Before Getting Your Gerbils:
The first thing that you will need before you get your gerbils are their accessories. You will first need to get them a home. The size of their enclosure will depend on how many gerbils you get, on average, each gerbil needs at least a 5 gallon or more area.
We recommend using aquariums only. Plastic cages are easily chewed through, have poor ventilation, and retain too much moisture and heat making it easy for bacteria to grow (which can make your gerbils ill). Wire cages can be dangerous for gerbils because they can chew on the bars and get caught (while struggling to get out of the trap they can break their teeth, cut their mouth, or worse break their nose making it impossible to breath), also, due to the digging and kicking action of burrowing, gerbils will quickly kick out all of their bedding on to your floor making a huge mess. Aquariums with plastic lids or wire lids are ideal. They are well ventilated, can't be chewed through, keep all of the bedding inside, and don't cause harm.
Ten gallon aquariums are perfect for two gerbils. Fifteen gallon aquariums are great for three gerbils. Then, for four gerbils you will want a twenty to twenty five gallon aquarium. Twenty gallon is an all around great size for having two or four gerbil. Be sure not to get too many gerbils into too small of a home. This will cause cramping and fighting due to too many in too little. Also, too big of an aquarium can cause problems also. Gerbils in too large of an enclosure will want to mark their territory as their own and this will cause territorial types. We recommend for two gerbils either a ten or twenty gallon aquarium. For three and up, twenty gallon will be great. All in all, a twenty gallon aquarium will be perfect as a home for your gerbils.
Next, you need to select their food. Gerbil food needs to consist of many types of grains and seeds. You can find many great brands exist at your local grocery and pet stores. Ideally, foods with colorful cookies, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and many other various small seeds and grain is perfect. To add a little more variety you can buy regular feed and then add dried foods like: split peas, beans, cereal (plain wheat, rice, or oat i.e.: Rice Krispies, Cheerios, etc.) Fresh veggies and fruits can be added, but not too often, too much can cause diarrhea. Be careful of what you add though, some things can be harmful for your gerbils. If you have any questions feel free to ask me and I will be more than happy to help you.
Now, you need to select their water bottle. There is only one type of bottle we recommend and that is a plastic 6oz. Or 8oz. Bottle with a metal holder. Metal holders on plastic bottle keep the gerbil from gnawing on the plastic and ruining their bottle by causing it to leak and can be hung easily inside the gerbils home. Glass bottles are available and can't be chewed through, but can be shattered by the gerbil causing a leak and possible harm to your gerbils.
It is now time to choose the type of bedding your gerbil will have. Cedar is a big NO! Cedar causes respiratory infections in gerbils because of the perfumes. Pine can be used for adult gerbils, but in babies it can also cause respiratory infections just like cedar does. Aspen is perfect for all gerbils, regardless of age. We use pine for our adult gerbils and aspen for when babies are due and until after they are weaned from their parents. After weaning the adults are placed back in pine and the babies remain on aspen until after they are about a month and a half or two months old.
After choosing their bedding it is time to learn how much they will need. On average, 3-4in. of bedding should be added through of the cage. This provides plenty of depth for the gerbils to dig and plenty of cushion and warmth for their nest.
Nesting material is also a part of the bedding process. Store bought nesting material is not necessary. Some store nesting material can be ingested and cause illness, while others can cause entanglement and harm. Toilet paper is perfect! By taking two feet of toilet paper and by shredding it you will make wonderful nesting for your gerbils. The gerbils with nibble on it and make it fluffier and more comfortable.
The final accessories you will need, before getting your gerbils, are TOYS! Gerbils love toys and hiding places. Running wheels are great, as well as, ceramic cars and houses with holes for exploration, wooden chew sticks and tunnels, lizard rock perches are great toys and hiding spaces, and an all time gerbil favorite are cardboard tubes (toilet paper, wrapping paper, and paper towel tubes are PERFECT). You will want to avoid plastic toys because they are easily chewed and ingested which will cause illness.