Gerbils make ideal pets, especially for children. Many consider them the friendliest of the rodent species, as they generally are gentle and do not bite.

When you first bring home your gerbil, let it get used to its new home for a day or two. Then gently begin to handle it. Pet and stroke it and try to hold it at least once a day. Holding your pet several times a day for even a minute or two will help gentle the most skittish gerbil.

A good way to gently catch your gerbil is to offer it a cardboard or plastic tube in which it can climb. Then lift out the tube, making sure the animal can't jump out midlift, and allow it to scramble onto your arm or hand. Although its okay to hold the base of the tail for control and to support the animal's body, you should never hold the weight of the gerbil by its tail.

Author(s): Marian Bray

Critters Home Page: Critter Collection: Gerbil

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