What are some good recommendations for keeping a gerbil?

Question

I've just adopted a beautiful 1-month-old gerbil; he was living with his siblings until a few hours ago, and he's now going home with me.
I'm a biologist and a pet lover, and I've already kept guinea pigs, rats, and hamsters (as well as other creatures) in the past, so I can manage the basics. However, I'd appreciate any gerbil-specific tips you may have.
Thanks in advance :-)

Name suggestions also accepted! :-)

It's a male, and he's dark gray (Luna would be a lovely name if he were a she!).
Thanks for the recommendations so far :-) I would have liked to have more than one, but there were only 3 brothers and the other 2 were already 'taken'.

Would it be ok if I get another one to keep him company? I heard that males fight each other, but I don't want a female (=litters).

Thanks for all the good advice! You have convinced me, and now I have 2 gerbils :-)
I introduced them as indicated and they get along fine.
It's not easy to choose a BA...

Answer 1

Gerbils are best housed in pairs...that way the don't get lonely. But, it sounds like you're going to be paying attention to him, so he might be alright. Just make sure you give him lots of attention...but I am sure you know that.

Gerbils are very clean rodents, and they rarely ever smell. I have four gerbils housed in the same cage, and they do not stink. They have a scent gland on their stomach that looks like a diamond shape...and they only use it to scent their belongings and recognize other gerbils, so don't think that's a stinker or something...haha

There are way too many basics and you said that you can manage the basics...so I don't know what else.

Oh!! about 42% or so of gerbils are epileptic and have epileptic seizures. When a gerbil has a seizure, it doesn't die, or shake, or squeal, it closes it's eyes and sits there for a few moments, and then it appears as if nothing happened.

I have also had hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats too and I think that you will be very satisfied with a gerbil. They are my favourite.

As for names....?

My gerbil's names are Otto, Dan, Owsley, and Jesus (non-religious)...so you might not want to ask me for names =)

Bandit sounds like a cute name for a 1 month old gerbil though...not sure why.

Answer 2

Gerbils make great pets. Males are actually more docile than females. Gerbils like to live in groups and will do better in pairs. If you cannot get one of his brothers for him, than you need to find another male that is under 10 weeks(you can get an older gerbil(since one is young), a older male will usually take the baby as his son so the intro is easy). Intros of unrelated gerbils is easier if the gerbils are males and are young. Females are very hard to introduce.

Since your gerbil is only one month the intro should be fairly simple. You have the choice of getting another young gerbil or an older one.

Your best bet at introducing is the split cage method. You need to get a divider that securely splits the cage so the gerbils can see and sniff each other, but not bite and fight. These are usually made of chicken wire and a wood/medal frame.

You need to clean the cage, bleach it out so there is no smell of any of the gerbils. Put the divider in and a gerbil on each side. They may try and fight, but its ok(they cannot hurt each other with the divider). You need to swap them(from one side to the other) 3-5 times a day. It is crucial that you swap them(otherwise their side will be their territory), you want to have the smell of both hamsters on each side. You are forcibly creating a shared territory. This way when you introduce they do not feel as if their territory is being invaded.

Depending on the gerbils this can take a few weeks to a few months. Be sure they are not fighting through the wire before you even try introducing(never just wing it and lift the divider to see it they fight). You'll know it is time to put them together when they are cleaning each other through the wire, sleeping together, and no longer fighting.

Do not rush the intros, 10 days is the minimum amount of division(usually this short if the gerbils are young). However that does not mean at 10 days you take the divider out and see if they fight. Be sure they are not going to fight before removing the divider.

When you do remove the divider there may be some scuffling, such as boxing, but it should not be an all out fight.

After you are successful always watch for declaning, it can happen at anytime.

I recently introduced a baby(6 weeks) to a lone adult male. It took about 2 weeks. I though that the older male was never going to like the baby, but eventually they began cleaning each other through the bars and not fighting. They are best buddies now, and much happier.

Answer 3

It would have been nice to see him come home with a sibling or two, but anyway.

A big ol' fish tank will do the trick, fill it up high with sawdust as they LOVE to dig, they create amazing tunnels, and some even line them with bedding, and seeing as its glass you get to see them, cool right? xD Go gotta give them lots of things to be retards on, over, and under, as they are smart and grow bored quickly (as bringing them out for a run round your living areas would be a no-no. These things chew like anything.) Save any loo rolls, or cardboard, as they abliterate anything and everything, including plastic.

Back to siblings: However there is a problem when getting siblings.. imbreeding, if your get males and females, but you should know about that. Gerbils can live together, if the other gerbils are from the same litter. Near the end of their lives they can get a bit nippy, and fights break out. That happened to my sisters 4. One died of over eating, one died from fighting, one died from an illness, not helped by being attacked (Kill off the weak?), and the final one died of lonliness :/ He just sat on the top of the sawdust all alone bless his heart.

ANYWAY. I rambled. Just love 'im pet 'im feed 'im and he will love yah ;D

Answer 4

Get a cage you are absolutely sure that it cannot get out of. In school we had a gerbil and it managed to climb out of the hole in the middle of the top of its' cage. From there it fell off of the counter and died where we(all of the students) found it the next morning.

Answer 5

well im thinking 1 is dont buy the cheap food. make sure you buy some good stuff, it posible for weird crystals that form in the gerbils inside that block there pee and the die almost instintly.

Answer 6

Male or female?

What about Luna? :)

Good luck to you!! :)

Big hugs, and much love!! :)