Basic Gerbil Care Guide For Beginners | Everything You Need to Know About Gerbil
Gerbils are fascinating little pets to start with for any beginner. These little animals will entertain you with their antics and fun. As this mammal is quite a fragile animal, its ultimate well-being lies in your care. However, there are several things that you should know in order to care for these little pets properly. So, in this article, we are intended to give you a quick introduction to the basic gerbil care guide for beginners. And we hope it’s going to help you a ton!
Housing
As a pet parent, you need to consider having a suitable habitat for your gerbil. And, like most rodents, gerbils are chewers, so having a wood-made cage is not a good idea. Gerbils tend to dig with their soft body so metal wire cages won’t work well for your pet. It can cause injury to your little pet’s smooth body, so you should choose a plastic gerbil home that is available in most pet stores.
And, as gerbils like to curl up in corners, try to pick a spherical tank. Don’t forget to consider how much space each gerbil needs when choosing the enclosure. For a pair of gerbils, a minimum of a 20-gallon enclosure is appropriate. But as they’ll spend the majority of their lives in the enclosure, it’s best to get the biggest one you can afford.
Bedding Or Substrate
Now come to the point of choosing bedding or substrate for your pet. The substrate is a material used to create a layer to dig into the habitat by absorbing urine and odors. Gerbils can be housed in many substrate types, but not all of them are safe. For example, some might be toxic, like pine wood shavings, so these are not safe for digging or tunneling.
Also, it would help if you chose a substrate, which will absorb liquid, and control odors. For that, using paper-based bedding will be the best option to have. You can use 1 to 2 inches of paper-based bedding available at pet stores. Though these small pets are very clean, you should clean their bedding regularly. Also, remember to replace the old bedding with fresh ones frequently. And try to clean the whole enclosure twice a month. It’ll make your little pet’s cage completely clean and odor-free.
Proper Accessories
For feeding, you should keep a bowl for your gerbils. And a water pot to give your gerbil clean water. As gerbils love to chew, you should pick wooden chew toys to strengthen your pet’s teeth.
Diet
In the wild, gerbils are omnivores that eat animal and plant matter. A combination of lab blocks or pellet food and seed mix is the best diet for gerbils. Both types of foods are nutritious and good for your little pet. Most importantly, you should provide constant access to water. Check their water pot frequently and change old water with fresh, clean water.
Give It Sand Bath
It would be best if you didn’t bathe your gerbils with water. Of course, gerbils shouldn’t be washed in water, but you need to give them an occasional sand bath. This sand bath will keep your gerbil’s coat healthy and dirt-free.
Final Verdict
Overall, these are all about the Basic Gerbil Care Guide for Beginners. Now you’re all set to get your Gerbil. I hope you have found this article insightful, and even as a beginner, you would be able to take good care of your Gerbil.
