Mongolian Gerbil Information

Mongolian Gerbil

The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is also called the "desert rat" because it is native to the desert. The Mongolian gerbil is a friendly and sociable animal that lives in family groups. In the wild, these animals inhabit the (semi-)deserts of Mongolia.

Head-body length : 10 to 12 cm
Body weight : 70 - 130 grams
Life expectancy : 3 - 5 years

Gerbils are very active animals that love to dig and gnaw. Therefore, it's important that the enclosure is designed for digging and that all components are gnaw-proof (aluminum/metal) or gnawable (wood). Plastic is best avoided for these animals.

Tame and familiarize yourself with the Mongolian Gerbil

Always do your research before deciding to get Mongolian gerbils. They make wonderful pets that are often awake, allowing you to see them during the day. This can be especially enjoyable for children. Mongolian gerbils are very friendly and curious, but they are not cuddly and don't enjoy being held. However, after a while, they will happily come to your hand for a treat and actively interact with their owner. Mongolian gerbils are very fast, which can make them difficult to handle, especially for children. Therefore, it's important that an adult is always present to help and support children handling the animals.

New pets should be approached calmly, especially at first. They need to become familiar with their own habitat and feel safe there before they dare to approach people. Of course, some daredevils will immediately approach you and be sociable, but most gerbils are a bit shy at first. Give them time and try to gently interact by talking to them. Giving them treats from their hands is often a good way to gain their trust.

Tip! Mongolian gerbils love pumpkin seeds!

Housing the Mongolian Gerbil

Mongolian gerbils are social animals that should be kept together. In the wild, they live in colonies with a strict hierarchy. The best combination consists of two animals of the same sex, for example, two males or two females. When young, they are relatively easy to pair, but as they get older, it becomes much more difficult.

Mongolian gerbils require a spacious enclosure of at least 100 x 50 cm for two animals. Each additional animal requires 20% to 25% additional floor space. A good enclosure allows the animals to exhibit their natural behavior. In the wild, gerbils build elaborate burrows, and they prefer to continue doing so in captivity. Gerbils have an extensive burrow system. Their burrows in the wild are approximately 1 meter deep. The burrow depth depends on the ambient temperature. When the temperature rises, the gerbil will dig deeper underground to reach the cool earth, a kind of natural air conditioning.

Hamsterscaping is therefore great fun for Mongolian Gerbils.

In our home, this translates into a spacious enclosure with plenty of digging opportunities and a sandbox. A terrarium is the best choice for this, thanks to its enclosed nature. However, it's important that a terrarium allows for good ventilation, so preferably with two vents (top and bottom). This is especially important in summer when temperatures rise above 25°C.

A sandbox is important for gerbils; because they are desert dwellers, they quickly develop a greasy coat.

Mongolian gerbils do not tolerate high temperatures combined with high humidity. As desert dwellers, they are not accustomed to high humidity. An optimal humidity level for these animals is around 55%. A temperature between 20-24°C (68-75°F) and a humidity below 70% (100% humidity) are recommended. You can use a hygrometer to measure these levels.

House for Mongolian Gerbils

Mongolian gerbils are lucky! Many hamster houses are also a good size for them. They are prey animals and don't like to roam freely in their enclosures. If they occasionally find a hiding place they can escape into, they feel much safer. The best houses for gerbils are multi-chambered houses. It's important that there's a section of the house that's shielded from daylight. Therefore, we recommend at least one multi-chambered house in the enclosure, plus one house per animal. Gerbils like to sleep together, so at least one house in the enclosure should be large enough to accommodate the entire group.

Exercise wheel for a Mongolian Gerbil

The gerbil wheel is an important part of the gerbil enclosure's design. Gerbils are active animals that love to run. A wheel gives them the opportunity to burn off energy. It's important to consider the type of wheel, as not every wheel is suitable for a gerbil. Their long tails should be kept in mind, so a completely enclosed wheel is preferable. Of course, the running surface must be enclosed for all animals. Wheels with front panels are also unsuitable.

An exercise wheel for a Mongolian Gerbil should have a diameter of at least 28 cm and consist of a solid running surface.

Placing the exercise wheel in the enclosure can be challenging due to the high bedding. It's best to place it on a sturdy platform so the animals don't dig it up. Regarding the material, a metal (aluminum, very hard plastic) has the best chance of survival. A wooden exercise wheel is usually gnawed through quite quickly.

Bedding for the Mongolian Gerbil

It's important that the substrate is diggable for gerbils . This means they can create tunnels and burrows in it, which they prefer to leave intact. This can be achieved by choosing substrate that is already diggable or by mixing substrates to make them diggable. Examples of diggable substrates include humus and burrowing sand , as well as cotton and cotton . A good mix is a mix of cotton and hemp fiber , cotton and wood fiber, or a mix of wood fiber , hemp fiber, and hay. Substrates like Back 2 Nature are not suitable because the animals cannot dig in them. An ideal depth of the substrate for digging is around 30 to 40 cm.

Sand bath for gerbils

Gerbils should always have access to a sand bath . Gerbils' fur quickly becomes oily and therefore requires regular care with a sand bath. Sand has a degreasing and therefore cooling effect. Because sand is degreasing, it also has a drying effect. Therefore, animals with skin problems should not be given a sand bath. If the sand dries out the skin too much, it can become itchy, causing the animals to bathe even more. It is therefore important to monitor your gerbils' bathing habits and remove the sand bath if they notice any signs of skin problems (red patches, bald spots, scabs, or wounds).

Gerbils want to build a nest

Gerbils like to line their nests with soft nesting material . Nest-building is therefore a natural behavior for gerbils. Therefore, always provide gerbils with 15-25 grams of nesting material.

Gerbil nesting material should be soft, absorbent, and have brittle fibers so the animals can't get tangled in it. Materials like cotton, hemp, toilet paper, and hay are ideal.

Mongolian Gerbils food

Gerbils are granivores (seed eaters). Their diet consists primarily of seeds and a small amount of plant matter such as herbs , as well as animal protein. Gerbils catch small insects in the wild, so it's beneficial for their diet to also contain animal protein.

The Gerbil's stomach is simple and the cecum and colon are not particularly well developed, which is consistent with animals that in the wild eat mainly low-fiber foods such as seeds.

Growing gerbils effectively eat approximately 5 to 6 grams of dry food per day, or 8 to 10 g of food per 100 g of body weight. Gerbils drink approximately 4 to 10 ml of water per 100 g of body weight per day. Total daily water intake (including water in food and metabolic water) is estimated at 8 to 13 percent of body weight.

An optimal protein percentage for growing gerbils appears to be 16%. A magnesium or sodium deficiency can cause baldness and convulsions in gerbils.

The percentage of crude fiber in the diet should be a maximum of 10% for optimal digestibility and absorption of the diet.

Because gerbils naturally inhabit dry areas, they are very frugal with water. Gerbils don't drink much and produce little urine. However, they should always have access to fresh, clean drinking water.

Protein: Gerbils need animal protein. Their diet should contain 14-15% protein. This can be supplemented with, for example, mealworms as a snack. Animal protein is essential for a healthy metabolism.

Fat: Gerbil food should not contain too much fat. A fat content of up to 4% is ideal. Gerbils are prone to obesity. Therefore, it's important that the diet contains no more than 4% fat.

Fiber: The fiber content of the diet should not exceed 7%. Gerbils need easily digestible energy because they have a fast metabolism. This is primarily obtained from seeds. A high fiber content does not provide enough energy.

Calcium: The calcium:phosphorus ratio should be between 1.1:1 and 1.5-1.

Incisors: They continue to grow, so the feed must ensure the necessary tooth wear. The hardness, size, and type of feed particles are important factors.

Stomach: The stomach consists of a single chamber and is separated by a mucous membrane into a glandless and a glandular part.

Small Appendix: Gerbils have a small appendix. This limits their ability to process crude fiber. Therefore, a diet with a crude fiber content of less than 10% is optimal.

Animal proteins: Granivorous (seed-eating) animals require animal proteins. The valuable amino acids are important for cell renewal and various metabolic processes.

Gnawing material to wear down the teeth

Mongolian gerbils have a very strong natural urge to gnaw. This is because gerbils are rodents and have continuously growing incisors. Therefore, gerbils need something to gnaw on to wear down their teeth. If gerbils don't have enough opportunities to wear down their teeth, they can become overgrown or crooked, with all the consequences that entails.

Rodents use gnawing wood to wear down their teeth. Because rodents' teeth grow continuously, they need to be gnawed regularly to prevent them from growing too long and crooked.

Most gerbils actively gnaw on gnawing wood. However, it's a matter of taste and, on the other hand, a matter of need. If a gerbil doesn't have a need to gnaw because its teeth stay long thanks to food, hay, or other gnawing materials, it will gnaw on gnawing wood less often. It's a good idea to always offer natural gnawing wood so the animals can gnaw whenever they feel the need.

Dental problems in gerbils

If you notice your gerbil eagerly trying to grab food but then not eating it, there might be something wrong with its teeth. Drooling can also indicate dental problems. If you suspect dental problems, it's best to contact your veterinarian.

Reproduction of the Mongolian Gerbil

Mongolian Gerbils are social animals, both parents care for the young until they become independent from the 18th day onwards.

The female is in heat and ready to mate every four days. This lasts about 12 hours. If a successful mating occurs on these days, the young are born after about 24 days.

The difference between males and females can be seen in the distance between the genital opening and the anus. In males, this distance is greater than in females. Males also have a visible scent gland on their abdomen.

Sexually mature : females after 4-6 weeks, males after 6-7 weeks
Breeding ready : females after 8-10 weeks, males after 10-12 weeks
Number of litters : 3-4 per year
Litter size : 7 (max. 12) young ones per litter
Gestation period : 15-18 days
Birth weight : 2-3 g, nestlings
Weaning period : from week 4

Mongolian Gerbil Health

Mongolian gerbils are generally healthy and strong animals. The most common health problems are dental problems, obesity, and epilepsy, which can develop at a young age. An epileptic seizure is triggered by stress. The animals will lie very still and flat on the ground, their whiskers twitching, ears flapping, front paws extended, and eyes moving rapidly.

We also recommend regularly checking the animals' teeth to detect any dental problems early. To prevent digestive problems, a good, balanced, and complete gerbil diet is essential.

Preventative treatment with parasite preventative measures is not necessary. Supplemental vitamin supplementation is not necessary when feeding a complete gerbil diet.

Animals that drink and urinate too much may have kidney disease or diabetes.

Unfortunately, gerbils also carry a disease that can be contagious to humans, called Tizzer's Disease. This is an infectious disease caused by Clostridium Piliforme. You can recognize this by the animals' rough coats, lethargy, and residing in one spot in their enclosure. They lose weight and eat poorly or not at all. It's important to recognize this early, as only early treatment can save the animals. Young, old, and weakened animals can die from it quite quickly. The disease is also contagious to other rodents, such as hamsters, rabbits, rats, etc.

It is advisable to consult a veterinarian if the following symptoms occur:

Dental problems

Drooling, runny nose and eyes, protruding teeth, not eating, losing weight, eating foreign materials that are softer than food.

Skin

Bald spots, lots of scratching, scabs, wounds, bumps and lumps.

Other

Wet and dirty bottom, drinking a lot, falling over, listlessness, different shape and color of the droppings

For extensive information on rodent care, see LICG