La Gerbille
Longevity: 3-5 years
Weight: 70-80g
Habitat:
- Crate structure: composed of a deep glass container and a screened part on top.
- Substrate: The litter must be of good thickness because the gerbil digs, makes tunnels… A recycled paper litter can be used. It can only be changed every 2 to 3 weeks because gerbils produce very little urine.
- Cage enrichment: Hiding places must be made available as well as a container filled with sand so that the gerbil can wash.
- Hygrometry: The environment should not be too humid (about 50% humidity), in order to avoid health problems.
Behaviour:
The gerbil is a diurnal animal.
Gerbils live in groups and are monogamous animals (a pair forms for life). It is therefore not necessary to adopt a gerbil alone. Be careful though, they are very prolific animals, so sterilization is recommended. It is also advisable to have as many males as females, to avoid fights between individuals.
Handling:
Gerbils should not be held by their tails, as they can break. They are very lively animals: they can be caught in a towel, then held with the index and middle finger around the head and the other fingers around the body. Be careful, restraint can be stressful for them.
Reproduction:
Gerbils reach sexual maturity at 10-12 weeks for males and 10-18 weeks for females. Gestation lasts 24 to 26 days. Gerbils can have 6 to 8 cubs per litter and up to 9 litters per year!
Feed:
Gerbils can be fed golden hamster pellets. Be careful not to give fruit, sweets... because they digest simple sugars very badly, and can therefore have diarrhea.
contact@vetosud.com
Vetosud Veterinary Clinic
96 Avenue Carnot
11100 Narbonne
04-68-65-04-05
