Questions About Gerbils

Gerbils are wild animals, even in captivity. This means they sometimes bite. A gerbil bite doesn’t always draw blood, but it can be painful and come as a bit of a shock when it happens. When a gerbil bites, it’ll either bite down hard because it’s threatened or give a gentle nip to warn you … Read more

Gerbils excrete small, pellet-shaped feces that are firm and dry. They don’t have a noticeable odor, which is something many owners appreciate. Pooping is a daily occurrence for gerbils. They keep their waste well-hidden in one specific area of their gerbilarium. Compared to other animals, gerbils produce a standard amount of poop. Similarly, because gerbils … Read more

You’ll often find gerbils running around their enclosure. As highly active rodents, they’re always on the go but will also enjoy short bouts of sleep to regain their energy. But have you ever wondered how fast gerbils run? Researchers have found that gerbils have a maximum sprinting speed of 10.8 km/ph. They also discovered that … Read more

Not only is it heartbreaking when a pet gerbil dies, but it can also be a time of great confusion. It’s not always easy to know what to do with the body. The most common way to dispose of a dead gerbil is to bury it in the back yard, marking it with a memorial … Read more

Pets provide companionship, cheering us up when we’re lonely or sad. However, many small pets are nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day when you’re most likely to want to play with them. Suitable small pets that are diurnal include guinea pigs and degus. Gerbils and rabbits are more active during the twilight hours. However, … Read more

Animal companionship eases loneliness, stress, and depression. However, high-maintenance pets could require more time and effort than you’re able to devote. This can leave you wondering which small pets are best for depression. The best small pets for people with depression are gerbils, rats, dwarf rabbits, and some lizards. These animals offer a similar emotional … Read more

Gerbils are rodents, and rodents are one of the most intelligent small animals. Gerbils aren’t quite as clever as some other rodents, but they’re inquisitive creatures, eager learners, and good decision-makers. Gerbils demonstrate intelligence through their complex social skills, spatial awareness, and excellent memories. Gerbils have a high learning capacity and can be taught tricks … Read more

Gerbils and rabbits are sociable and friendly animals. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll get along well together. They’re different species that would never naturally interact in the wild. Some gerbils and rabbits get along fine and enjoy playing together. If your gerbil is frightened of your rabbit or vice versa, they may attack … Read more

Gerbils and chinchillas are sociable rodents that make popular pets. However, chinchillas and gerbils are distinct species and have vastly different care requirements. Chinchillas are bigger than gerbils, requiring a larger cage. They need more floor space, whereas gerbils need deep bedding for digging. Both gerbils and chinchillas are friendly animals, but chinchillas can be … Read more

Gerbils that are the same age and live together are usually the same size. However, it’s not uncommon for one gerbil to grow bigger than the other. There are many reasons why this could happen. There may be a size difference because one of your gerbils is eating more than the other. Perhaps the smaller … Read more

With their large eyes, you may think that gerbils have good vision. However, gerbils rely on their sense of smell significantly more than their eyesight. Gerbils can see clearly but have better long-distance vision than near vision. Gerbils can see in color but are likely red-green colorblind and can see UV light like other rodents. … Read more

Female gerbils can become pregnant when there are no males around. Or, a gerbil that was thought to be male will give birth. If this happens to you, you may wonder if gerbils can change their sex. Gerbils can’t change their gender. A gerbil’s sex is permanent and determined at conception. Female gerbils have two … Read more

The memory of gerbils is a subject that scientists don’t understand well. Gerbils can remember their owners and things they deem important, but precisely what they can recall is unclear. Gerbils remember their owners based on scent and appearance. They can recall gerbil cage mates, learn tricks, and know their names. Gerbils won’t forget if … Read more

If you intend to go on vacation, you may have to leave your gerbils at home. If there’s nobody to look after them, you may wonder how long you can safely leave gerbils alone. While not recommended, it’s possible. With preparation, gerbils can be left alone for up to a week. Leave at least one … Read more

Gerbils and mice are small rodents kept as pets. Because they look similar and are roughly the same size, you may wonder if you can breed mice and gerbils together. Gerbils and mice can’t breed because their genetics are different. They’re both rodents but are sufficiently different that they can’t interbreed. Only animals with similar … Read more

Gerbils and rats are very common rodent pets. You can keep gerbils together in pair bonds and large groups. But keeping rats and gerbils in the same cage isn’t recommended. While rats and gerbils are closely related, they’re of a different species. They can’t live together as they will fight. They also can’t play together, … Read more

When a gerbil dies, it’s sad for the owner, and its bonded gerbil partner. If your pet seems sad, depressed and lethargic, you may think that it’s grieving. Gerbils grieve when a bonded partner dies. This bonded partner could be a breeding partner or a same-sex sibling. A grieving gerbil will be lethargic, i.e. not … Read more

Gerbils are small animals that live in groups, and guinea pigs can too. If you own both, you may wonder whether you can keep gerbils and guinea pigs together in the same cage. Gerbils and guinea pigs don’t get along because they are two different species. They will view each other as competitors for resources. … Read more

There are more interesting facts about gerbils than most people realize. Both wild and domesticated gerbils are intelligent and complex rodents, and there’s a lot to learn about them. There are over 100 different species of gerbil. The species we keep as a pet is from Mongolia, but wild gerbils live all across Africa and … Read more

Gerbils are small and innocuous, so you might be surprised to discover they’re illegal in some parts of America. Certain states, and some countries around the world, have banned them completely. Gerbils are illegal to prevent them from becoming an invasive species. Gerbils like dry deserts, which is why they’re illegal in California. Wild gerbils … Read more

A gerbil’s fur is constantly growing. Old hair falls out every day and is replaced with new hair. But if your gerbil is losing excessive hair, perhaps this is a sign of a problem. It’s normal for gerbils to lose a little hair every day. You may notice some hair coming off when you stroke … Read more

The natural habitat of gerbils is exotic, inhospitable, and remote. In the wild, gerbils live in dry landscapes with little vegetation. So, gerbils need to be resourceful to survive. Mongolian gerbils live in the Gobi Desert and the steppe, which is a desert-like grassland. These habitats are in central Asia, spread between China and Mongolia. … Read more

Most animals have a preference for daytime or nighttime. Being nocturnal can make it easier to hunt or hide, but being diurnal (active during the day) can also be beneficial. Gerbils sleep for 6 hours during the day and 6 hours at night. They don’t have good night vision but can see well enough to … Read more

Music can make animals excited, calm them down, or enable them to focus more effectively. Gerbils have good hearing and are sensitive to noise, so you may be curious if gerbils enjoy music. Gerbils can hear frequencies of between 100 and 60,000 Hz. They can hear most music, except lower-pitched sounds, such as bass. Most … Read more

Gerbils are excitable and fast-moving small animals. They jump up and down frequently for various reasons. As a new owner, you may not know why your gerbil jumps around so much. A gerbil that’s jumping at the side of the cage could mean that it’s trying to get a better view of something or is … Read more

Many dual pet owners want to keep cats and gerbils kept together in the same home. However, they want to know how to avoid the obvious feline vs. rodent pitfalls. Gerbils are preyed on by wildcats in their native habitat, so they don’t like cats. Cats instinctually attack and eat small rodents, so your gerbil … Read more

Gerbils need to defend themselves. They live in a dry, desert environment with several predator species around. But it’s difficult to imagine such a small animal protecting itself from such threats. Hiding in burrows is a gerbil’s most effective self-defense strategy. Gerbils stomp their feet to warn each other of nearby predators so that they … Read more

Mounting is a common gerbil behavior. However, you may be surprised or confused when you see same-sex mounting in gerbils and wonder whether this is common. Female gerbils mount other females to show which one is dominant and submissive. This can be a regular behavior, but it is most common after you clean their cage. … Read more