GerbilsWritten and Illustrated by

Sydney

DIETGerbils are vegetariansThat means they only eat plants no meat at all. Gerbils eat a ton of food like: corn, oats, pumpkin seeds, roots, bristle grass, leaves, berries, small fruits, wheat, white grass, seeds, grains and sometimes they even eat small nuts in the wild.

WEIGHT Gerbils don't have much weight. If you were blind folded and someone handed you an average adult gerbil it would feel like you were holding a chicken egg pups (baby gerbils) weight only like half a pound that’s like a cherry seed!

Baby Gerbils

COME FROM WHERE ?

Have you wondered were gerbils come from? They are desert animals so they live in hot places like: Asia, Africa and Mongolia.

Desert Gerbil

WATERWhen Gerbils are in cages they need water from a water bottle. Not dishes or bowls or any other things like that. They are desert animal so they don’t need that much water but it is important that they have freshwater

BUYING A GERBIL It is not hard to find a gerbil. You can buy one at a pet shop or a breeder or someone who accidentally bought a gerbil and does not need it and if you’re lucky you may even find one in the wild. But when you buy a gerbil it is important to know what breed it is. Here are some breeds: Golden Agouti, Dove, Albino, White Spot, Peppermint, Black and Cinnamon.

BIRTH Gerbils are born the same way as you. They are mammals which means they don't lay eggs. They are born blind, deaf, toothless, defenceless and have no fur. Baby gerbils are called pups. The mother gerbil will have up to 3-6 pups in a litter. The mother gerbil has 10-16 pups and then can't have any more.

Two Day Old Gerbils

LIFESPANGerbils have a short life they live a bit longer than fish. An average gerbil will live up to 2-5 years the longest a gerbil have lived is eight years it died in 1973. So take good care of your gerbil.

Old Gerbil

CAGES Cages need a ton of things. For the bottom of the cage to let your gerbil run around on instead of glass so for the bottom you need either dirt shredded wood or shredded paper. The cage needs to be made of glass no bars because they will try to stick their head and body through the bars which could cause bleeding bruises or even death itself. They also need stuff to play with so buy toys. They also need food and water so buy a food dish don’t just through the food all over the cage. They need a water bottle not a dish because it can get dirty. There should also be a top for the cage because they will escape if they have a chance

BEHAVIOUR Do you wonder why gerbils bite? They either bite because they think your fingers food, you smell weird or their frightened and bite in defence. Do you ever wonder why gerbils stand on their hind legs well here are some reasons Curiosity, Frightened or you’re holding something above their nose

The Gerbil Is Curious

TEETHGerbils have four long teeth two on the top and two on the bottom. They use them to chew and crack open nuts Teeth

APPEARANCE

Gerbils are just like rats or mice except tamer. They have whiskers on their snout, a little nose, short fur, a long tail and no ankles.

A Gerbil

CARE Gerbils need to be taken care of. They need freshwater every day. They also need a lot of food. When gerbils are left alone They need fresh water before you leave and a ton of food but you can only leave them alone for up to three days but if you really love your gerbil get a baby sitter who will take care of your gerbil every day but you have to pay the sitter.

SLEEPGerbils need a bed to sleep in just like you here are some things you can use for a bed: Hay, old grass, inside a coconut or twigs. Gerbils are nocturnal which means they sleep in day and awake at night the only way they can stay awake in the day is that if there is an activity.

HYGIENE Gerbils love to be clean they are one of the cleanest pets you can have but they don't bathe in water they bathe in dust it's called dust bathing. It cleans them from grease off their fur and gets their coat nice and shiny. You can use chinchilla dust. You can comb them but you must do it very softly