American Gerbil Care & Tank Sizes! | Munchie's Place
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- Gerbil care isn't tricky. It can be simplistic. Due to lack of online resources & those resources being outdated care or by leaders who've not improved the minimum requirements for gerbils in the last 20 years, this video is to help guide owners on the right path in terms of gerbil tank sizes, bedding height and care. Thank you for watching.
For Gerbil information/Resources (International):
/ gerbilcareandsupport
/ gerbilsgroup
www.rspca.org....
spca.bc.ca/wp-...
* America's ASPCA & Humane Society care is outdated & will not be shared *
In the US we have the AGS (The American Gerbil Society). Their information is limited and outdated but can be found here:
- www.agsgerbils...
Follow me on Social Media:
Twitter - / munchiesplace4
Instagram - / munchiesplace4life
My Rescue's Pages:
(This is not a personal account)
/ munchiesplaceforhomele...
/ munchiesrescue
Clarification: What I was trying to get at mentioning bedding depth is that hamsters spend their active time above surface, as they're foragers vs gerbils who are active underground and don't spend their active hours above ground. While hamsters need deep bedding for their tunnel system, they require more space in general where as gerbils require more bedding in general to be happy. Gerbils live in colonies, therefor their tunnel system is complex compared to hamsters. Information is not wrong, it just wasn't clarified right.
Thank you for making a gerbil video! Lots of gerbil care videos on UA-cam are like 7 years old and really bad quality.
Yea, very true when I was researching for my gerbils I was surprised how little there was lol
ikr!
@@fayeh yeah, hamsters are definitely easier to research (yet somehow people still use critter trails).
@@peachyedits22 Sadly I used to be one of those people. Which is exactly why I don’t think young children should be in charge of rodents hopefully i’ll be able to do better with these gerbils!
@@janettej7900 I’m technically a small child but I do give my hammy proper care! But I do agree with what you’re saying, very young children ages 2-9 should not have a small animal
Thank you for making this , you’re right in saying gerbil care gets compared to hamster care a lot , when in fact gerbils have many different needs.
And they mix up the names up so much they don’t even look the same
Yeah, I have guinea pigs and everyone calls them gerbils ;-; and then I go through all the differences in my head.
@@adriennequimby3983 I had Guinea pigs and now I have gerbils. They look nothing alike
As a 25 yr old, I am absolutely ashamed of how I cared for my gerbils when I was 9 yrs old. But we do better when we know better. Thanks for the great video and all the information! ☺️
Also, you look gorgeous in this vid! 💜
I second all that. Thank you, Munchie, for this video!
I’ve never owned Gerbils before.
Yeah my dad is in his late 40’s he’s got gerbils in good tanks. But he used to have two gerbils in a rotary stack in the 70’s 😓
@@tiffanykey4589 Same! We didn't know any better :( [edit] Although when I got to 12yrs old I realised it wasn't big enough and doubled the space with a 2nd tower, but it was still small, and not deep or big enough to make burrows.
tbh dont feel too bad it wasnt your job to learn how to take care of your gerbils, it was your parent’s job to look into it before buying their kid a small animal
Hey Munchie! I really wouldn't recommend using cardboard from packages nowadays. Because of covid many companies will be spraying them with with disinfectant thats not safe for small pets and people have reported that their little ones have gotten ill. Hope this finds you well, you're doing amazingly well and we love you! ❤❤❤❤
I didn’t even think about this. Thank you for the tip!
The only one I have used is This company called guinea dad and they have specifically made there cardboard as a hidey for guinea pigs with pop out slots and stuff
@@Eliza_woods04 Even then in would be careful if it's the external box that turns into the hide as its postal carriers spraying them bot the company they come from :(
@@Aspen_Husky No it's not the complete outside it's got another box outside which I didn't use
@Kehya Woods I love guineaDad!
I find that the best combo of bedding to support their tunnels is paper, mostly aspen, and some Timothy hay. My boys LOVE toilet paper tubes and cork logs
My gerbil goes insane for toilet paper tubes too
I don’t have gerbils, but I do have 2 hamsters. Their names are Chocolate, and milk. They live in 40 gallon tanks each.
@@hellokaylee2977 if you have two hamster in the same cage you need at least 900sq but more likely more because they are very likely to kill each other also make sure you have to of everything and be prepared if one kills the other. I do not recommend and you need to be careful. One can suddenly just decide to kill the other after years together
@@Eliza_woods04 They said each, as in they each have their own 40 gallon. Not together
“Hmm I’m planning on attacking my sister next Sunday” 😂 literally me!!
Same! :D
I’m so glad I’m in this generation who has the right information on small animals.
This is the most informative gerbil care video I have seen. When I first was considering gerbils I found it very hard to find reliable sources for information especially in videos. You did a great job at explaining the major differences between hamsters and gerbils which many people often don't realize.
She's not fully right tho. So watch with a critical eye.
1. Gerbils shouldn't have a wheel unless you notice they don't dig tunnels and chew things often enough, so they need some extra excersize (plus they rarely gain weight since they self diet)
2. Tanks with tops aren't recomended. Both because they risk getting stuck and hurt in the metal (like breaking a leg which is very common) and because most metal cages are soft enough metal for them to chew thru as well.
3. Always buy wooden houses (or stone stone looking houses) they love to chew on them and make new entrances etc, plus it gives them months of chewing and projects
Hi Munchie! Thank you for your great video :) I wouldn't recommend a 10 gallon tank for gerbils, as it's too small. I had to house a lonely gerbil (he had declanned) in a 10 gal. with a topper and after a few days I started to feel that the enclosure was too small to provide the enrichment that he needed.
I also think that gerbils really benefit from a topper, as it provides more space and in summer the upper floors are cooler than tank. My 3 gerbils used to sleep upstairs in the summer ☺️
I also wanted to share with you a tip in regards to the wheel: if you have a tank topper you can hang it upside down from the top. In this way, you aren't using any floorspace and they can't pee or chew the stand. That's how I have my two wheels, and they work perfectly 😊
My 3 gerbils send you a big THANKYOU for your hard work in the rescue and your educational videos on small rodent care 😘😘
I'm not sure if you saw the video all the way till the very end but I stated I don't recommend 10 gallons. 🐾
@@MunchiesPlace Hi Munchie! I watched the whole video and I totally agree with you ☺️ Honestly, I think that a 10 gal. tank with a topper is even too small to be considered a minimum. I feel sad for all the gerbils and hamsters that have to live in tiny enclosures 😢 Thanks for your great videos!!! 😘
My gerbils passed at the end of last year. I miss having them. They are the best pets.
I'm so sorry :(
Aww I’m sorry for your loss me childhood dog pass away yesterday I miss him so much
I'm sorry for your loss.
@@evelin5859 I'm so sorry and my heart goes out to you.
Thank you everyone xx
I’ve had gerbils in the past! I think I owned my last gerbil in 2016. I’ve been looking into gerbils again, and I might consider getting a pair when I don’t have a hamster anymore! Gerbils are such great pets! For me, they were easy to tame, but they are really entertaining to watch as well! 🥰
I would like to get gerbils and I have a spare tank but my darn self was cleaning my hamster erea and threw away the holder for my extra water bottle. If I were to get gerbils should I give the gerbil the stand and water bottle in the gerbil tank and give my hammy a water bowl? Or do you think I should wait till my hammy passes away to give a gerbil the water bottle with stand so my hamster can use the water bottle?
@@brittainyellis6670 a bowl would work for the hamster I think, but I use a bottle for my gerbils and attach it with industrial velcro, that way it's really cheap bc the Bottle was only £2 and I got the velcro for £1 at my local sewing shop. And it sticks really well to my glass tank son I think that might be even better for u x
@@brittainyellis6670 it's also holding well even after 1.5 years of constant use
@@C.Woodford
Ok thank you, it will probably be a bit before I get gerbils because I have a hamster a cat and some fish
Kinda glad to know that I wasn't absolutely abusing my pet gerbils I had as a kid back in the 90s. Although they did live in separate tanks because I had a Male and female, and toppers weren't a thing, one had a 30 gallon tank and the other was in a 40 gallon breeder tank. I did use aspen bedding for the most part, with sticks, grass, etc. for bedding, and usually filled it halfway or just under, to have enough room for their wheels to be able to move under the lid. They were the toilet paper roll disposals, along with things like popsicle sticks, those wood chews, etc. to munch on. One (f) was named Catfood because she bit my cat for being too nosey when I brought her home. And the other (m) was named Diablo Shackles or De-Shack for short because he was solid black except for white lines going around his wrists and feet and connected with a line straight down his belly. I absolutely loved them, and would take them out to play and interact with them in the bathtub every day, buy them treats like raw unsalted peanuts, apples, and stuff like that. Not even sure if that was right, but it was the mid 90s and small pet care wasn't much of a thing then. I had them for almost 4 years for the female and the Male was somewhere around 5.
Yey a Gerbil video!! I have a trio of female Gerbils in a 40 gallons long and have so many questions. My Gerbils are in love w their Sand Box.. it's in a glass vase that is mostly burried in their 10 inches of bedding- I use kids play sand @3 inches deep...they roll and play in it..they love it :) They jump in and out freely...they absolutely LOVE it ..They are so much fun, they make great pets :)
This is absolutely fascinating! Here in California it’s illegal to own or sell gerbils so we never grew up experiencing gerbils. Seeing them move around and learning about their care is new and exciting for me!
Gerbils and ferrets are illegal on Cali. I'm so sorry. Q.Q Gerbils are fantastic critters. I've fallen in love with many at the rescue and hope more discussion online can be addressed as we are moving forward into the future.
Thanks for mentioning the issue of gerbil-on-gerbil violence! My two were female litter-mates and kept in a large tank with lots of enrichment. They seemed to get on very well, but one night, G1 decided to attack G2. It looked like someone had left a chainsaw in there with them. I later learned that this isn't that uncommon, as female gerbils age and begin to establish a dominance hierarchy. One signs is said to be if they start sleeping apart, but in any case, it's worth being aware of this
We used to have 3 gerbils when I was maybe 9, the whole family cared for them. They lived in a tank happily for years, before 2 of them died. The last one, Hessu, survived for a super long time all alone, and he seemed to thrive. He was a weird lil fella.
Thank you for this video!
I agree that gerbils are not hamsters lol but hamster generally do need quite a lot of bedding!! :)
Hi Munchie! Just wanted to say that hamsters absolutely need a sufficient about of bedding they are also burrowing animals and in the wild too live in deep, complex, burrows
But thank you for the gerbil care video! As a gerbil mum I am happy to see newer videos about gerbil care being made as most of them are old with bad quality
Yes! Thank you so much for making this video! I've been researching gerbils as I'm thinking of having them as my next pet, and this came just in time!
There is not many gerbil care videos that give good information. Thank you so much!
Thank you for doing a gerbil based video. I am a huge fan of your channel and you actually are the reason I upgraded my past mouse into a 40 gallon tank with a DIY tank topper. If it wasn't for your channel I would have never known about proper care/husbandry. I now have two male gerbils who are brothers from the same litter. I got them on Wednesday of last week. Thank you for being such a great channel and spreading education on proper small mammal care. Channels like your really do help.
Thank you for making this! I got gerbils again last year after not having them since I was a kid. There is so so much bad information out there, I sifted through a lot to find updated info. I can't believe how often 10 gal/pair is recommended when I can't imagine having my pair in something smaller than their 40 gal aquarium. It's great seeing them have space to dig and explore.
Omg Sable, Label and Mabel!!! Animal crossing names ✨
Hi Munchie, I just wanted to drop a comment and say for you, and anyone reading this, that a 20 gallon tank is not suitable for gerbils, even with a topper, long term. In the wild, gerbils have large underground tunnel systems, very intricate and long. The 20 gallon tank is unsuitable for long term gerbil housing, and multiple small animal forums I belong to state that it is inhumane to permanently house any small mammal in a 20 gallon, or smaller tank. I understand using them temporarily as you are a rescue with space limitations. But for everyone else, don't permanently house any animal in a 20 gallon. If we are going based on the needs of the animal, many gerbil owners I have spoken to advocate for a 40 gallon as a minimum. That equals 648 sq in of floor space. A 20 gallon at most, can equal 361 sq in of floor space, less then half what actual owners reccomend. Bigger is always better. As a proud gerbil mom, its always my goal to up the minimum standard. Thank you. Much love. Thank you for always educating.
Gerbils are so active, a 20 gallon tank is much too small for even a pair :( It sucks that in 2021, such small minimums are still being pushed. In Europe where I'm at, the minimum for gerbils is around 1000sq inches since they're so active and spend so much time borrowing and running around. They should have 12" wooden wheels minimum so that they can run with their tails outstretched behind them
I had my two gerbils in a 50 gallon 😊
🤓
I’d say a 20 gallon tank is ok for a few air of gerbils. I 40 gallon is ideal though
*pair
Yes, yes, and of course, yes! Me and my four gerbils are watching this saying "YEEEEEESSSSS, THANK YOU." We've been desiring this type of video for a long time, thank you.
I’m so glad you did a gerbil video!! I absolutely love gerbils and currently have 4 that I rescued. They are such interesting little creatures and are just so cute! I would just like to say the bigger the better! I have mine in a custom 2 1/2 ft by 4ft tank that I made for only about $120!! It’s a little gerbil heaven for them lol
Why am I watching this? I don’t have a gerbil and they don’t even sell them here. I’ve never even seen one lol.
Why are you watching it then
Thanks for this! I recently got gerbils so this was a big help for extra advice 😊
Thank you so much. We just adopted two gerbils after our last fancy mouse passed away. Despite being similar size, gerbils are very different. After 8 hours, I realized that our 20 gallon tank wasn't big enough. We have an Omelet hamster habitat on the way to adjoin to the 20 gallon tank. I also went out and loaded up on bedding. We're at 8 inches now. Thanks Munchie! The gerbils are much happier!
Edit: the omelet sucks. We're sending it back.
We have a 40 gallon breeder now.
this was a lovely video to watch as i am a owner of two gerbils. and people need to understand gerbils are not hamsters with tailes they are a different species of animal that need to be cared for in a different way
Love your content I just used one of your cage review videos for a school project
Hi munchie I love what you do! I have a long haired Syrian named pippin (boy)!
Woohoo. A proper care video for gerbils promoting the correct home and size ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Great video Munchie! You covered just about everything! I actually didn't know that gerbils did the saliva thing lol. I just wanted to add, that bendy bridges used as barriers are dangerous, and can trap limbs. Over at the hamster hideout forum, we have had multiple hamsters get their legs injured (even when stuffed with moss). Just letting you know! Keep up the great work Munchie! :)
If the bridge is coming apart I can see this. However all bridges used have no gaps in-between them and the petco version you saw in this video is not a home made version. All bendy bridges eventually get thrown out once it's been chewed up. Please link me the article you're referring to in HH.
@@MunchiesPlace Hi! Here are the links :-)
HH posts:
hamsterhideout.com/forum/topic/161768-damaged-leg-dwarf-hamster/?hl=%2Bbendy+%2Bbridges#entry1681280
hamsterhideout.com/forum/topic/159491-dwarf-hamster-trapped-leg/?hl=%2Bbendy+%2Bbridge
Here is a really good article explaining to be cautious of them:
fivelittlehams.wixsite.com/correcthamstercare/blank-1/2020/07/06/a-word-of-caution-on-bendy-bridges
As long as there isn't too big of gaps, I wouldn't be worried, but it is always better to be on the side of caution. Have a good day! ^-^
I removed the wire floors from my cage topper and added a bunch of wooden ones. Mine wasn't big wood chewers, so it worked for me.
yh wire floors can hurt their baby feet🥺
@@eleanorgrace6600 yeah, i personally don't like wire flooring and always advise people to cover it.
@@negan1445 I cover it partially but not all of it, because as munchie said it inturrupts the air flow whuch can be more damging than the mesh.
Great video, Munchie. I'm a big gerbil fan. I've tried the 10 gallon with a topper and found it too small for one gerbil. Like you, I also don't like the fact that there is no side door. Reaching in from the top does mimic what a predator does. In Europe, they have gerbilariums from the Belgium company, Savic which look GREAT! (But are hugely expensive to get to the U.S.). I do use big aquariums, but I turn the wheel upside down and zip tie it to the hinged screen cover so my gerbils don't knock it over. You're right--taking care of gerbils is VERY different than taking care of hamsters. So glad you posted a video on gerbils, my favorite pet.
My 2 boys were in the Savic Gerbilarium when i got them and even the biggest one is to small. You can't even full them with enough bedding because they kick it all out through the bars. Mine were only in it for a week before been upgraded to a 36 gallon tank with a topper. They were so happy with the extra space.
hamsters actually do need a lot of bedding!
Thanks for oploding this info🏆🎉🐹
15cm~30cm ↕️🏜🐹and🐁
True, but gerbils need a higher minimum, e.g minimum for hamsters is 6 inches, whereas gerbils should have at least 10+ ideally, but 8 minimum.
@Cierra Searfoss yes I know I was just saying the minimums.
Yeah i Know but i think she meant that gerbils need a Little bit more bedding
:3
1:18 am here from Philippines. Hi munchie i have been following your advices as much as i can afford as possible..you and rachelle
After my oldest mouse passes away, i plan on giving my two other female mice to my sister. I plan on keeping my male, but then also this summer i plan on getting gerbils :) Im glad you also do gerbil care videos because not many people do.
Recommend not keeping makes alone
My Gerbil is living in the Mamble 100 rat cage, last time I checked the cage was around 800 square inches, my boy Caspian just celebrated his fourth birthday!
As a new gerbil owner, this may just come from me owning a Robo hamster in a 75 gallon, but my 2 gerbils are in a 55 gallon and it feels way too small. They also demonstrate behaviors such as jumping at the walls, and climbing the lid. This makes me feel as though they should be in 75+ gallon tanks. Just me?😅
Gerbil thought it was wheel of fortune for a moment. 😄
Thanks so much Munchie I've owned 5 different gerbils over the years and currently own too, learnt a lot in this video ! There really isn't enough information out there.
Also the UK really isn't that great for gerbil cage either in most pet shops they sell ten gallon tanks w toppers at the most! There is pets at home however who sell a 'extra-large' terrarium which is in my opinion the very minimum and that's the largest thing they sell for gerbils !
Im thinking about getting a pair of gerbils ive been deep in research and your videos have been a major help
I’m a CNC machinist and because of that I’m good with blueprints. I learned how to do some wood work which is unexpectedly WAY different than metal so I can make custom toys, cage dividers, platforms, and nesting boxes for my hamster and two gerbils 😂
I love your videos I no longer have hamsters. After years of keeping them I started doing research on rats and when they passed decided to get rats as a change. I’ve realised I’m definitely a rat girl although I loved my hamsters but I enjoy your videos very much 💖
A good idea for a very cheap chew is an egg box or toilet rolls, they work very well for mine
Haha to do that just order a million things that u need in ur household or for urself or the animals 😉
I love this I’m thinking of getting gerbils next in the detolf. Hopefully called obi wan kenobi and anakin 🥰🥰
I wouldn't recommend a detolf due to it not being very deep. Difficult to fit large wheels in them for starters. Also such a massive amount of space may be too much space and lead to them becoming territorial.
@@mojothebudgies2901 Sorry but that latter point is a myth, large cages do not cause declanning in themselves, gerbils not getting on (for whatever reason) causes declanning.
Re the detolf, true they're not very deep, but if you have a raised roof or a topper on at least one end you can then fit a decent size wheel. And if the the lid is made with a fine mesh (so bedding can't be kicked out), then the bedding can be fairly deep (~10")
@@Assimilator1 that’s basically what I’ve been told. I have a hamster in mine with a 28 wheel one side and 9inch of bedding at the other. We are looking into a box lid . 🥰 I’m doing as much research as I can. I might be a long time as it’s going to be when I’m ready after my hamster.
@@peachyedits22 definitely obi because we can say hello there when he pops up 😂
Thank you so much for your work helping these precious animals.
My sister adopted a gerbil without doing proper research and my mum and I are now trying to figure out how to care for him properly with absolutely so experience. It's been very stressful but he's a sweet guy rhat deserves a good life
please get a friend for him too!
yay i’m early i love your videos so much!
Thank you, this is so helpful! I just got a gerbil recently (getting more) and have been looking for a recent care video, but wasnt finding any
I’ve been waiting sooo long for this video😫 and it was sooo worth it😍💜💜
Yay! Thanks for this video! I want gerbils eventually so I happy that you posted a care guide.
My boys have ate 2 wooden wheels in a year bu they absolutely love to run on it as well 😂 I work in a warehouse and give them the massive cardboard tubes from inside the bubble wrap rolls to chew and make beds in
I never knew this. I kept my girls for 5 years in a diy bin cage and never had any issues with them chewing. It was 2 bins stacked so they had about 500 square inches 1 foot deep of bedding. When I get more I'll be getting a tank next time though
a 8 inch wheel is too small, 10+ is recommended. Also the two left cages are waaay to small >.< Gerbils and mice need and deserve just as much space as hamsters.
I've done my research. The minimum wheel size is 8 with 10+ being ideal. Don't get me started on those still wishing to use 6.5 inch wheels for gerbils cause that's actually been pushed by associations who hold onto 20+ year old ideals when clearly the body posture looks wrong. For young gerbils 8 inches is what we use and in some cases smaller adults. 10+ for larger adults. Not all gerbils are the same size. I can argue about hamster wheels for syrians. 10 is minimum but if you got a larger hamster, 11+ is probably ideal for them.
Gerbils are not like hamsters and don't get me started about mice care. Scientific studies on mice are different than that of hamsters. While I find it's wonderful you supply your gerbil or gerbils with larger stuff, there is a minimum for a reason and an ideal size for those who can upgrade at their desire. I've already discussed with members of the gerbil support group the minimums, one group even still recommending 10 gallons per gerbil, but 20 gallons with tank toppers is our bare minimum requirement for adoptions at the rescue for 1-2 gerbils.
@@MunchiesPlace I'm sad to see that this is the way you are taking advice/criticism. No one said you didn't do research. But i think you are well aware of the fact that rodent care standards are bad and it's time we strive for something better. So what if some people still recommend 6.5 inch wheels and 10 gallon tanks? Why can't we do whats right and finally recommend 10 inch wheels and 40 gallon breeders? Why only go for the next best thing that isn't even that good?
I totally understand how hard it is to explain these things to other people but someone has to take the first step. You have such a big platform, start using it to educate people on actual good rodent care, not the bare minimums.
@@MunchiesPlace Also if you think 8" wheels should only be used for young gerbils, you should make that clear in your video. It sounded like you are recommending it for any gerbil. If someone watches this video without knowing anything about gerbil care yet, they might think 8" is still fine for big gerbils.
And as a side note, 10 inches is long outdated for syrians. Maybe its ok for young ones or very small ones, but again, when recommending wheels on a public space like this, make it clear that 10" wheels will be too small for most and just say the minimum is 11-12 inches instead. Way less confusing this way and better for the animals
I personally say adult gerbils need 12 inch like large syrians. 8 inch mine would be bent in half. lol
This took a turn that seems to be more personal. Not what was originally intended. It's hard to describe this via text but I'll try to simply what i mean. My apologizes if you think I don't take criticism well when I'm trying to explain to you why I think this way.
Please understand I speak of minimums and why I say bigger is better at the same time. But in some cases compared to hamster or gerbil care, other species of animals are different. on a scale of 1-10, minimum is 1, 10 is wild, 5 is ideal, 5+ is truly amazing. Everyone's care is different.
1st) When I'm relaying information I've gathered, asked, researched there is always going to be a difference in personal care and minimum care that people suggest. You take the information you get and run with it. There really truly isn't a right or wrong, but a starting point. Unfortunately you don't agree for my minimum care suggestions. They're suggestions after all so that's fine. This is what I've gathered, you may be doing something differently.
2nd) People can follow US care, UK care or Germany/Netherlands/etc care. Does that mean that the UK or US is wrong? We know US care isn't actually good and that's due to laws. But given most of my information has come from experience of other owners, rescues, their care, their pet laws, scientific studies in their countries, it makes pin pointing one specific care guide as the care above all, very hard. So there will always be ideals and minimums.
I see your tone in your response to my above comment and think I need to correctly adjust my information gathered to suit your ideals since you mentioned I need to start educating people, which i thought i was already doing. I do see bigger as being better, with minimum being needed to maintain a healthy animal without taking away their needs. Videos from me and other Pet youtubers are only suggested ideals, owners can choose to go lower and I couldn't change that, or they can do more, which is honestly fantastic!
Do i crave minimal? No. The rescue uses 40 gallon breeder tanks cause they're universal towards other species of pet. As an educator I talk about all fields, all sizes, what's so good or bad about them and how in this moment in time, these are the things i gathered. Do i need to make a disclaimer that yearly updates on appropriate pet care may happen or that other countries have different standards? I have in some cases. Care i suggest now may not be ideal in the future and it can depends on new studies done and suggested or the pet market availability and pet laws. Not everyone in the UK may follow standards of Germany, Not everyone in the US may follow UK standards. But I've seen more UK standards being implemented in US care.
Did i not mention the sizing of wheels in the video? I did. 8-12 inches for adults. Just like Syrian adults, 10-12. Do i need to address Syrians that're small need 10 inches and Syrians who're large need 12? No. It's a minimum to a max amount for adult syrians and I don't know what size Syrian or how long of a Syrian some people have. Same with Gerbils. I've had Adults fit inside of 8" wheels, but we do receive some overweight and large gerbils at the rescue who need 11". It's a suggested size for a reason.
Thank you for your time to write this. In the future I'll be putting more disclaimers, not to confuse those who have better care which does make me happy and I'd advocate for. But just remember, ideal is not minimum and minimum is needed to maintain a balance of the scale. Who knows in 2025 maybe the gerbil groups and associations of our world will begin to suggest 40gal as a minimum for 1-2 gerbils. We will always take a look into people's experiences and leaderships claims. but for now with the information I gathered from others and with resources, the care presented in the video is a suggested start for those learning about gerbils.
Disclaimer: Everyone's opinions are their own. I do respect them, but I may seem to come off a bit blunt/strong in comments sometimes. Apologies since I don't mean to be and will respectfully consider how other people feel in the future if my tone was out of line to the original poster.
A 106 qt bin its super good for a robo since its 435 sq inches from the base but add like 4 inches of bedding and it increases to 453 sq inches
A couple years ago my mom got my sister got two gerbils not realizing that they chew. Through. EVERYTHING. So she got her two gerbils she named marshmallow and ginger, they chewed through the base of their cage because my family knows nothing about gerbils and at the time I also knew nothing about gerbils so I couldn’t tell them that the cage wasn’t suitable for gerbils(or hamsters, it was too small, with a floorspace of I believe 240sq inches)so they chewed through the bottom of the cage and then escaped under my sister’s bedroom door and my mom’s ex(who was at the time her fiancée) found them dead in the hallway having been killed by my VERY carnivorous cat named Leo, so my mom decided never to get gerbils again just cuz her and my sister knew nothing about gerbils and are too lazy to do research on animals
Edit: I like doing research, they could’ve just asked me to do research on gerbils ahead of getting the gerbils
tic tac wheels are great for those who live in the UK! They are metal wheels, so chew proof :)
If you don't have a lot of money something you can use to keep their teeth down is just buy a bulk thing of cardstock at your local office store. The really thick paper they'll enjoy cutting up like cardboard tubes just throw a sheet in everyday and they'll have something to munch on not to mention they'll reconstitute for bedding
I know this is a gerbil video- but like when she said “hamsters don’t need that much bedding” I was screaming because that is not true
VS gerbils, hamsters do not need that height because hamsters sleep in their dens underground. Where as gerbils will be awake in their dens, making burrows throughout the day. For hamsters the depth can benefit them greatly, but 8-10 inches is a minimum for gerbil care. 👍 Please understand where I'm coming from. In no way am I saying hamsters don't deserve the best.
@@MunchiesPlace
My hamster tends to sleep in the hidout on the side with less bedding. I do part of the cage deep bedding part not so deep 1 hide on each side and she likes the side with less bedding more
@@brittainyellis6670 same
Great video, but hamsters do need a lot of bedding as they also burrow. In studies with golden hamsters, hamsters with 16 or more inches of bedding showed minimal stress responses such as bar biting or climbing, with 32 inches showing absolutely no stress responses.
This video was helpful. I hate it when people compare Gerbils as Hamsters because Gerbils aren’t Hamsters and Gerbils have way more different needs than Hamsters do.
I have a gerbil myself and he’s living like a king in a 55 gallon tank lol
Depends. Why doesn't have have a friend?
Awe I have a lone male too I'm a 70 gallon
I love the tank topper. I might have to make one as I have never seen these in Australia.
In the UK, the biggest thing I can find suitable for gerbils is a £70 plastic tank/wire that measures 70cm *40cm - and that's the only thing that could work without any diy that under £120-basically nothing with a good size
My gerbil its like the opposite,he is in a 106 qt bin (434-453 sq inches depending on the bedding,first no bedding and the latter 4 inches of bedding) and he doesn’t chew even his plastic sand bath,he only chews it’s plate that it’s SUPER HARD plastic (it has a mineral and some wood chew toys don’t worry
I have 15g and 10g terrariums that I connected with tubes. I have all of the things you talked about. I feel more relaxed because I was worried I wasn't giving them enough.
This is just my opinion they should have a 130 gallon tank or even better 200 gallon tank. That just my opinion I honestly don't know much about gerbil's. But those size tanks that I listed would be great I think because they would have lots of room
Yes bigger for them would be fantastic. In the wild Mongolian gerbils live 5 ft underground. and they spend more time being active underground than hamsters which they are constantly being compared to. People do make custom gallons so it is possible if someone wanted to get this size, that it would be fantastic.
@@MunchiesPlace I found on OfferUp a 250 gallon fish tank. And people comparing Hamsters and gerbil's and saying they are the same when their not the only thing they have in commin is they are cute and they are rodents. I've never owned a gerbil so I don't know much about gerbil's but with all enclosures for all animals bigger is better
In my opinion, a 20 gallon tank with or without a topper is just fine
I LOVE YOUR SHIRT!!!!!!
We just got 2 gerbils back in September for my oldest and myself. The pet store we “rescued” them from said 10 gallon with the topper was good. I always figured it was a bit small. Glad to hear I was right. I’m hoping to get them a 20 gallon soon but it’s hard to find in northern Alberta.
If payment was made to the pet store they weren't rescued. As soon as payment made they would go and buy more. ☹ Look into fish tanks and made a DIY lid
@@mojothebudgies2901 a 20 gallon would also be really really small.. Pls consider a 40 gallon :(
@@mojothebudgies2901 they came to the store in a plastic small box and the pet store gave them 100% better then they had and we plan on giving them 100% then the store. We didn’t pay for the gerbils..just the food, wheel, and dishes so I consider them rescues. If you pay for a shelter dog is it not a rescue anymore?
@@kohlenhydrat2665 I’ll look into a 40 gallon tank. I just have to watch sizes for the space I have for them at the moment
I'm watching even though gerbils are illegal in my state (CA.) Sigh. I had two different families of gerbils in earlier decades when I lived in RI. I miss them terribly and often have a dream where I find a tank of gerbils in a closet that I've forgotten about!
Can you do one like this for mice too?
Mice don't need as much bedding as gerbils do, they like climbing a lot so they'll need things like ropes, ladders, hammocks, ect. Mice are quite different from gerbils, so I suggest finding videos specifically on mouse care :]
@@brickguts i meant make a care video for mice too as she rescues hamsters, mice and gerbils. I know some care for mice i just thought it would be interesting for her to make a video quite similar but with mice
@@winterdeserthamstery Ahh okay, I misunderstood your comment haha my bad
@@brickguts thats ok, i misread stuff all the time so you arent the only one
Yes, give me the correct care people
I think 15 gallons its minimum for ONE GERBIL (around 270 sq inches) ,2 gerbils maybe a 106 qt bin cage (this bin cage has very hard plastic) or 30 gallon (435 sq inches)
I'd just like to say that I have really struggled to find a decently sized gerbilarium in the UK. I tried to find one for my hamster but I ended up going with a tub cage I made because I couldn't find a good one. I really wanted a glass one but the bigger ones were plastic, which would be fine if they weren't ridiculously expensive compared to making my own. Now looking at gerbils ,because my hamster boi is going to pass, and it's not fun trying to find one again, I may go for an IKEA glass cage
I love that pink wheel. 🤩🤩
can you do a care video over mice next!! I love this video :3 (Hi munchie if you read this)
Me: "Wow, that gerbil cage is the one I'm getting."
yes more gerbil care guides are needed :D
WOAH I'm getting gerbils this month for my birthday and was looking into your rescue, didn't even realize you had a youtube channel! I'm wondering, since it's really wet and pretty cold out here in WA should I have to worry about keeping them warm? Would an under tank heating mat work for them like you would for a leopard gecko? Or is it not a concern with the lil fellas?
I don’t have a gerbil myself, but I’ve always found them fascinating. I know this video is not about hamsters, but I’m looking to upgrade my robo from a 460 square inch enclosure. Does anyone know of an enclosure that would be under 50 dollars that would be good. I love your videos Munchie, me and my sister were saying that your voice is so happy and it just makes me happy 😊.
If you go on secondhand websites, a lot of people give away free terrariums / aquariums, including ones that are big enough for a hamster! They're often given away for free because they have (FIXED) cracks or in old aquariums, they may not be watertight. These enclosures are completely fine for a hamster but not for fish or can't be sold for money because of the old damage. That's my biggest tip, it's how I got all my enclosures, including one that's more than 1000 sq inches
Hi, what's the middle cage called and where can I get this? I can't find it anywhere
Could 2 gerbils live in the bigger cage with topper?
Also is their anything you would recommend for a first time owner
I was just cleaning my gerbil cage when I looked and he was desperate for air she had some sort of stroke and me and my sis couldn’t stop crying!
I've always been told never use straw for gerbils as it's to harsh and sharp and can hurt them
That’s Timothy hay, there are other softer hays like orchard that won’t hurt them
@@edpie202 no Timothy hay is widely used in the gerbil community and isn't straw
@@devonmanning832 oh shoot I didn’t pay attention lol, sorry
@@edpie202 no worries, I know some say not to use Timothy hay as it can be to hard and sharp but I've never had this issue and always found it really soft
Hii i love ur vids!! :D
My tank needs two people to lift, gerbils are not even close to hamster in needs and care. I had to make a metal wheel as they destroyed the wooden one. I get through cardboard boxes so quickly as they shred it like it is nothing 🤣.
I bought a lovely little thatched house and that went in an hour 😮🤣. I do love how interactive they are though compared to 🐹. They love to play and bounce around and are so much fun to watch.
You can't get gerbils out for exercise in the same way as you would a hamster because they are so quick and jump really high. Once you are use to their care needs I think they are easier than hamsters as I only really clean the cage every six months with spot cleans every 2 days so much easier than monthly half cleans with hamsters.
munchie, HALP MEH I want to get gerbils but idk what bedding to use. is that hemp bedding u have in there? I need help because I am changing from hamsters to gerbils and need some advice and I thought to ask you in the comments and omg your gerbils are so cute!
Sorry im late ;-;
Gerbils look so cuteeeee
I learned a lot today thx for the info! Hehe
I mean it doesn’t really matter if your late because that doesn’t define anything about you.
Hey munchie!! I have two male gerbils that are 1 year old they live in an IKEA detolf .. they have a plastic cage attached to it .. should I take it out ? They are starting to fight and I’m worried it’s too big of a space !
❤️❤️❤️
Remove the plastic cage. An Kkea detolf may not be deep enough. Make sure no barriers or dead ends and provide two of each. I also recommend sticking them in a tiny set up temporarily. See link below.
This website from Rodent Zone on how to stop gerbils de-clanning is what I used as my females started to de-clan.
www.rodentzone.com/how-do-i-stop-my-gerbils-declanning/
Hamsters need just as much bedding as gerbils. Just so you know!😃
Hi munchie, I have two gerbils and I have them in a gerbilarium tank that is 345sq inches.
I give them toilet roll tubes and wood chews. And I have coconut hides for them. Is the natures touch a suitable food for them
I am open to any advice
Hi I would maybe upgrade the cage!!! My hamster lives in a 1010in cage!! No hate though!!
Is that a 20 gallon?
hi, that amount of space is not very big so i would upgrade the enclosyre
@@ellieandcamlife thank you for the advice I dont really have space for bigger.
@@negan1445 no it's a tank with three levels in not sure on what brand
You say hamsters don't require a lot of bedding unlike gerbils, could you clarify what you mean by that? I agree that gerbils need a lot of bedding, but i don't see why (syrian) hamsters would need less? They are both burrowing species and imo they should both have at least(!) 10-12" of bedding.
edit: I also really wouldn't recommend a 20 gal for gerbils, they are very active animals so a 40 gallon breeder is a much better minimum. And please don't use 8" wheels for fully grown gerbils, that is not healthy for them.
Hamster should still have at least 6 inches of bedding but it is more important for gerbils to have lots of bedding because they spend a lot of time underground and more is always better. I recommend at lest 10 inches, and use a few different types of bedding such as paper bedding, Aspen wood shavings and hay. both animals should have a lot of bedding though and remember more is better.
To sum it up hamsters in the wild are two feet underground. Gerbils are 5 ft underground. They require a lot more due to their activity levels and spending the majority of their time underground. Gerbils also come out during the day unlike hamsters which come out at night but usually on the surface to forge. Gerbils remain underground usually but will surface, just not as often.
A much different lifestyle is what I am comparing the bedding to.
@@MunchiesPlace I understand why gerbils need a lot of bedding, i completely agree on that part. But the fact that syrian hamsters "only" burrow 2 feet (actually 3.5 feet) in the wild, does not explain why they don't need a lot of bedding, which is what you said in your video.
Why not give 10-12 inches to both of them? As an example: Lets say hamsters would only burrow 10 inches deep in the wild. Would that mean they dont need a lot of bedding? Or does it mean we should give our hamsters 10 inches of bedding so they're happy?
You probably saw some other comments criticizing some other things as well. Like 8 inch wheels being too small, 20 gallon tanks being too small and wire/mesh floors not being good. I hope you can learn to take that criticism and advice to improve your own care.
Absolutely amazing. Looking into getting two gerbils. As goes outside my usual remit of owning scorpions.
I feel the 20gal tank is a happy medium of mixing cage and tank.
Are plastic tunnels a real bad idea. And just use ceramic ones instead. I live her in the UK 🇬🇧
So hello American folk.
Please drink more tea :) lol.
I have 3 Gerbils.Before they lived together in the same tank, but like you said someday suddenly two of them attacked each other.It was really horrible.We also have a tank now which is 120cm long and 70cm wide.They seem much more relxed in there.
How many gerbils could you have in a 55 gallon tank?