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Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
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Sweetie stash
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Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
Gerbil pen: do gerbils need one?
Gerbils don't strictly need a playpen if their home is big, deep and busy, but out-of-tank time is a lovely extra. Gerbil Care UK suggests letting gerbils out of their tank daily if possible, because they love to run, climb and explore. A pen gives them new smells, more room to sprint and a chance for you to build trust. It is not a replacement for a proper home: start with our guides to gerbil cage size and digging and burrowing, because a deep tank matters more than any pen.
Which kind of gerbil playpen works?
The best gerbil play area has smooth, solid sides they can't climb or chew through. Gerbil Care UK notes that gerbils are excellent climbers and can escape some purpose-built pens, and Omlet calls them strong jumpers. That rules out most pens sold for rabbits and guinea pigs.
| Option | Works for gerbils? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gerbil-proofed bathroom | Yes, often the best | Gerbil Care UK says bathrooms tend to be wire-free and secure |
| Empty, dry bath | Yes, for small sessions | Smooth sides are hard to climb; check it is deep enough |
| Solid-panel pen, 45 cm (18 in) or taller | Yes, if the joins are tight | Smooth wood or acrylic panels can't be climbed |
| Doorway barrier in a cleared room | Yes | Gerbil Care UK suggests a wooden board at least 45 cm (18 in) high |
| Mesh or wire pen | No | They climb mesh and squeeze through bars |
| Fabric pop-up pen | No | Gerbils chew through fabric in minutes |
| Exercise ball | Never | Gerbil Care UK calls them dangerous, stressful and disorientating |
A pen is only as tall as its lowest climbable point. If you put a hide, box or tube near the wall, a gerbil can use it as a step and clear 45 cm (18 in) easily. Keep everything at least a gerbil's length (about 20 cm or 8 in with tail) away from the sides.
How to set up a gerbil play area
- Choose the space. Omlet suggests one room using your house's natural barriers, and Gerbil Care UK favours bathrooms. Shut doors and windows and put the toilet lid down.
- Close every gap. Gerbil Care UK says to check round pipes where they enter walls first. Block gaps behind the bath panel, under cupboards and round the door with boards or towels.
- Clear the dangers. Remove plants, which Omlet notes can upset a gerbil's stomach, plus cables, cleaning products, medicines and anything small enough to swallow.
- Keep other pets out. Omlet warns that cats and dogs can stress or injure gerbils even in play. Shut them in another room.
- Add the basics. Omlet advises food, water and a hiding place in the play area. A cardboard box with two doors, a few tubes and a sprinkle of seeds are enough.
- Make a way in. Gerbil Care UK says a ladder from the tank into the play area helps gerbils feel secure. Otherwise, carry them in a tube or cupped hands, low to the floor.
- Sit down and watch. Stay in the space for the whole session, sitting on the floor so you aren't looming over them.
What to put in a gerbil playpen
Gerbils like to dig, tunnel and forage, so give them things to do rather than just open floor. Gerbil Care UK suggests a forage box: a cardboard box filled with hay and scattered food. Our guides to gerbil enrichment and gerbil toys have more ideas.
- A hide with two openings, so no one gets cornered
- Cardboard tubes and a long postal tube
- A forage box of hay with a few seeds hidden in it
- A shallow dish of chinchilla sand for a quick sand bath
- A small water bowl
- Untreated wood chews and cardboard to shred
- An old towel or fleece on hard floors, for grip
The sand bath does double duty. Gerbil Care UK suggests using a dish rather than a narrow container, so no gerbil can guard it, and our guide to gerbil sand baths covers which sand to buy.
Supervision: why you stay the whole time
Never leave gerbils alone in a playpen. Omlet's advice is simply to keep a close eye on them. Gerbils move fast, find gaps you didn't know existed, and chew whatever is in reach, including pen panels, skirting boards and cables. A few minutes out of sight is long enough for an escape. No source sets a time, but we'd keep sessions to about 20 to 30 minutes, once or twice a day, and end them while your gerbils are still busy rather than bored and chewing the walls.
Never pick up a gerbil by its tail, and never let children chase one. PetMD explains that the tail skin is loosely attached and can strip off, leaving exposed tissue that may become infected and usually needs amputating. Lost tails don't grow back. Scoop gerbils from underneath with both hands, close to the floor.
Getting gerbils back in
Chasing a gerbil round a pen teaches it to fear your hands. Gerbil Care UK's trick is to place a sand bath or a short tube by the tank door: the gerbil usually steps in and you carry it home. For a reluctant gerbil, a full-length cardboard postal tube works because they can't resist exploring it. Our guide to taming and handling gerbils shows how to build up to hand-lifting.
Clan rules in the playpen
Only let one clan out at a time. Gerbils live in family groups and can fight seriously with strangers, so a shared playpen is not a place to introduce new gerbils. Wipe down or swap out the pen's cardboard between clans, because the smell of another group can start trouble when you put your own gerbils back. Our guide to gerbil pairs and clans explains how groups work.
Temperature and safety
Keep the play area at a comfortable room temperature with no draughts or direct sun. Sources differ slightly: the RSPCA gives 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F) as ideal, while the MSD Veterinary Manual gives 16 to 21°C (60 to 70°F). Anywhere in the mid range, about 18 to 22°C (64 to 72°F), suits both. Bathroom floors can be cold, so add a towel or fleece. See our gerbil temperature guide for signs of overheating and chill.
Gerbil playpen questions
Do gerbils need a playpen?
Not if their tank is big and deep enough, but out-of-tank time is a real bonus. Gerbil Care UK suggests letting gerbils out daily if possible, because they love to run, climb and explore. A secure pen or a gerbil-proofed bathroom is the easiest way to give that extra space safely.
How high should a gerbil pen be?
At least 45 cm (18 in), with smooth, solid sides. That is the height Gerbil Care UK gives for a barrier across a doorway. Gerbils are strong jumpers and excellent climbers, so mesh, bars and anything with a ledge or handhold near the top make the real height much lower.
Can I put my gerbils in a rabbit or guinea pig playpen?
Usually not. Most rabbit and guinea pig pens are mesh or bars, which gerbils climb or squeeze through, and fabric pens get chewed. A pen made of solid, smooth panels can work if it is at least 45 cm (18 in) high and the joins and floor edge leave no gaps.
How long should gerbils be out of their tank?
No source gives a fixed time. Gerbils are active in short bursts through the day and night, so we'd start with 20 to 30 minutes of play, once or twice a day. End the session while they are still busy and before they start chewing the pen, and always put them back with their own clan.
Can gerbils play in an exercise ball instead?
No. Gerbil Care UK calls exercise balls dangerous, stressful and disorientating: the gerbil has no control, can't use its sense of smell, can catch toes and tails in the air slots, and often urinates and then runs in it. A playpen gives far more freedom and none of those risks.
How do I catch my gerbil after playtime?
Don't chase or grab. Gerbil Care UK suggests placing a sand bath or a short tube by the tank and letting the gerbil step in, then carrying it back. A long cardboard postal tube works for the most reluctant. Never lift a gerbil by its tail, because the skin can strip off.
For tanks, diet and daily routines, see our complete guide to gerbil care.
