rearing the
young. They may produce up to 9 litters in their
life time. However, you must be sure that you
can handle so many young gerbils, because if you
separate the pair they cannot later be
reintroduced nor introduced to new companions.
Gerbils are extremely territorial and will not
tolerate strangers. If you do not wish to keep a
breeding pair then a two or three females will
live happily together. Gerbils
are thought to live in underground colonies in
the wild, but this has consistently failed in
captivity, due to severe fighting. This may be
due to lack of space, and should not be
attempted by the beginner.
Can they live with other species of rodent?
There
may be evidence to suggest that this is
possible, but our opinion is that it should never
be attempted.
How long do Gerbils live?
Three
and a half years is a good age for a gerbil,
although they have been known to live to over
five years old.
How do I breed them?
The
only way is to pair a male and female when young, and then
wait! Some pairs will produce up to nine litters in their
lifetime. They will have between 2 and 6 young
(with 3 or 4 being normal), and
they are looked after by both the male and female.
How do I stop them breeding?
The
best way is to separate the breeding pair. So that they
don't feel lonely, keep a young female to stay with the
mother and a young male to stay with the father.
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