Even when outside arid conditions, gerbils respond as if living the desert by digging tunnels and burrowing. To accomodate this behavior, you should house your gerbils in a cage or aquarium that allows them to dig.

Because gerbils are slightly smaller than hamsters, they can be kept in commercially available hamster habitats (wire or plastic) or converted aquariums. The minimum size for a cage intended to house a pair of gerbils is 18 inches long by 10 inches wide by 10 inches high; if you are keeping more than two gerbils in the same enclosure, you'll need a larger cage. Be sure to a cover the aquarium with a tight wire mesh, because gerbils can jump as well as their near relative, the kangaroo rat.

When using an aquarium to house your gerbil, allow 6 to 8 inches of burrowing material. A mixture of peat and chopped straw with sand or dirt is good. In ant farm style, you can watch your gerbils create an underground home with nesting rooms and food warehouses.

Other satisfactory nesting materials include sweet meadow hay or soft white tissue paper. Appropriate litter materials include white sawdust or shavings. When using a metal cage with a sliding litter tray, be sure to completely clean the tray every four weeks. Converted aquariums should be completely cleaned once every two months.

When selecting a spot to keep your pets' cage, keep in mind that the gerbil is a desert creature. Gerbils can tolerate a range of temperatures but do best in temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the room isn't too damp; if the humidity in the gerbil's environment exceeds 50 percent, its fur becomes fluffed up and matted. Drafty areas should be avoided as well.

Author(s): Marian Bray

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