When choosing your gerbil’s home, you must take in consideration the fact that gerbils love to dig, so hamster, mouse, rat, rabbit or guinea pig cages wouldn’t be appropriate. If the habitat you are planning to get is not in this list, don’t buy it because it means it isn’t appropriate for gerbils. NEVER believe what’s written on the description of a cage because it usually is nonsense !!! For example, most hamster cages say they are suitable for gerbils although they aren’t ! So here are the most commonly used cages to house gerbils.
Golden rule: THE BIGGER THE BETTER !!! Aquariums:
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Sawdust
Gerbils can burrow and create chamber systems in hard-packed sawdust. It is also relatively inexpensive to buy. The problem with sawdust is that it's very fine and often leads to eye and nose irritation. Some sawdust can also cause allergic reactions. Sawdust made from cedar or other strongly smelling woods can cause irritation and illnesses.
Peat and straw
These materials are among the best for burrowing and allow gerbils to readily form nesting chambers within the tank. They have the added advantage of absorbing a great deal of moisture and odor, thus reducing how often you must clean the cage.
The problem with peat and straw is that it can be difficult to get the consistency right. If the materials are too damp, they get dusty and can give the gerbils chest complaints or fungal infections. Leftover seeds may also begin to sprout. If the bedding is too dry, the gerbils' burrows collapse.# Being the expert diggers that they are, they can usually burrow their way out, but this may not be the case with any babies caught in the burrows. Peat and straw can also stain the gerbils' coats, a problem if you show your gerbils.
Wood shavings
Inexpensive to buy, wood shavings have bigger particles than sawdust and less likely to irritate your gerbil. Creating chambers may be a little more difficult, but if you add lots of toilet roll tubes and tissue boxes your gerbil will chew these up to enable him to bind the substrate together and create wonderful burrow systems. If these collapse, the material should be light enough to allow your gerbils to easily dig their way out. Always look for dust-extracted and well-aired softwoods, and keep aspen high on your list. Here, too, avoid shavings from strongly smelling woods, especially cedar and pine, because of their tendency to irritate and lead to illness.
In the UK, however, you can use pine wood : it's different. I recommend hemp though!
Corn cob
Many people have had a lot of success using small dried particles of corn cob. Very absorbent, corn cob also has a reputation for being very safe. The only drawback is the difficulty of digging burrows with small particles. You should always mix corn cob with a softer bedding.
Sand
If you want your gerbils to look their best, sand helps keep their coats grease free and makes them look glossy and sleek. It also looks more like the gerbil's natural environment. It rarely needs changing since it can be sieved to remove waste and uneaten food. Sand has several drawbacks. It must be kept damp to allow gerbils to burrow in it and prevent fine grains from irritating a gerbil's eyes. And some gerbil owners have complained about the noise a gerbil makes when he's scratching around on sand covered glass. It can sound like fingernails being drawn across a blackboard. Sand can also make a cage extremely heavy to move.
Carefresh
Although it is pretty expensive, Carefresh natural bedding soft and odour absorbing bedding works great with wood shavings.
If your gerbils show signs of trouble, a sore nose with a red discharge or a red discharge from the eye, try an alternative bedding. Even changing from one brand of wood shavings to another can make a difference.
Gerbils will also make a nest (probably underground) and they will fill it with bedding. However, they prefer shredded toilet paper or timothy hay so be sure to provide one of those.
What I use and recommend: I think the best and simplest option for you gerbil to dig is mixing hemp with a bit of Carefresh Natural bedding. Hemp is also used as reptile bedding so if on amazon you see “hemp: snake bedding” or something like that don’t worry !
Gerbils will also make a nest (probably underground) and they will fill it with bedding. However, they prefer shredded toilet paper or timothy hay so be sure to provide one of those.
What I use and recommend: I think the best and simplest option for you gerbil to dig is mixing hemp with a bit of Carefresh Natural bedding. Hemp is also used as reptile bedding so if on amazon you see “hemp: snake bedding” or something like that don’t worry !
Keeping your gerbil clean
Gerbils, like humans, like to be clean. They take sand baths and you should NEVER wash your gerbil in water ! Placing a bowl of chinchilla sand (you can find some in all pet shops and on amazon, the brand doesn’t really matter as long as it is chinchilla sand !) in a corner of your cage is essential. They will use it as a grooming place and toilet. Therefore, you should filter the sand every day using a colander and a second bowl. Put new sand in the bowl every week to keep their “bathroom” clean and comfortable.
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