How big do Gerbils get?

Question

Right now, my daughter has a dwarf hamster that is a few years old and it on it's last few months, I think. I am thinking of getting a gerbil for my daughter and was wondering how big they get. I'm trying to see if everything I have now, cage, and tubes will work. They are regular sized tubes. Do gerbils get about the same size or slightly bigger then a regular hamster.

Answer 1

females are the best gerbils to get, they tend to bite less and are smaller. they are normally smaller than a hammy, but thats not including the tail. CRITTERTRAIL's aren't a good cage, no matter if its 1,2, X or Z. you are best off with a plastic container or aquarium for a gerbil.

Answer 2

almost

Answer 3

Your cage should be fine NEVER put ur rodents in an aquarium because it is harder for the animals to get a good supply of air a gerbil will prolly be about the size of ur dwarf unless its a robo cause they are tiny

Answer 4

Gerbils are, typically, 2-4 ounces in weight. Their body is about 4 inches, with their tail about 4 inches long as well. They're small enough to hold in the palm of your hand. They don't get very big.

Please keep in mind that gerbils are social animals, and they should be kept in same s*x pairs. A pair of males or a pair of females will be fine. Males tend to be more laid back and less territorial, whereas females tend to be more active and more territorial. However, you could easily find an active male and laid back female. I, myself, have a pair of females and they adore each other. Gender is just a preference. Males have obvious testicles and tend to scent mark more, but other than that, males and females are pretty similar. It's not true that females bite less than males. It depends on the individual gerbil and how they're raised.

As for housing, I don't feel cages, especially the types with tubes, are a good choice. Gerbils need to chew, as their teeth grow continuously. They can and will chew on the plastic of cages. They could chew their way out. They can also chew on the wire bars of the cage, which can be very annoying. It could also cause hair loss on their nose if they chew on the bars enough. Gerbils are also big diggers. You can't put lots of bedding in a wire cage. Any bedding you do put in there will probably end up all over the floor. You'll find yourself vacuuming every day to keep their cage area clean. In my opinion, the best housing for gerbils is a tank with a mesh lid (found in the reptile section of the pet store). For a pair, I'd recommend a 15-20 gallon tank. This will give them plenty of room to run around and play. They're more active than hamsters are. You'll be able to give them lots of bedding, it won't end up all over the floor, they won't have any wire bars to chew on, and if the lid is secure, there's little chance of them escaping.

As for the air circulation, it's sufficient enough. I haven't heard of any complaints from gerbil owners that there isn't enough air circulation in their tanks. I have a tank for my gerbils, and I don't have a problem with it. In fact, I really love it. I have them in a 10 gallon tank (not the best) with a tank topper. I wish I could upgrade them to a 15-20 gallon tank, but I simply don't have the room to do that, so they're stuck with the tank they have.

Anyways, please keep in mind that gerbils require a little different care than hamsters. The basics are still pretty much the same. If you really want to get your daughter a gerbil, please get a same s*x pair. Also, please do your research BEFORE getting them. If you have any other questions, feel free to e-mail me. I'd be glad to try and help answer them.