This guide covers Mongolian gerbils, Meriones unguiculatus. Their home should let them build burrows, chew and live with compatible gerbil companions.
Start with a stable pair
Choose an established compatible same-sex pair or harmonious group, ideally already bonded. Do not add an unfamiliar adult to a settled group. Introductions and a surviving lone gerbil need advice from a gerbil-experienced rescue or vet, rather than an improvised meeting. Check sex before acquisition to prevent unwanted breeding.
Room above and below ground
Blue Cross recommends at least a 100 × 40 cm floor area for two to four gerbils. Its example is 40 cm tall; RSPCA guidance suggests around 50 cm height to accommodate 20–30 cm of bedding while leaving room above it. Plan enough total height for both tunnelling and standing upright, and choose a larger setup where possible.
Use a secure, ventilated gerbilarium with solid sides and floor and a mesh top. A shallow cage with a thin litter layer is not equivalent. Keep it indoors, dry, away from direct sun and draughts.
Burrowing and enrichment
Use suitable dust-extracted digging bedding with hay and cardboard to help tunnels hold their shape. Supply safe chew items and a gerbil-safe sand bath, not fine bathing dust. Avoid fluffy nesting material and plastic items that can be shredded and swallowed.
Food and everyday checks
Provide balanced gerbil-specific pellets or nuggets, modest suitable fresh-food additions and constant clean water. Scatter part of the normal ration for foraging; check bottles for damage and blockages. Remove spoiled food and soiled bedding, preserving some dry, unsoiled familiar material during cleaning.
Support the body close to a surface when handling; never lift a gerbil by its tail. Reduced eating, discharge, lethargy or other changes in normal condition warrant veterinary advice.
Sources checked
Guide copy checked on 2026-11-08. This is a source-based editorial review, not independent veterinary review.