Gerbils don't stick to routine sleeping schedules. They often sleep for an hour or two at a time, and then they're up for an hour or two. This cycle occurs throughout the day and night. However, gerbils who are raised in captivity do tend to adapt to human sleeping schedules much easier. Just like any other pet, gerbils must be seen by a veterinarian on a regular schedule. These routine veterinary checks are important for keeping your pet healthy and happy.
Evan Ware is a veterinary practitioner in Phoenix, Arizona. His areas of expertise include orthopedic medicine and surgery, veterinary oncology and chemotherapy, and general and advanced soft-tissue surgery. This content is intended for counseling purposes only. No claims are made as to the safety or efficacy of mentioned preparations. You are encouraged to speak with your prescriber as to the appropriate use of any medication. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.
About Human Health Careers Contact. Customer Care : Create an Online Account. Refill and Renew Pet Prescriptions Ordering your pet's prescription drugs from Wedgewood Pharmacy is safe, and convenient. Have a new prescription from your vet? Thinking About Getting a Gerbil as a Pet? About the Author Dr. Cup your hands together, with fingers pressed closely together, and let your gerbil climb onto your hands.
Having him in a corner will prevent him from running away from you during your attempt to pick him up. You may want to encourage your gerbil to climb onto your hands by holding a few small treats.
Pick up your gerbil. When your gerbil is in your hands, slowly lift him up. Compared with other small pets, gerbils are not big fans of being picked up, so he will need some time to get used to the idea of being in the air.
Start by lifting him up only about one inch 2. As your gerbil settles in to the idea of being picked up, gradually lift him up high enough to lift him out of his cage. Do not lift him too high—he could seriously injure himself if he jumps from a high height. If your gerbil does not want to climb onto your hands, encourage him to run into an empty toilet paper tube or plastic cup. Cover the open end s with your hand s and lift him up out of the cage.
Let your gerbil move around. It may be tempting to hold your gerbil close to your chest and keep him still. However, the best thing you can do is give him the freedom to crawl on your hands and arms. Place your gerbil gently back down in his cage to give him time to rest from being picked up.
Part 3. Do not pick up your gerbil by his tail. This cannot be emphasized enough! Gerbils have very thin skin on their tails. If you try to lift him up by his tail, the skin would slip off of his tail, exposing the bones. Otherwise, the damaged portion of the tail would slough off. In the wild, this allows gerbils to slip away from predators that grab them by the tail.
Refrain from picking up your gerbil from above. In the wild, a predator bird will swoop down from overhead and scoop up a gerbil with its claws.
Avoid placing your gerbil on his back. When you have picked up your gerbil, do not try to lay him on his back in your hand. In the wild, gerbils typically do not lie down with their bellies in the air. If you try to put your gerbil in this position, it will feel very uncomfortable to him. He may struggle so much to get out of the position that he injures himself.
Do not punish your gerbil. If your gerbil starts to nibble at your hand or looks like he wants to jump, do not punish him by yelling at him or flicking his nose. Instead, give him a gentle puff of air. You will, therefore, need both time and patience to get them past this, and comfortable in your hand.
Step One — It is important to recognize that on first coming to your home your gerbil may be unsettled. They will have moved from an environment they were comfortable in into a new unfamiliar one in your home. For this reason, you should allow your gerbil a few days to settle in before starting the bonding process. Step Two — Once your gerbil seems settled into their new home you can slowly introduce your hand into their cage.
Start slowly by placing your hand into their cage door and gradually move it further inside. Do not attempt to touch your gerbil at this point, but do let them sniff at your hand should they choose to. Step Three — It is entirely possible that if you leave your palm facing upwards in the cage that your gerbil will walk on to it without encouragement.
However, if this does not happen you can try placing a tasty treat in your palm to entice them. You should still not attempt to stroke your gerbil at this point. Rather, you should simply let them walk on and off your hand and realize that you pose no threat. Step Four — Once your gerbil has become used to touching you with its paws, you can try gently stroking them. If you want to know how to get a gerbil to let you hold it, the most important thing is trust. It may panic, which means you could end up being bitten.
When gerbils first enter a new home, they are immediately on edge. It will take at least a few days for your gerbil to feel happy in its new environment. According to the University of Texas , gerbils use scent-glands to mark their territory. At the same time, your gerbil needs time to get used to your presence. You are, after all, a stranger to your gerbil. For example, you could choose the family room, home office, or bedroom.
As thoroughly as you wash, gerbils have sensitive noses and will be able to detect your underlying smell. So, along with the sight of you, your gerbil needs to get used to your scent. You can also place an object that carries your smell — like a sweater — near the cage not inside. That way, it will get used to your voice. After some time, your gerbil will start to act more comfortable around you.
Depending on your gerbil, this may take between 24 hours and 1 week. They might come up to the edge of the enclosure to see you when you approach. When you reach in to feed your gerbil, it may come up and sniff your hand.
Let it sniff you and climb over your hand if they want to. In the first few days, offer your gerbil a treat every time you come into the room. Start by dropping the treat into the cage. As your gerbil becomes more comfortable with you, move on to offering the treat from your fingertips.
Eventually, you can place the treat in your palm, and your gerbil will climb you to retrieve it. Some options for gerbil treats are:. According to PeerJ , gerbils fed a diet high in sugar and fat can become obese. This can affect metabolism and hormone function. After a few days of following our above advice, your gerbil should be comfortable around you.
But when it comes to handling your gerbil, there is a specific way you should do it.
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