Habitat

Gerbils need an enriched environment that is safe and also easy to clean. There are many options available to gerbil owners. Each type of housing has its advantages and disadvantages. On the right side of this page is a quick overview of the pros and cons to each of the commercially availabe cage types.

My Personal Preference

I recommend using a glass aquarium, at about 5 gallons per gerbil. Remember that the footprint of the tank (lenght x width) is more important than the depth (hieght) of the tank, especially in the larger tanks. For instanct a 20 gallon high, is 24L x 12W x 16H, while a 20 gallon long is 30L x 12W x 12H. The extra six inches give the gerbils 72 additional square inches to romp around in. Deep tanks do have their advantages in that they can have very deep layers of bedding for the gerbils to tunnel in. Should take the dimensions of the aquarium into consideration and decide what your gerbils might enjoy more.