Gerbil health and welfare

Ensure your gerbils are protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Gerbils need:

• You to be familiar with how each individual normally looks and their behaviour. Gerbils behaving differently to normal can indicate something is wrong; so this helps you notice signs of illness/pain, and take action quickly. Gerbils can be affected by many diseases. They can become infected by contaminated food/water/litter material. Inappropriate environments and/or stress, can lead to repetitive behaviours developing (e.g. digging in one corner for long periods of time).

• Checking regularly. Handling can be stressful, and they can be difficult to catch, it’s important to regularly check them for health/welfare. Gerbils feel pain similarly to other mammals, including humans. 

• Suitable gnawing material- their teeth grow continuously and will cause health problems/pain if they grow too long.

  - Wooden chew-blocks are ideal. Gerbils particularly like willow/hazel/beech/birch/branches from fruit trees. Don’t use ivy/yew/holly as these are poisonous.

  - Regularly examine their front teeth; ask your vet to check them to ensure they’re positioned/growing correctly. If the teeth become overgrown, take them to a vet. Gerbils’ teeth grow continually; they gnaw objects to keep them regularly worn down. If there is a problem with their teeth, they may stop eating.

• Their nails checking regularly to ensure they’re not becoming overgrown. Gerbils naturally wear their nails down walking on rough surfaces. 
• A shallow tray filled with clean, fine sand/'chinchilla dust' to bathe in daily to maintain their coat in good condition. Remove/sieve clean after use. 
• Treated with only the medicines recommended for them by the vet. 

• Caring for by a responsible person when you’re away to meet their welfare needs - introduce your gerbils to them beforehand.

  - Provide them with all necessary information to take care of your pets. As well as details specific to your individual gerbils, this document could be a useful reference point to meeting their needs.

  - Keep your gerbils in their familiar gerbilarium and leave their usual food for their carer to give.

• Transporting carefully, reducing stress wherever possible. Don’t transport them unless absolutely necessary (Transporting your gerbils (PDF 93.4 KB).