Gerbil care: the complete guide

Are gerbils easy to care for?

Yes, once they are set up properly. Gerbils are clean, rarely smell, and their daily needs are small: water, a scatter of food, a quick spot clean and a sieve of the sand bath. What makes them harder than people expect is the start. They need a much bigger and deeper home than most pet shops sell, and they must live with another gerbil. Our guide to gerbils as pets covers the upsides and the downsides in full before you commit.

Gerbils live 3 to 4 years on average. Wood Green and PetMD both say some reach 5. They are a watching pet first: they dig, build tunnels, groom each other and run on their wheel, and most tolerate handling rather than seek it. If you want to sit and watch a busy little colony at work, they are a joy.

What do gerbils need? The complete shopping list

Buy everything before the gerbils come home, so the tank can be set up and settled first.

• A glass tank of at least 100 × 50 × 50 cm (39 × 20 × 20 in) with a secure mesh lid
• Bedding (substrate) for 25 cm (10 in) of depth: paper bedding, shredded cardboard and meadow hay
• Plain toilet paper or white kitchen roll for nests
• A large nest box with more than one entrance, plus one more hide than you have gerbils
• A solid-surface wheel of 28 to 30 cm (11 to 12 in), wood or metal
• A wide glass or ceramic sand bath dish and dust-free, calcium-free sand
• Two water sources, such as a glass bottle and a raised bowl
• Gerbil pellets or a good gerbil mix
• Gnaw items: apple, willow, birch or hazel twigs, cardboard tubes, egg boxes
• A flat stone or terracotta tile to wear claws down
• A small carrier for cleaning days and vet trips

For tested ideas, see our picks of the best gerbil cages, best gerbil hides and best gerbil toys.

How big should a gerbil tank be?

At least 100 × 50 × 50 cm (39 × 20 × 20 in) for two gerbils, and 120 × 50 × 50 cm (47 × 20 × 20 in) for three, which is what Wood Green recommends. European welfare standards add 25 percent floor space for every gerbil after the second. In the US, Oregon Humane Society and the BC SPCA both give a 40-gallon tank as the minimum for a pair.

A glass tank beats a cage. The RSPCA says gerbils should have solid glass walls, a wire-mesh top and a solid floor, because bars can hurt feet and teeth and gerbils kick bedding out of a cage. Height matters for digging: the RSPCA suggests around 50 cm (20 in), so there is room for deep bedding plus 12 cm (5 in) for a gerbil to stand upright on top. Our full gerbil cage size guide has a table by number of gerbils and named tanks that pass.

What bedding do gerbils need?

A deep, diggable mix that holds a tunnel. The RSPCA asks for 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in), Wood Green for at least 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in), and Gerbil Care UK for 25 cm (10 in) or more. A good base is paper bedding mixed with shredded cardboard and meadow hay, which binds the tunnels together. PDSA and Burgess also suggest organic potting compost as part of the mix.

Wild gerbils dig burrows as deep as 1.7 m (5.5 ft), according to the RSPCA, so digging is not a hobby: it is the main thing a gerbil does. Read our gerbil bedding guide for a full comparison and gerbil digging and burrowing for how to help them build tunnels that last.

How to set up a gerbil tank

1. Pick the spot. Indoors, away from radiators, windows, draughts and direct sun, and away from TVs, speakers and running water, which the RSPCA notes make ultrasound gerbils can hear.
2. Split the tank into two zones. One deep side for burrowing and nesting, one shallower side for the wheel, food and sand bath. Gerbil Care UK uses a low log bridge as the divider.
3. Fill in layers. Alternate bedding with handfuls of hay and some food until it is 25 cm (10 in) deep on the digging side. Press each layer down lightly.
4. Add the nest box and tubes. Bury one wide cardboard tube, at least 7 cm (2.75 in) across, running down towards the nest so they have a head start.
5. Raise the wheel and sand bath. Stand them on platforms or on the firm side so they are not buried within a day.
6. Fit water and the lid. Hang a glass bottle where it cannot be buried, add a raised bowl as a backup, and close a secure mesh lid.

Our step-by-step gerbil cage setup guide covers layouts, platforms and what to leave out.

What do gerbils eat?

A gerbil pellet or good gerbil mix as the main food, with small amounts of vegetables, a little fruit and some insect protein. The RSPCA says to follow the maker's guidance; Beaphar suggests 5 to 8 g (0.2 to 0.3 oz) of its Care+ pellets per gerbil a day, and Gerbil Care UK about 5 g (0.2 oz) of dry food. Gerbil Care UK aims for 18 to 20 percent protein and no more than 4 percent fat.

• Scatter, don't bowl. The RSPCA and Gerbil Care UK both suggest scattering food across the bedding to encourage foraging and stop one gerbil guarding the bowl.
• Fresh food. About a thumbnail-sized piece per gerbil a couple of times a week. Remove leftovers the next day.
• Protein. Dried mealworms or crickets once or twice a week.
• Sunflower seeds. Limit them. The RSPCA warns they are fatty and lead to weight gain.

See our gerbil diet guide for daily amounts and what gerbils can eat for the full safe food list.

Wheels, sand baths and chews

Gerbils need all three. A wheel must be solid, with no rungs or mesh, and big enough that the back stays straight while running. Gerbil Care UK sets 28 cm (11 in) as the minimum, Oregon Humane Society and Wood Green say 12 in (30 cm). Wood or metal lasts; plastic gets chewed into sharp edges.

A sand bath keeps the coat clean and stops it going greasy. Use a wide, shallow glass or ceramic dish, around 25 × 17 cm (10 × 7 in) or bigger, filled with sand that is dust-free and calcium-free. Our gerbil sand bath guide explains which sands to pick and why the sources disagree about chinchilla sand.

Gerbil teeth never stop growing, so give them something to gnaw every day. The RSPCA names willow, hazel, beech, birch and fruit tree branches as favourites, and ivy, yew and holly as poisonous. Plain cardboard is free and gerbils shred it happily. More ideas are in our gerbil enrichment guide.

Daily, weekly and monthly gerbil care

The RSPCA and PDSA suggest a full clean every two to three weeks. Bigger, deeper tanks can go longer because the mess is spread thinner. Our gerbil cage cleaning routine sets it out step by step.

Do gerbils need a friend?

Yes. The RSPCA says gerbils should never be kept on their own, and the BC SPCA agrees. The best start is two young same-sex littermates, or gerbils already living together happily. Adult gerbils that don't know each other rarely accept a newcomer: the RSPCA says adding a gerbil to an established group is unlikely to work, except possibly with youngsters under five weeks old.

Never keep males and females together unless you plan to breed. The BC SPCA notes a female can have up to 12 litters a year, and young gerbils must be split by sex at eight weeks. If a pair falls out, they may need to be separated, often with a split tank. Our guide to gerbil pairs, clans and split cages covers introductions and fallouts.

How to handle and tame a gerbil

Slowly, on their terms. Let new gerbils settle for a few days, then rest your hand in the tank with a treat and let them come to you. When they climb on, scoop them up in cupped hands, low over a soft surface. Never pick a gerbil up by the tail: the BC SPCA warns the skin can tear off and it won't grow back. Wood Green says gerbils rarely enjoy being held, so keep sessions short. Our guide on how to tame a gerbil takes you through it day by day, and gerbil behaviour explains thumping, nibbling and the rest.

Gerbil health: what to watch for

Know what normal looks like, so you spot changes early. PetMD lists a healthy gerbil as having a smooth, shiny coat, bright clear eyes, clean nostrils and bottom, well-lined-up teeth and firm droppings. Gerbils hide illness, so a change in eating, drinking or behaviour matters.

• Eating or drinking more or less than usual
• Wet or soft droppings, or a dirty bottom
• A red, crusty or bald nose
• Hair loss, scratching or scurf
• Eye or nose discharge, sneezing or noisy breathing
• Overgrown teeth, drooling or dropping food
• Lumps, wounds, especially on the face and legs
• Fits, which some gerbils have when startled

Find a vet who sees small mammals before you need one. Wood Green says fight wounds need a vet as soon as possible, and tumours, most often mammary tumours, appear around three to five years. Our gerbil health guide covers each problem and how fast to act, and gerbil lifespan explains the life stages.

What temperature do gerbils need?

An ordinary heated room, ideally 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F), the range the RSPCA gives. PDSA says 20 to 22°C (68 to 72°F), and PetMD says never above 27°C (80°F). The usual dangers are summer sun on the glass and a radiator nearby, which the RSPCA and Wood Green both warn against. Wood Green suggests a granite or ceramic tile they can lie on to cool off. Our gerbil temperature guide covers heatwaves and cold snaps.

How do I care for a gerbil as a beginner?

Set the tank up first, bring home two young same-sex gerbils, then keep things calm for the first week.

1. Get the right gerbils. Two same-sex youngsters from the same litter, from a rescue or a careful breeder. Our guide on where to get a gerbil lists what to ask.
2. Set up before they arrive. Tank, deep bedding, nest box, wheel, sand bath and water, all ready a day ahead.
3. Leave them alone for three or four days. Top up food and water, but let them dig in and learn the smells.
4. Start taming. A hand in the tank with a sunflower seed or pumpkin seed, a few minutes each day.
5. Set a routine. Same time each day for water, food and a quick health look.

More about gerbils

Once your gerbils are settled, there is plenty more to explore: the colours and types in gerbil breeds, name ideas in gerbil names, and the odd and wonderful in gerbil facts.