Always make sure they are the same gender, as you do not want to end up with pups! Opposite genders are also more aggressive with each other. Cage Size/Enclosures: 0:40 Pairs/Groups - 2:10 Bedding - 3:32 Sand bath & Necessities - 5:30 Diet - 6:43 Cage Cleaning - 7:48 Enrichment - 8:41
Thank you for the information you've been posting! I've recently become a first time gerbil owner and have found that making a proper diet for them is a major struggle in the US. Your videos have been so useful!!
Ok i have been looking into Gerbils for a while now. Normally i am a Hamster person,but i am really starting to like Gerbils too! Thankyou so much for your info! It has been kinda hard to find good and proper information but your channel is great! If i ever get a gerbil it will be because of you!! thx i subed btw!
I bought a gerbil 3 years ago I called her tabby she brought so much joy in my life. She was my baby. She passed away April 15th at 9:00 am. She had the cutest personality. I miss her so much. I'll probably buy another one someday. Your gerbils are adorable. You can tell they look you. 😇😇😇😇😇😇
One toy I found that can keep them busy, is hiding a ping-pong ball not too deep in their hay zone (under supervision, of course). My three boys would go nuts trying to get it to places as well as trying to unravel the mystery of this spherical mystery. Fun stuff. Thanks for educating and showing the world the wonders of gerbils! Been living for some three years without them since, due to my new place lacking space. So these videos are extremely important to me :3.
Aww!! I love how they get all excited when they hear your voice at the beginning of the video! They love you! So cute💕 also great video very informative thanks for sharing your knowledge of these super cute rodents 😍
You actually can take wood from oitside and disinfect it, you can boil it (i do like 20-30 minutes) or bake it, although I dont know exactly how long the baking process should be.
I am getting a one eyed gerbil next week and your videos really helped me out! Also you are so adorable your voice and mannerisms I hope that’s not too weird to say! I really enjoyed this video and your other gerbil informative videos!
Something about this video made me so happy.. I don’t own gerbils, this video is the first one I’ve watched when I got curious about ownership, and it actually helped a LOT with my process right off the bat (so thank you haha!) but I do own 6 rats and just... you GET it, you know haha? Always makes me so happy to see competent and loving small animal owners 🥰
Side note, one of my boys agrees - he was antsy before, but when I started watching he curled up on my shoulder and started boggling! Maybe he’s telling me he wants more brothers? 😅
I have asked my mum if I can get a gerbil, she said we will talk about it. I really hope she says yes! Thank you for this video, this has teached me a lot!!
Aww, your three gerbils are adorable! :) And yes, no plastic cages (except as a temporary "cleaning time" holding cage for when you deep clean). A tip on the wheel, try attaching the "bottom" of a metal Guinea Pig wheel to the mesh "ceiling" of their cage (and cover the metal wheel on the outside with inward-facing masking tape and cover the sticky tape bits with sand). As for bedding, try giving your gerbils rolls of plain white paper towels or toilet paper and just watch them go! :) (Or you can buy a lot of pre-shredded paper, but really, Gerbils = cutest shredding machines ever!) XD
What a great video! I've had a dozen gerbils over the years and I learned a lot anyway. Very nice job. I subscribed to your channel because I'm a huge gerbil fan!
We were surrendered 2 African soft furs from a failed breeding operation attempt and I didn’t know how much having the 2 girls around would help with my mental health. I went out of my way to bake woods, get them dried insects, a huge natural style environment (styled after one of their natural habitats) and also some plants they could eat from their wild area and they’re so cute, they redecorate everything every few days (their apple wood mansion is COMPLETELY underground now) and they’re just the sweetest. Sadly, I know they won’t live much longer as they’re turning a year old soon, so I’m considering gerbils and doing research and I honestly think Donut and Milk’s legacy will live on with gerbils once the time comes
I know this is a old video and you probably will not see this comment but I’m so grateful for the videos you make. My ex best friend gave me her gerbil and I didn’t notice how much she was abusing her until I did my own research and since I’ve never had gerbils before it’s been hard for me to figure out what I’ve been doing wrong (and yes I only have one female gerbil because she didn’t do her research and only got one). Your channel has helped me figure out what I have to do for her and when I have to do it so thank you so much for making videos like this. 😊♥️
@@finsandwhiskers yes when I saw her it was heartbreaking and my ex friend thought that it was “funny” the way she would chew at the cage and try to escape through the bars of it so I took her and actually filled it with wooden toys, more betting, places to hide, etc. I’m currently waiting for the tank to come back in stock so I can actually put her there and she can be in a safe place. I’ve had her for a month and she’s still scared of me but I’m working with that and your videos have been helping me slowly do that for her. She’s very playful and loving when she does trust me but I keep giving her as much space as possible and after watching your videos I’m so happy I’ve been doing the writing thing.
Good to know the difference between dust and sand and cage sizes. Mine have dust right now and I have two (15g and 10g) cages connected with tubes. They are rescues I got from a friend short notice and they had only a 10g with only water and food with a little bedding.
Very glad I hit all criteria. Was a bit nervous that I had done something wrong with basic care, turns out my gerbils are natural chewing freaks. Very sweet and glad brothers are pre-bonded. They both trust me and hold no fear in me so I assume I did that right too. Names are Jeremy and Gerald.
Your gerbil videos have helped us so much. We got our 2 female gerbil pups last Saturday. So far they mostly hide inside their bedding. We named one of them Shine - after you! The other one is Boo. I can't see how to send any photos. Any suggestions to help these guys not hide all day?
If you have Instagram you could send them to mine, @finsandwhiskers! I’m so glad I could help! I would definitely recommend checking out my taming video so they get more comfortable. :)
Hi! I have got a qeustion! I have a gerbil group of 6 in a cage 120cm high 120cm wide, but i bought a really expensive wheel, its aluminum so they cant chew it. But they dont use it, the wheel is 35cm and very smooth to run. I now use it for my goldhamster, but do gerbils need a wheel or is it just optional?
Hi there, I have a degree in animal science and I can confirm that wheels aren't essential for gerbils, although they are more likely to run on it at night, so it may be good to keep in for enrichment purposes. I should also point out that gerbils really shouldn't be kept in groups, ideally you should only ever keep them in pairs as this is the only natural "group" structure that forms in the wild (2 parents + children is what a "colony" consists of), larger groups ALWAYS end up fighting and splitting up, the only permanent residents of a wild gerbil burrow are two adults, so I really strongly suggest you split your group down into pairs, or you may find them all fighting at some point 🙂
na i clicked becouse curieus i actually watched halfway trough becouse shes cute and gerbills are cute and im probly never going to get a gerbil unless i have kids and they want one but i doubt that since i have snakes lizards and fishtanks everywhere and dogs
Hey one of my gerbils got really sick and we kind of had to force feed him applesauce. Thankfully he has made a nearly complete recovery but I spilled lots of applesauce all over him. After three days it is dry, still really uncomfortable, and not gone at all. Does anyone have any advice on how to clean him sand baths don’t work and I know you aren’t supposed to get them that wet so I don’t know what to do)?
Would a omlet cages be okay just for know till I get to buy a bigger one? I'm getting gerbils for Christmas so I just wanted to make sure that they would be happy
OMG FINALLY SOMEONE SAYING PLASTIC IS NOT OK FOR RODENTS, a lot of hamsters and gerbils die just for eating plastic all of their life and no one even knows I’m an Italian animal rescue volunteer by the way, I know what I’m talking
I think that plastic is okay for hamsters (never for gerbils!), when it's very hard, stable and they have a huge space and stuff to chew instead of their plastic cages. 🤔 I also think that bars are even worse because of bars chewing...But I can be wrong as I don't own a hamster myself, I just did a quite a bit of research haha ✨
@@daviderimedio1085 Thanks for letting me know! Those people I saw used even DIY plastic cages and they din't have any problems (I saw both rescuing channels and amateur pet careres), so for different pets and people are better different things for sure ^^
Hey! Do you recommend a pair of gerbils for going to college? I'm looking for a pet that can keep me company while i'm away from home for 4 years. :) thanks!
Hey quick question what are all the difference between a gerbil and hamster cuz by what I'm watching it seems like the same care so is there anything different I would need to do?
Don’t worry, I definitely will! I plan to keep gerbils forever so I will keep making more and more videos since we know so little and they deserve more attention! 💕
I've seen that if you have more than three gerbils together they tend to declan and fight with each other and I'm wondering if thats true. I was trying to find information on if you can have a group of four in a bigger cage but it seems hard to find any info on gerbils
I can only speak on my experience, my gerbils are girls and siblings. They’ve never declanned nor behave territorial, but this is just my experience. I think with proper care/enrichment and enclosures + groups of gerbils fitting for that size enclosure, it’s less likely to happen.
Ive been thinking about getting two gerbils and i already have a cage thats 40 inches x 13.5 inches, and im not allowed to get a different cage. do you think this is big enough?
Very sweet, adorably cute gerbils and caring owner. Love the deep bedding and cholla wood. Lots of great info but I slightly disagree on declans. Unfortunately, I found out years ago even pairs of bonded siblings (especially females) can sometimes declan. If it's going to happen it's often soon after maturity at around 6 - 9 months old but can also happen anytime the dominant gerbil is challenged. It's happened to me a couple of times. (I notice even some UA-camrs have had declans). I had the pairs of gerbil siblings from babies of just 8 or 10 weeks old and they were well bonded until they fell out. I've never had a problem with males declanning (with gerbils, females are the dominant sex) but occasionally people have also had to separate males. I think the juries still out on what causes de-clans but joining two tanks together or having separate areas accessible by only one entrance/exit isn't generally a good idea. In my experience even a shelf can be a problem (similar to dwarf hamsters) especially if the food dish is on the shelf. Scatter feeding and making sure the less dominant gerbil can't be cornered anywhere may help (it often starts when one gerbil tries to prevent the other from eating). It always helps to be vigilant to spot any early signs of bullying and hopefully prevent the upset of a possible declan.
It’s definitely a tough conversation that no one has answers to. The best we can do is treat them individually and respond actively to their behavior in our care
Yes, we can never totally replicate their natural habitat but small animal care and understanding their behaviour has come on in leaps and bounds over the last 5 - 10 years. It's great to see.
Hi. I’m getting gerbils soon. I was wondering were you would recommend to get a already made cage for them. And wear to get them from like a app or something :)
Hi, planning to get a gerbil for my son. We live in a condo on weekdays and go back home to other house for weekends. Plan to have 2 aquarium cages for both houses. My question is on the transport, it is about an hour's drive, do you think the gerbils would mind? great channel! thanks for the help!
Me and my friend are planning on sharing two gerbils, we will house them every 3 weeks at eachother house, they will stay together, and we will share responsibility, any advice?
I just got my gerbil. She’s so sweet. I’m going to be looking into a new enclosure after watching this. I have a question though. She always covers her food bowl in her bedding I’m and constantly taking the bedding off her bowl so she has access to it. Should I not do that? Is she still able to get her good with it covered?
Hi, I just wanted to help you out with your question: she should be able to get to the food no problem at all, you could even take the food bowl out of the enclosure and scatter feed instead, which is much more enriching as it encourages natural foraging behaviour 😊 I mentioned this in my own gerbil care video, bowls are best for wet food to keep their bedding dry, the rest of the time scatter feeding is much better for them 🙂
hey!! i was wondering if tiny friends farm bath is okay for gerbils? and their food as well. i’ve used that brand for my chinchilla and my hamsters but gerbils seem a bit different.
Its so funny, because I talk in the same way, you do with your gerbils :D They look really cute. My cage is not as big as yours (working on that) but I let them walk around in my room almost everyday so they can run around. Its just hard to catch them afterwards :D
Hi, I have two boy gerbils that are bonded, and I have a 15 gal tank with a topper, I was thinking about switching to 20 gallon tank with the topper still, what do you think?😊
when I rescued my gerbil, he has one really short arm so he was separated from other gerbils because apparently he was seen as a weakness so he's never had friends :(
Also THIS IS IMPORTANT if your gerbil gets sick and you take it to a vet it is going to cost you money just because there small pets dosent mean that it’s going to be cheap you’ll have to pay almost the same as you would for a dog.
I'm thinking about getting gerbils. I will get 2-3 females. Though I wanna put them in a Detolf with an extra half Detolf on top made out of wood. And the actual detolf will be filled to the top with bedding and the wood cage would have wheel, sand, hideys, water ect. Would that be okay?
Hello! I’m a college student looking to adopt pet gerbils, but I’m worried about traveling to and from home for holidays. Would traveling five hours in a car 2-3 times per year be harmful or stress them out? Also, how long can they be kept alone?
I know i am not the channel but i thought i would help. I am a hamster owner but i know quite a bit about gerbils. It can stress them out quite a lot. I have found they can only be left alone for about 1-2 days. I would reccomend maybe getting a pet sitter!
Great vid. I’m learning a lot from your channel. What should I do if my local store only has 1 gerbil? If it’s young enough can I get it and then find another young one to pair it with? I read if they’re older I need to get them used to each other first unless they are already together.
If they aren’t together you’ll have to go through the bonding process before you can keep them together, the younger they are the better chance you have of getting them to bond
I just got a gerbil today and we bought a cage sadly my family can not afford a large glass tank for our gerbil so we got the cheap affordable cage what should I do?.
Mh. Usually, gerbils should be bought in pairs or trios, as they are social animals. As for the size, it is obviously not easy for everybody to get a big one, but gerbies can adapt. What's important is that you: - Interact with the gerbil a lot. Let him/her run around, routines, etc. - Speak gently. - Avoid "hand of god" grabbing. Shine (the video you're watching) explains everything well :). You'll be in the green if you do as she suggest :)!!! - If you can, put the cage on the floor (and have all holes, cables blocked), and make a small play pen where it is just you sitting around and letting the gerbil run around you. - Lil snackeroos that are not harmful for the little one. - Put your hand in the cage with some munchies, but DON'T grab her, just hold still and gently pet. Sadly, you have to do the patience game a lot, but it is worth it! Solo gerbils might have it rough though. They can develop some negative traits like nibbling/biting or get very twitchy and scared. It is imperative that you also be patient. But whatever happens, know that it is ok. You got a gerbil, which is a great thing to cherish. Just be there when he/she is looking at you. And listen to your gerbil. They are very talkative actually. All I can give. Shine/Fins & Whiskers can probably way in better than I.
@@gruvee9334 My mom doesn't want a second gerbil she got the one we have (Her name's penut ) To see if wer'e responsible I have got a playpen Iv'e given it toy's tunnels and I talk to her daily she's not very talkable she actually prefer's being by herself (Which is completly fine I usually leave her alone when she's in playpen for a little while) I give her two treats daily usually Nut's,chopped cucumber's,tiny apple slices and a variety of recommended treat's.She appears happy,healthy and genarally ok =) This comment was very helpfull thank you for the suggestion also my mom is getting a much larger cage for penut.
@@lonelypandabear8165 Sure! Happy to hear that you're getting a bigger cage. Just want to encourage you :). I hope @Fins and Whiskers can also give you tips, but Shine for sure uploaded a few other videos you can learn from. There are also other great channels out there. I also recommend the Facebook "Gerbils" group, as well. This is a well-moderated group dedicated to fuzzballs just like Penut :3, who will gladly give you advice. The group also has a FAQ you should check out in your freetime. Diet is very important. No avocado though. This is poisonous to them. If you happen to have those leftover toilet paper rolls made of (untreated, unprinted) cardboard, give it Penut. They LOVE to destroy those for bedding material as well. Unless something changed in that. Anyways. Have fun with Nut! Oh, and last tip. Never turn your back on gerbils. They are as accident prone, as they are cute. And leave no plastic bags or anything around. the cage.
JFYI, Pine shavings in the UK which are kiln dried and dust extracted is usually ok (different Pine species apparently). Btw, glad you don't swallow the max cage 'idea' either! ;) What cage is yours and what size is it?
So, I’m looking to breed my gerbils. I currently have two females, Peanut and Beans, would they recognize each other after forty days of being in separate cages? And would the females recognize the males if they haven’t seen them in a while? If you know anything please tell me!
Unfortunately I can’t give advice on breeding, it’s not something I’ve experienced or researched enough but I encourage you to research thoroughly. Gerbil forums can help especially with any questions you may have about it! Always look through multiple sources
That's actually the exact scientifically recommended size you've stumbled on to there! That's a perfect size! The science recommends 0.5 meters squared, which is exactly what you've got 😊
My gerbils nelly and melody passed I miss them so much they passed a year or two ago and I’m ready for gerbils again so I’m refreshing my memory on gerbil care I just hope my mom say yes to gerbils
Hello fins and whiskers! I am confused now as I heard sand and not dust were worse for gerbils to bath in? But you are saying the opposite....are there any cons to sand baths then?
Omg they’re so cute! I currently own a hamster named tater tot, and I’ve been looking into gerbils because I really want a pair of animals, and I want an animal that will be awake during the day! Would a forty gallon tank be ok for housing them?
My girbils are in my room and I’m getting a drumset so I’m thinking about getting them a Bin so I can move them downstairs whenever I am drumming so I don’t hurt them but idk if a Bin is good as a permanent? They have a 10 gallon rn and I was saving up for a 20 gallon. I wasn’t expecting to get a drumset when I got them and it’s a passion of mine so idk what I can do. I can’t get rid of them, I love them too much and they love me and trust me. But I also can’t get rid of my passion and dream. So I don’t know, doesn’t anyone know what I can do here? I’m between a rock and a hard place.
I was always told if I get two of one gender they will fight , is it better to get a male and female or would two girls work ? almost 65 so any advice /help will be appreciated .
Fins & Whiskers ok thanks I’m trying to get to know what I need because I’m getting 2 hopefully soon ish I kinda wanted a hamster first but there nocturnal
Yes! Usually people do what’s known as the split cage method. When the gerbils start to sleep next to each other by the divider, it’s a sign that they’ve bonded!
@@finsandwhiskers thanks for answering! I asked because I have two brothers around two months old who get along well and will soon be moving into a enclousure three times the size of the current one. What I notice is, although they never fight, they don't always sleep together. I'm worried.
I got my two lil guys from petco, their not the closest friends but they play and enjoy eachothers privacy 😂 so cute, my brown one will lightly push my white one out of his lil hole with his paw
Hi! First off I love you channel and all your pets! So I have a couple questions. I got two gerbils about 2 months ago. I have a tank a suitable for them as well. One of them is kind of aggressive, she’s bit me twice and now I’m kind of scared of her now. What should I do to make her less aggressive? Also they both won’t even let me go near them when I try to pet them. How should I accomplish more trust/a stronger bond? I’m usually scared to just let them investigate my hand in the tank because Im worried the aggressive one will bite me. Finally, they are both very destructive, the chew every wheel we put in even though it’s a very thick plastic. Is there anything I should do? Thank you again. Love your channel!
The one thing i learned from this video is that gerbils are super similar to hamsters. This is awesome news to me cuz i alr know so much about hamster care. But still, thank you for the educational video :)
Similar but there’s a lot more to think about. Like the diet is a lot different, their energy is a lot more on the active side, they may change how you think of laying out their enclosure drastically
@@finsandwhiskers ah i never knew about the enclosure one but the fact that they are more active and that they have different nutritional needs is something i'm aware of. I've actually gotten very good with balancing and mixing food mixes for my hamsters so honestly, the food isn't a big issue for me. I've always had a qn tho, do gerbils consume animal protein? And if so, does it have to be part of the food mix? Also, don't worry. I'm not getting gerbils till i have as much care information as i can get so that they live happy lives :)
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Always make sure they are the same gender, as you do not want to end up with pups! Opposite genders are also more aggressive with each other.
Cage Size/Enclosures: 0:40
Pairs/Groups - 2:10
Bedding - 3:32
Sand bath & Necessities - 5:30
Diet - 6:43
Cage Cleaning - 7:48
Enrichment - 8:41
i had a girl and a boy and they got along so well lol. we thought we got 2 boys until we found pups in the cage
alorizia oop-
@@thefunnylittlejoker4388 yea lol. unfortunately the girl passed a couple of months back though
alorizia oh
@@thefunnylittlejoker4388 yea oof
This is the cutest thumbnail I’ve ever seen 🥺
Mindy Hull thank you! 💕
The three amigos
Sooooo trueeee
They are sooo cuteee🤧🤧🥺🥺
IKR (*♡∀♡)
You have absolutely the sweetest voice it makes me wanna cry. I loved your video.
This is the sweetest comment 🥺 thank you!
Omg your gerbils are gorgeous and you seem like such a caring pet mom :) I'm so thankful that I found your channel!
You made my night! That really makes me happy to hear ♥️
Thank you for the information you've been posting! I've recently become a first time gerbil owner and have found that making a proper diet for them is a major struggle in the US. Your videos have been so useful!!
That makes me so happy to hear! Good luck to you! ♥️ I’m here for any questions
Ok i have been looking into Gerbils for a while now. Normally i am a Hamster person,but i am really starting to like Gerbils too! Thankyou so much for your info! It has been kinda hard to find good and proper information but your channel is great! If i ever get a gerbil it will be because of you!! thx i subed btw!
Thank you so much! Gerbils are super underrated so I’m glad to help show how amazing they are 💖
Same!
I bought a gerbil 3 years ago I called her tabby she brought so much joy in my life. She was my baby. She passed away April 15th at 9:00 am. She had the cutest personality. I miss her so much. I'll probably buy another one someday. Your gerbils are adorable. You can tell they look you. 😇😇😇😇😇😇
If you haven't found a gerbil yet I have 6 for sale
One toy I found that can keep them busy, is hiding a ping-pong ball not too deep in their hay zone (under supervision, of course). My three boys would go nuts trying to get it to places as well as trying to unravel the mystery of this spherical mystery. Fun stuff.
Thanks for educating and showing the world the wonders of gerbils!
Been living for some three years without them since, due to my new place lacking space. So these videos are extremely important to me :3.
That’s so cute! I am really glad to help gerbils have a voice, and I am happy you can enjoy them even without owning them right now! Thank you ✨
Aww!! I love how they get all excited when they hear your voice at the beginning of the video! They love you! So cute💕 also great video very informative thanks for sharing your knowledge of these super cute rodents 😍
Thank you!!♥️
You actually can take wood from oitside and disinfect it, you can boil it (i do like 20-30 minutes) or bake it, although I dont know exactly how long the baking process should be.
Great information :) I didn't actually know a whole lot about gerbils so this was super helpful
This is an absolutely amazing video! It has really helped me refresh my gerbil care knowledge! Your gerbils are adorable! Thank you! 🐹❤️
Someone reccomended your channel and I’m absolutely obsessed! I also love your hair and voice!!!
Thank you for supporting my content!! ✨ means a lot!
I am getting a one eyed gerbil next week and your videos really helped me out! Also you are so adorable your voice and mannerisms I hope that’s not too weird to say! I really enjoyed this video and your other gerbil informative videos!
Thank you so much! Wish you all the luck!
If your not subscribed to fin and whiskers then I don’t know what your doing with your life
Thank you so much for this video. After a few days I am getting a gerbil! I am so grateful I watched this gerbil care video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Something about this video made me so happy.. I don’t own gerbils, this video is the first one I’ve watched when I got curious about ownership, and it actually helped a LOT with my process right off the bat (so thank you haha!) but I do own 6 rats and just... you GET it, you know haha? Always makes me so happy to see competent and loving small animal owners 🥰
Side note, one of my boys agrees - he was antsy before, but when I started watching he curled up on my shoulder and started boggling! Maybe he’s telling me he wants more brothers? 😅
Aww this truly made my day! ♥️ tell him he’s a good boy for me
I just found your channel and I’m in love!! You have amazing care and knowledge for your gerbils!
This means so much to me, thank you so much! 😭♥️
You are the cutest young lady. Thanks for the care for us and the gerbals.
Those 5 dislikes are hamsters
This made me laugh 😂
😆 not my hammy!
what’s wrong with hamsters? i think both hamsters and gerbils are amazing
Pretty Blue I think it was just a friendly joke, hamsters are more popular anyway, gerbils just need a bit more attention than they have right now! ♥️
xD
Your gerbils are adorable ! Love this whole video. Great job girl !
awww they look so cozy in there!!!
I got 2 gerbils today first time owning them in over 3 years this has helped me a lot
thank you i am adopting two gerbils tomorrow this was helpful :)
Ooh that’s so exciting! I’m glad to help!
i never knew i needed a gerbil 🥺💕
did u get a pair?
@@charlotte6154 haha no, but i got a hamster
@@Emma-lb6fl aw nice! what kind?
I have asked my mum if I can get a gerbil, she said we will talk about it. I really hope she says yes! Thank you for this video, this has teached me a lot!!
Just remember they should be in pairs as they are social animals! 💕 Good luck!
Aww, your three gerbils are adorable! :) And yes, no plastic cages (except as a temporary "cleaning time" holding cage for when you deep clean). A tip on the wheel, try attaching the "bottom" of a metal Guinea Pig wheel to the mesh "ceiling" of their cage (and cover the metal wheel on the outside with inward-facing masking tape and cover the sticky tape bits with sand). As for bedding, try giving your gerbils rolls of plain white paper towels or toilet paper and just watch them go! :) (Or you can buy a lot of pre-shredded paper, but really, Gerbils = cutest shredding machines ever!) XD
My mum might get me gerbil for my birthday and your videos have really helped me!! Thank you!! Xx
What a great video! I've had a dozen gerbils over the years and I learned a lot anyway. Very nice job. I subscribed to your channel because I'm a huge gerbil fan!
I’m getting my four gerbils next week I’m so excited 😆
Thank you so much I’m saving up for a gerbils and I would’ve never known any of this wasn’t for you
So glad to hear!! Good luck to you!
We were surrendered 2 African soft furs from a failed breeding operation attempt and I didn’t know how much having the 2 girls around would help with my mental health. I went out of my way to bake woods, get them dried insects, a huge natural style environment (styled after one of their natural habitats) and also some plants they could eat from their wild area and they’re so cute, they redecorate everything every few days (their apple wood mansion is COMPLETELY underground now) and they’re just the sweetest.
Sadly, I know they won’t live much longer as they’re turning a year old soon, so I’m considering gerbils and doing research and I honestly think Donut and Milk’s legacy will live on with gerbils once the time comes
I know this is a old video and you probably will not see this comment but I’m so grateful for the videos you make. My ex best friend gave me her gerbil and I didn’t notice how much she was abusing her until I did my own research and since I’ve never had gerbils before it’s been hard for me to figure out what I’ve been doing wrong (and yes I only have one female gerbil because she didn’t do her research and only got one). Your channel has helped me figure out what I have to do for her and when I have to do it so thank you so much for making videos like this. 😊♥️
I am so happy I could help, and I’m really sorry to hear about your gerbil’s past. Thank you for saving her!
@@finsandwhiskers yes when I saw her it was heartbreaking and my ex friend thought that it was “funny” the way she would chew at the cage and try to escape through the bars of it so I took her and actually filled it with wooden toys, more betting, places to hide, etc. I’m currently waiting for the tank to come back in stock so I can actually put her there and she can be in a safe place. I’ve had her for a month and she’s still scared of me but I’m working with that and your videos have been helping me slowly do that for her. She’s very playful and loving when she does trust me but I keep giving her as much space as possible and after watching your videos I’m so happy I’ve been doing the writing thing.
Your gerbils are so precious & adorable!🐹🐹🐹
Thank you ♥️
OH I like your attitude and love towards your babies ... I'm watching now ...
Good to know the difference between dust and sand and cage sizes. Mine have dust right now and I have two (15g and 10g) cages connected with tubes. They are rescues I got from a friend short notice and they had only a 10g with only water and food with a little bedding.
Very glad I hit all criteria. Was a bit nervous that I had done something wrong with basic care, turns out my gerbils are natural chewing freaks. Very sweet and glad brothers are pre-bonded. They both trust me and hold no fear in me so I assume I did that right too. Names are Jeremy and Gerald.
That’s great!
Thank you, they are now very happy to go on a little adventure outside the bin (About 600 square inches).
You are really pretty and your gerbils are so cute!! 🥺 thank you for the information! I really want to get 2 or 3 gerbils soon! 💖💖
Thank you!! It’s always great to see people doing research beforehand 💕
Your gerbil videos have helped us so much. We got our 2 female gerbil pups last Saturday. So far they mostly hide inside their bedding. We named one of them Shine - after you! The other one is Boo. I can't see how to send any photos. Any suggestions to help these guys not hide all day?
If you have Instagram you could send them to mine, @finsandwhiskers! I’m so glad I could help! I would definitely recommend checking out my taming video so they get more comfortable. :)
Hi! I have got a qeustion! I have a gerbil group of 6 in a cage 120cm high 120cm wide, but i bought a really expensive wheel, its aluminum so they cant chew it. But they dont use it, the wheel is 35cm and very smooth to run. I now use it for my goldhamster, but do gerbils need a wheel or is it just optional?
Hi there, I have a degree in animal science and I can confirm that wheels aren't essential for gerbils, although they are more likely to run on it at night, so it may be good to keep in for enrichment purposes. I should also point out that gerbils really shouldn't be kept in groups, ideally you should only ever keep them in pairs as this is the only natural "group" structure that forms in the wild (2 parents + children is what a "colony" consists of), larger groups ALWAYS end up fighting and splitting up, the only permanent residents of a wild gerbil burrow are two adults, so I really strongly suggest you split your group down into pairs, or you may find them all fighting at some point 🙂
They are so cute !
I was gonna get a crittertrail then saw this thank you !
pov: you watching this cause u wan a gerbil
you want *gerbilSS*
na i clicked becouse curieus i actually watched halfway trough becouse shes cute and gerbills are cute and im probly never going to get a gerbil unless i have kids and they want one but i doubt that since i have snakes lizards and fishtanks everywhere and dogs
Pov: I'm watching this to find out what a good "cage" for them is 😂😂
I don't only want one, I'm getting two -_- you should know that you shouldn't keep one on it's own
Now I really want gerbils
I have 6 for sale if you want them
Hey one of my gerbils got really sick and we kind of had to force feed him applesauce. Thankfully he has made a nearly complete recovery but I spilled lots of applesauce all over him. After three days it is dry, still really uncomfortable, and not gone at all. Does anyone have any advice on how to clean him sand baths don’t work and I know you aren’t supposed to get them that wet so I don’t know what to do)?
Would a omlet cages be okay just for know till I get to buy a bigger one? I'm getting gerbils for Christmas so I just wanted to make sure that they would be happy
They just need top hats, a monocle to make them fancy.... Cute gerbs.
OMG FINALLY SOMEONE SAYING PLASTIC IS NOT OK FOR RODENTS, a lot of hamsters and gerbils die just for eating plastic all of their life and no one even knows
I’m an Italian animal rescue volunteer by the way, I know what I’m talking
I think that plastic is okay for hamsters (never for gerbils!), when it's very hard, stable and they have a huge space and stuff to chew instead of their plastic cages. 🤔 I also think that bars are even worse because of bars chewing...But I can be wrong as I don't own a hamster myself, I just did a quite a bit of research haha ✨
@@mikaelastefkova plastic can be fine only if it is assured the owned rodent don’t chew on it, unfortunately in most cases it will…
@@daviderimedio1085 Thanks for letting me know! Those people I saw used even DIY plastic cages and they din't have any problems (I saw both rescuing channels and amateur pet careres), so for different pets and people are better different things for sure ^^
Hey! Do you recommend a pair of gerbils for going to college? I'm looking for a pet that can keep me company while i'm away from home for 4 years. :) thanks!
I think you should get two or maybe a hamster!
@@yamyam4121 Ok thanks!
Hey quick question what are all the difference between a gerbil and hamster cuz by what I'm watching it seems like the same care so is there anything different I would need to do?
Please please please do more gerbil videos there aren’t many on UA-cam that are helpful but you explained everything very well!
Don’t worry, I definitely will! I plan to keep gerbils forever so I will keep making more and more videos since we know so little and they deserve more attention! 💕
Fins & Whiskers thank you so much! 💕
Your gerbils are so cute omg❤ im saving my money for a gerbil now ❤
Aaaawwww!!!! Cute Gerbils With 3 Cutty Little Gerbils.
I've seen that if you have more than three gerbils together they tend to declan and fight with each other and I'm wondering if thats true. I was trying to find information on if you can have a group of four in a bigger cage but it seems hard to find any info on gerbils
I can only speak on my experience, my gerbils are girls and siblings. They’ve never declanned nor behave territorial, but this is just my experience. I think with proper care/enrichment and enclosures + groups of gerbils fitting for that size enclosure, it’s less likely to happen.
Ive been thinking about getting two gerbils and i already have a cage thats 40 inches x 13.5 inches, and im not allowed to get a different cage. do you think this is big enough?
what about natural leaves from the trees? like ones on from the tree in the from the front yard?
This makes me miss my boys 😭 I had two brothers that were super sweet.
Would a 372sq inch enclosure be okay? It’s the biggest one I can find 🤍🤍 x?
Very sweet, adorably cute gerbils and caring owner. Love the deep bedding and cholla wood. Lots of great info but I slightly disagree on declans. Unfortunately, I found out years ago even pairs of bonded siblings (especially females) can sometimes declan. If it's going to happen it's often soon after maturity at around 6 - 9 months old but can also happen anytime the dominant gerbil is challenged. It's happened to me a couple of times. (I notice even some UA-camrs have had declans). I had the pairs of gerbil siblings from babies of just 8 or 10 weeks old and they were well bonded until they fell out. I've never had a problem with males declanning (with gerbils, females are the dominant sex) but occasionally people have also had to separate males. I think the juries still out on what causes de-clans but joining two tanks together or having separate areas accessible by only one entrance/exit isn't generally a good idea. In my experience even a shelf can be a problem (similar to dwarf hamsters) especially if the food dish is on the shelf. Scatter feeding and making sure the less dominant gerbil can't be cornered anywhere may help (it often starts when one gerbil tries to prevent the other from eating). It always helps to be vigilant to spot any early signs of bullying and hopefully prevent the upset of a possible declan.
It’s definitely a tough conversation that no one has answers to. The best we can do is treat them individually and respond actively to their behavior in our care
Yes, we can never totally replicate their natural habitat but small animal care and understanding their behaviour has come on in leaps and bounds over the last 5 - 10 years. It's great to see.
Hi. I’m getting gerbils soon. I was wondering were you would recommend to get a already made cage for them. And wear to get them from like a app or something :)
I'm sooo happy someone also has gerbils
They’re so underrated!
@@finsandwhiskers I Know right!
Hi, planning to get a gerbil for my son. We live in a condo on weekdays and go back home to other house for weekends. Plan to have 2 aquarium cages for both houses. My question is on the transport, it is about an hour's drive, do you think the gerbils would mind? great channel! thanks for the help!
It’ll be fine! Also make sure you do get a same sex pair as they are social animals!
Are large wire cages with a plastic base ok for gerbils? Like the prevue 528.
Me and my friend are planning on sharing two gerbils, we will house them every 3 weeks at eachother house, they will stay together, and we will share responsibility, any advice?
I just got my gerbil. She’s so sweet. I’m going to be looking into a new enclosure after watching this. I have a question though. She always covers her food bowl in her bedding I’m and constantly taking the bedding off her bowl so she has access to it. Should I not do that? Is she still able to get her good with it covered?
Hi, I just wanted to help you out with your question: she should be able to get to the food no problem at all, you could even take the food bowl out of the enclosure and scatter feed instead, which is much more enriching as it encourages natural foraging behaviour 😊 I mentioned this in my own gerbil care video, bowls are best for wet food to keep their bedding dry, the rest of the time scatter feeding is much better for them 🙂
hey!! i was wondering if tiny friends farm bath is okay for gerbils? and their food as well. i’ve used that brand for my chinchilla and my hamsters but gerbils seem a bit different.
Its so funny, because I talk in the same way, you do with your gerbils :D
They look really cute. My cage is not as big as yours (working on that) but I let them walk around in my room almost everyday so they can run around. Its just hard to catch them afterwards :D
Hi, I have two boy gerbils that are bonded, and I have a 15 gal tank with a topper, I was thinking about switching to 20 gallon tank with the topper still, what do you think?😊
I know I’m late to this video but I just got a gerbil yesterday and he is getting friends soon! Btw your voice is so cute!! >_
🌟🌟
when I rescued my gerbil, he has one really short arm so he was separated from other gerbils because apparently he was seen as a weakness so he's never had friends :(
Yeah, that happens with a lot of animals. In this case it’s better to keep alone :(
Also THIS IS IMPORTANT if your gerbil gets sick and you take it to a vet it is going to cost you money just because there small pets dosent mean that it’s going to be cheap you’ll have to pay almost the same as you would for a dog.
I'm thinking about getting gerbils. I will get 2-3 females. Though I wanna put them in a Detolf with an extra half Detolf on top made out of wood. And the actual detolf will be filled to the top with bedding and the wood cage would have wheel, sand, hideys, water ect. Would that be okay?
Your gerbils are so cute!
Thank you 🥰
Fins & Whiskers - No worries! :)
2:20 Man that gerbil just snatched it right from the other gerbil
Hello! I’m a college student looking to adopt pet gerbils, but I’m worried about traveling to and from home for holidays. Would traveling five hours in a car 2-3 times per year be harmful or stress them out? Also, how long can they be kept alone?
I know i am not the channel but i thought i would help. I am a hamster owner but i know quite a bit about gerbils. It can stress them out quite a lot. I have found they can only be left alone for about 1-2 days. I would reccomend maybe getting a pet sitter!
Great vid. I’m learning a lot from your channel.
What should I do if my local store only has 1 gerbil? If it’s young enough can I get it and then find another young one to pair it with? I read if they’re older I need to get them used to each other first unless they are already together.
If they aren’t together you’ll have to go through the bonding process before you can keep them together, the younger they are the better chance you have of getting them to bond
How do I convince my mom to buy a good cage because she just wants a tiny cage that is not good for the gerbil.
omg kinda the same here but my mom dosent want me to have a gerbil but i want 2 since i get lonly
I just got a gerbil today and we bought a cage sadly my family can not afford a large glass tank for our gerbil so we got the cheap affordable cage what should I do?.
Mh. Usually, gerbils should be bought in pairs or trios, as they are social animals.
As for the size, it is obviously not easy for everybody to get a big one, but gerbies can adapt. What's important is that you:
- Interact with the gerbil a lot. Let him/her run around, routines, etc.
- Speak gently.
- Avoid "hand of god" grabbing. Shine (the video you're watching) explains everything well :). You'll be in the green if you do as she suggest :)!!!
- If you can, put the cage on the floor (and have all holes, cables blocked), and make a small play pen where it is just you sitting around and letting the gerbil run around you.
- Lil snackeroos that are not harmful for the little one.
- Put your hand in the cage with some munchies, but DON'T grab her, just hold still and gently pet. Sadly, you have to do the patience game a lot, but it is worth it!
Solo gerbils might have it rough though. They can develop some negative traits like nibbling/biting or get very twitchy and scared. It is imperative that you also be patient. But whatever happens, know that it is ok. You got a gerbil, which is a great thing to cherish.
Just be there when he/she is looking at you. And listen to your gerbil. They are very talkative actually.
All I can give.
Shine/Fins & Whiskers can probably way in better than I.
@@gruvee9334 My mom doesn't want a second gerbil she got the one we have (Her name's penut ) To see if wer'e responsible I have got a playpen Iv'e given it toy's tunnels and I talk to her daily she's not very talkable she actually prefer's being by herself (Which is completly fine I usually leave her alone when she's in playpen for a little while) I give her two treats daily usually Nut's,chopped cucumber's,tiny apple slices and a variety of recommended treat's.She appears happy,healthy and genarally ok =) This comment was very helpfull thank you for the suggestion also my mom is getting a much larger cage for penut.
@@lonelypandabear8165 Sure! Happy to hear that you're getting a bigger cage.
Just want to encourage you :). I hope @Fins and Whiskers can also give you tips, but Shine for sure uploaded a few other videos you can learn from. There are also other great channels out there. I also recommend the Facebook "Gerbils" group, as well.
This is a well-moderated group dedicated to fuzzballs just like Penut :3, who will gladly give you advice. The group also has a FAQ you should check out in your freetime.
Diet is very important. No avocado though. This is poisonous to them.
If you happen to have those leftover toilet paper rolls made of (untreated, unprinted) cardboard, give it Penut. They LOVE to destroy those for bedding material as well. Unless something changed in that.
Anyways. Have fun with Nut!
Oh, and last tip. Never turn your back on gerbils. They are as accident prone, as they are cute. And leave no plastic bags or anything around. the cage.
JFYI, Pine shavings in the UK which are kiln dried and dust extracted is usually ok (different Pine species apparently).
Btw, glad you don't swallow the max cage 'idea' either! ;)
What cage is yours and what size is it?
A 63g glass tank
So, I’m looking to breed my gerbils. I currently have two females, Peanut and Beans, would they recognize each other after forty days of being in separate cages? And would the females recognize the males if they haven’t seen them in a while? If you know anything please tell me!
Unfortunately I can’t give advice on breeding, it’s not something I’ve experienced or researched enough but I encourage you to research thoroughly. Gerbil forums can help especially with any questions you may have about it! Always look through multiple sources
So that myth of a TO big cage can cause issues, would you say a cage around the size of 100cm x 50cm x 50cm would be fine ? ( 40 inches by 20 inches
That's actually the exact scientifically recommended size you've stumbled on to there! That's a perfect size! The science recommends 0.5 meters squared, which is exactly what you've got 😊
My gerbils nelly and melody passed I miss them so much they passed a year or two ago and I’m ready for gerbils again so I’m refreshing my memory on gerbil care I just hope my mom say yes to gerbils
I am so sorry to hear that!
Hello fins and whiskers! I am confused now as I heard sand and not dust were worse for gerbils to bath in? But you are saying the opposite....are there any cons to sand baths then?
Sand baths are absolutely safe! It’s the dust that is not, it is too fine and can easily block the respiratory system of gerbils
@@finsandwhiskers ohhhh I see! I looked it up again online last night and yeah, sand is the way to go :)
Does anyone know what the minimum size enclosure is because i have a small room??? thank you
It’s in the video
Omg they’re so cute! I currently own a hamster named tater tot, and I’ve been looking into gerbils because I really want a pair of animals, and I want an animal that will be awake during the day! Would a forty gallon tank be ok for housing them?
It would be okay, though you will need a tank topper for their wheel, sand bath, and water :)
Thanks!
If I had a pet gerbil, I shall dye it yellow and call it Wubbzy.
EEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK Hellpppp THE THUMB NAIL IS WAYYYY WAYYY TO CUTE
My girbils are in my room and I’m getting a drumset so I’m thinking about getting them a Bin so I can move them downstairs whenever I am drumming so I don’t hurt them but idk if a Bin is good as a permanent? They have a 10 gallon rn and I was saving up for a 20 gallon. I wasn’t expecting to get a drumset when I got them and it’s a passion of mine so idk what I can do. I can’t get rid of them, I love them too much and they love me and trust me. But I also can’t get rid of my passion and dream. So I don’t know, doesn’t anyone know what I can do here? I’m between a rock and a hard place.
I was always told if I get two of one gender they will fight , is it better to get a male and female or would two girls work ? almost 65 so any advice /help will be appreciated .
What else do I need to get if anything. Also do they like hide outs and big wooden like tube kinda things ? Thanks
Yes, tubes or tunnels are a great addition to their enclosure. Hideouts are necessary so they have areas of privacy!
Fins & Whiskers and then like wooden chew things and stuff like that
Matthew. W exactly!
Fins & Whiskers ok thanks I’m trying to get to know what I need because I’m getting 2 hopefully soon ish I kinda wanted a hamster first but there nocturnal
Fins & Whiskers I’m sry to be a pain but bc u said this is basic is there anything else I need to know or get
This is what these things are . Hmm maui needs this
Hopefully I'll be getting 2 gerbils soon so I'm doing a bin cage a 2 story bin cage but idk how to decorate on a budget
Hey, great content! Is there a way for us to know ours gerbils are completely bounded?
Yes! Usually people do what’s known as the split cage method. When the gerbils start to sleep next to each other by the divider, it’s a sign that they’ve bonded!
@@finsandwhiskers thanks for answering! I asked because I have two brothers around two months old who get along well and will soon be moving into a enclousure three times the size of the current one. What I notice is, although they never fight, they don't always sleep together. I'm worried.
I got my two lil guys from petco, their not the closest friends but they play and enjoy eachothers privacy 😂 so cute, my brown one will lightly push my white one out of his lil hole with his paw
Is there any danger for putting 2 gerbils together or is it safe
Gerbils are social animals and should be in at least pairs 😅 they need to be bonded first though
Hi! First off I love you channel and all your pets! So I have a couple questions. I got two gerbils about 2 months ago. I have a tank a suitable for them as well. One of them is kind of aggressive, she’s bit me twice and now I’m kind of scared of her now. What should I do to make her less aggressive? Also they both won’t even let me go near them when I try to pet them. How should I accomplish more trust/a stronger bond? I’m usually scared to just let them investigate my hand in the tank because Im worried the aggressive one will bite me. Finally, they are both very destructive, the chew every wheel we put in even though it’s a very thick plastic. Is there anything I should do? Thank you again. Love your channel!
The one thing i learned from this video is that gerbils are super similar to hamsters. This is awesome news to me cuz i alr know so much about hamster care. But still, thank you for the educational video :)
Similar but there’s a lot more to think about. Like the diet is a lot different, their energy is a lot more on the active side, they may change how you think of laying out their enclosure drastically
@@finsandwhiskers ah i never knew about the enclosure one but the fact that they are more active and that they have different nutritional needs is something i'm aware of. I've actually gotten very good with balancing and mixing food mixes for my hamsters so honestly, the food isn't a big issue for me. I've always had a qn tho, do gerbils consume animal protein? And if so, does it have to be part of the food mix? Also, don't worry. I'm not getting gerbils till i have as much care information as i can get so that they live happy lives :)
Are gerbils somewhat hypoallergenic
This took me so long to find I can’t-
And you have such cute gerbils :)
Would u recommend and sand u can buy in store if so what brand
I use ZooMed Reptisand, you can find it in Petco or Amazon!
@@finsandwhiskers ok thank you so much then it’s not safe to use colored bedding