MAIN Home Life Pets Gerbils

Performing their many antics, whether alone or in groups, gerbils are fun to watch and relatively easy to raise.

Inexpensive, too, since the main cost of raising gerbils will be the large cage or glass aquarium in which they will spend most of their time.

Gregarious and social animals, gerbils like to live in pairs or groups. However, make sure that the gerbil you purchase has been raised in a group. Otherwise, introducing them to "the family" may get a bit raucous, as lone gerbils tend to sudden power plays to establish dominance.

In their natural habitat, gerbils are always active in the wild as they forage for food. For this reason, an exercise wheel is always welcome to help them burn-off the extra pent-up energy.

For their size, gerbils are foracious eaters and enjoy feasting on hefty amounts of commercially prepared feed — as well as tasty junk food generously supplied by their human handlers! However, since they live relatively senditary lives, it's best to give them special treats only occasionally to ward off obesity and help keep them at optimum health.

As natural foragers, gerbils' front teeth are constantly growing. Keep them trim by providing a wood chew stick (also easily available in pet stores) or from your backyard. Just make sure that twigs or small branches comes from non-poisonous trees.

Plenty of fresh water should also be available to your gerbil at all times. To keep water fresh and uncontaminated, a sipper bottle is the best way to supply water to your pet daily.

Keep them safe and warm with a soft bed placed at the bottom of the cage. Packaged wood shavings for this purpose can be cheaply purchased in pet stores. Cheaper still, tearing up paper towels in strips can be just as effective.

Elsewhere on the Web, find out more about the care and feeding of these cute, loveable critters with additional how to's on breeding and raising pet gerbils, related FAQ's and related photo galleries ...

National Gerbil Society - UK gerbil central with facts, information and guides to their care, feeding & housing with how to's on raising baby gerbils, an explanation of common ailments, with details on gerbil species, related picture gallery and wallpapers, online membership signup.

Gerbil links - One-stop browsing for everything you ever wanted to know about the furry critters with international links to gerbil care, feeding, picture galleries, FAQ's, gerbil humor and lots more in English, French, Spanish, German and several other languages...

Gerbil behavior - Enjoy the pictures as well as the information at this illustrated guide to gnawing, scratching, digging, mating, sandbathing, sleeping, tail thumping, and purring - including a great link list to more on why gerbils behave they way they do.

Gerbil FAQ - Expert gerbil fans share their knowledge in this online Q&A with answers to questions on general gerbil care as well as specifics on Mongolian gerbils, gerbil feeding & housing, pregnancy, raising gerbil pups, genetics & medical care.

ASPCA Gerbil Care - Expert advice with do's and don'ts on their care & feeding, proper setup of their new home in a cage or aquarium tank, with general tips on veterinary care.

also see in Pets -> Hamsters | Rabbits

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