Make sure you have the right supplies before you buy gerbils
Cage
15 gallon aquariums and larger are recommended. 20 gallon aquariums are ideal (although harder to clean) as they give your gerbils lots of space. We don't recommend pet store plastic/wire cages as it gets messy quick, as the gerbils throw the bedding out, and the gerbils will chew on the bars which is bad for their teeth.
Lid
If you have gotten a glass aquarium you need a lid and you can almost always find a wire aquarium topper at your local pet store.
Bedding
Aspen shavings and soft paper bedding fluff are recommended materials, found in most pet stores . Pine and cedar shavings are bad for small animals lungs.
Wheel
You will need a wheel your gerbils can get their energy out on especially in 15 gallons aquariums. To sum it up there are two kinds of wheels you can chose from: A plastic wheel or a metal wheel. both of them have their pluses and minuses. The plastic wheel is great for younger gerbils because their claws and tails wont get stuck. But the metal wheel is usually quite large so the gerbils can't out grow it. This wheel also provides extra track and is chew proof.
Water bottle and Holder
Gerbils do not drink much, unlike humans, as they're originally desert animals. But it's important that they always have fresh water. A water bottle with a metal holder is essential.
Food and bowl
Unless you have your gerbil on a special diet, the brand of food you get doesn't really matter, but personally we recommend mixing two different bags of quality gerbil-specific food together. Make sure you get a bowl that is chew proof, either glass, clay or metal.
Chew toys
Gerbils, like all other rodents, need to chew things to keep their teeth from growing to long. Luckily you don't have to buy anything to get chew toys. You can use lots of items from home that you usually have to recycle. For example you can give them toilet paper tubes, paper with no dye or cardboard boxes.
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