Buying Your Gerbils

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Oreo in a box provided by the pet store for transport.

Pairs Are Best!
Gerbils are very social creatures. They prefer to live in pairs or groups, just as they would in the wild. A single gerbil will be depressed, lonely, more aggressive and more difficult to tame than if he or she has a playmate. Getting a same sex pair is best (unless you want them to have babies!). They'll play, groom, snuggle, and sleep together in their nesting box. All of these are essential socializing behaviors for gerbils, none of which they can do alone.

Because of these reasons, you really should buy your gerbils together. If possible, buy them from the same tank in the same pet store. Getting two gerbils from the same birth litter is ideal, but if they've been living in the same tank in the pet store, they will most likely get along at home.

If you get them young, they can be easily tamed and taught to trust human touch with careful and constant handling. Keep in mind that no reputable pet store should sell you gerbils younger than six weeks old!

Introducing Strange Gerbils to Each Other:
If you already have a single gerbil and want to get them a playmate, you should proceed cautiously. Gerbils are very territorial animals. Introducing any new gerbil to one you already have could result in nasty fights if not done carefully and properly. Most importantly, do not rush into anything!

Males are usually more accepting of a new cagemate than females. My experience has been that males will more readily accept another young, but sexually mature, male. Females will usually accept a young gerbil aged two to four months, as this will bring out their mothering instincts.

As far as the actual introduction goes, there is a process known as "split cage". This tried-and-true method generally works very well. Check out this link, Split Cage Method, for more information. Good luck!