Okay so here are the advantages and disadvantages of cages and tanks.
Tanks:
More space for bedding
Gerbils can't kick the bedding out!
Nicer for viewing.
Cages:
Some say they have more ventilation but as long has the tank has a mesh lid then the ventilation is fine. Gerbilariums have cage tops and are great also. I would say that tanks and gerbilariums are superior to cages. I have a tank with shelves called 'Critter's Choice'.
Here is a great video on tank and cage choices:
For handling gerbils it is best to do it quickly and calmly so you don't stress the gerbil. Lay one hand flat in front and one hand flat behind the gerbil. Quickly form a cup shape, securely holding your gerbil. If you haven't held your gerbil much before, then try holding it above the cage so that if it escapes your hands, it only has it's bedding to fall on. Here is a very useful video on how to do this:
This will be useful for if you are choosing gerbils from the pet store or just doing a routine health check on the gerbils you already own. Firstly I will cover the physical condition of the gerbil and later the behavior.
Check the coat. The coat should be even, with no patches of missing fur. If there are patches of fur loss and scabs, this could be down to mites so seek vet help. Remember that weekly baths in chinchilla sand help maintain a healthy coat!
Check the eyes. The eyes should be bright and shiny without discharge. Red colored discharge could indicate an eye infection, so visit a vet if you notice any discharge.
Check the nose. There shouldn't be any fur loss or discharge. This could be a nose infection or just an allergy so vet help would be needed here to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Check the teeth. How? You don't need to be opening your gerbil's mouth (that could cause injury if not done properly) but you can observe them when eating or gnawing to see if there's any discomfort. Because gerbils are rodents there teeth constantly grow so it is essential to have plenty of wooden gnaw toys (and bridges etc) for your gerbil to wear it's teeth down on. If you suspect your gerbil has overgrown teeth, you can give it a lot more gnaw toys. If you think it is really bad, then you can contact a vet because sometimes their teeth will have to be worn down professionally if it is left too long for your gerbil to wear them down naturally.
Check the ears. There shouldn't be obvious blockage. This, spinning in circles, cuts around the ears (from scratching) and the 'head tilt' could be signs of an ear infection so once again if you suspect this, contact a vet.
Check the nails. These will most likely be fine, wooden and rock gnaw toys help to stop nails becoming over grown. If you do however feel that your gerbils nails are overgrown you should not cut them yourself, it is hard to cut them right without causing injury, so again if you are really worried contact a vet, but plenty of rock and wooden toys should keep them down.
Behavior - Gerbils are naturally very alert animals (you will probably noticed). They are inquisitive and will come to your hand when you put it in the cage. Gerbils often get scared and dart for there nest if there is a loud noise or someone runs past them. If your gerbil is not behaving like this and appears to have very little reactions, you must contact a vet as it is probably ill.
Please bear in mind that this is a general health check and so does not over everything that could go wrong with your gerbil. None the less I hope I have helped.
Gerbils can be found in the sandy plains of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Gerbils are rodents, this means they have large chisel-like incisors which constantly grow through out their whole life! (this is why it is essential that gerbils have lots of safe wood to gnaw on!)
Gerbils have long tails that are used for balance and can be shed if caught by a predator! (Never pick up a gerbil by it's tail)
Gerbils love to burrow and have sharp claws to do so (in the wild they have been known to build extensive tunnel networks to protect themselves from predators).
The life expectancy of a gerbil is 2-3 years (although they can live longer!).
Gerbils naturally travel in groups, this is why its best to have more than one gerbil. Remember that gerbils that are kept together should be siblings (brothers with brothers or sisters with sisters!) or they could fight aggressively
Gerbils have well adapted kidneys meaning they produce little waste and conserve water, this makes them a low odour pet (although their cages should still be cleaned weekly with pet safe disinfectant!)
Gerbils are bad swimmers meaning you should never put a gerbil in water (They need chinchilla sand and a bowl to bathe, not water!)
It is normal for gerbils to sleep on and groom each other!
It is important that gerbils water gets changed daily as well as being fed their balanced food once a day ( a teaspoon per gerbil).
Gerbils bedding also needs to be changed weekly ( I recommend wood shavings for bedding however try to stay clear of ceder based products!) Video on this:
Stranger gerbils are easiest added together when they are young (the younger the better) and it is often easier to put two males together because females may end up fighting when they get older if they don't to begin with, although this can happen with males too. It is a bad idea to add new gerbils to a already established group - it is difficult to get a new gerbil accepted by a colony, even with this method. When introducing gerbils to each other they should be carefully monitored.Be careful when introducing stranger gerbils, it is often a challenging process and requires patience.
The time it takes gerbils to accept each other through the split cage method varies on the gerbils, it can take days or weeks to be successful. This is why it is important that this process is not rushed.
How To Make A Split Cage (and when to take it away)
To make a split tank you will need:
An aquarium (10, 20 gallon etc.)
Metal wire mesh (can be bought from hardware stores)
Pencil, Wire Cutters & Saw
1 cm squared lengths of wood (needs to be able to make 9 lengths for the split)
Aquarium sealant
Tape measure or ruler, sanding paper
The lengths of wood are cut almost to the height of the tank, sanded and glued in three layers with the aquarium sealant. This way you can have two layers of mesh (cut with wire cutters & filed to get rid of sharp bits!) put in between the gaps.
If the aquarium didn't come come with a well ventilated (ideally mesh) lid then you can make one with the mesh you bought previously.
When to remove the mesh partitions:
To acheive maximum interaction between the gerbils, the less toys in their tanks the better. Also put their nests directly either side of the split. It is essential that they still have access to fresh water and their regular food!
They should be switched over regularly so they spend time in both sides of the tank.
Signs that one partition can be removed are: trying to groom each other through the tank, being relaxed when switching sides and sleeping very closely between the partition. When these signs are clear, try removing one partition (sheet of mesh) so there is only one sheet of mesh dividing them. When they are sleeping in the same nest and the signs mentioned previously continue clearly then remove the final partition. They should get on fine but they should be very closely monitored until you are sure. Don't overload the tank with toys and such, this way they have less to be territorial about!
