The best bedding for a gerbil is always – a compromise. It depends on a lot of factors relating to the gerbil itself as an individual; the owner themselves as an individual; the habitat type, the tank or cage type; the budget constraints; location of the gerbil and their owner; and the patience of the … Read more
Very rarely. Very rarely indeed. If you get a gerbil who really bites you – then you either have a really scared gerbil or a really poorly gerbil on your hands (as well as some blood no doubt). Gerbils don’t need to defend themselves with their teeth really – they rely on their speed for … Read more
We all know gerbils are great – but there is an eponymous gerbil which is actually known as a Great Gerbil – and he is great in both name and size. Rhombomys opimus, as he is known to his friends, is a gerbil of such proportions that your 10″ Silent Spinner would quake in its … Read more
Gerbils are originally from central Asia – mainly Mongolia – which is where they get their full name from: Mongolian Gerbils (or Mongolian Jirds – but either way, Mongolia is the place to be). They are found across a wide area of Asia around Mongolia along with all their relatives, including the Shaw’s Jirds, Tamarisk … Read more
If you like a pet who is cute (check), easy to hold (check), unlikely to bite (check) and who is active during the day (check) then you can’t go wrong with a gerbil! Unlike hamsters, gerbils love playing about throughout the whole day – and sometimes into the night. They are technically diurnal, but will … Read more
If you are talking about ‘normal’ gerbils – the adorable angels we see in most pet stores and forums – then they get the perfect size to hold in your hand – especially for younger hands. (Their hearts are even bigger though.) They are a little bit shorter in length than a Syrian hamster and much, … Read more
If you listened to all the comments made by gerbil owners, you would imagine they are some of the fussiest critters out there – but they are technically omnivores which means they can eat foods from all the main food groups including grasses, nuts, seeds, veggies, fruits and even the odd insect snack… Your gerbils, … Read more
Definition: Nocturnal – occurring or active at night. Well they certainly can be VERY active at night, especially if you have something really important to do the next day or you are trying to watch a late night movie. But technically (and biologically) they are not strictly nocturnal – which means that their bodies are … Read more
Definition: An adorably cute fluffy thing with large back legs and a long tufted tail which takes delight in; a) chewing EVERYTHING to pieces, b) kicking their bedding all over the place all the time, c) starting to bang a piece of wood against the side of their tank when their owners are at a … Read more