Keeping gerbils

In short: Gerbils are sociable, more day-active rodents than hamsters and should therefore be kept in at least pairs. Their natural digging behaviour requires a deep layer of bedding in the enclosure.

In more detail: In the wild, gerbils live in desert regions and are adapted to a dry, burrowing lifestyle.

In detail

• Social behaviour: Unlike hamsters, gerbils are group animals that live in family groups in the wild.
• Digging behaviour: A bedding layer at least 20 centimetres deep allows appropriate tunnel digging.
• Tooth wear: As rodents, gerbils constantly need chewing material to wear down their continuously growing teeth.
• Sand bath: A container with special sand helps keep fur clean and supports natural grooming behaviour.
• Activity times: Gerbils are more active during the day than many other small rodents, which makes observation easier.
• Temperature sensitivity: As desert animals, gerbils tolerate high humidity particularly poorly.
• Life expectancy: At two to three years, gerbils have a similarly short lifespan to hamsters (hamster-artgerecht-halten, haustier-ernaehrung-und-giftige-lebensmittel).