This is a very, very quick guide to gerbil care, more comprehensive guides are shown in the links page.
Gerbils naturally burrow tunnels, and sleep underground. Deep substrate is the most important part of having a healthy happy gerbil. Therefore the best habitat you can provide for your gerbils is a fish tank, with a wire mesh lid. You can find cheap second hand tanks in many places including gumtree, ebay, and classified ads. It's also worth asking at your local pet shop, and car boot sales are magic as you can often pick them up for next to nothing. (And as you don't need it to be watertight, you can get damaged tanks that other people regard as junk!) The wire mesh lids can be easily made, and wilkinsons is currently selling perfect 13mm x13mm squared cage mesh for under £5! They also sell 80l clear storage tubs for £7 that can be made into a cheap, easily moved gerbil tank with ease!
Now you have the tank sorted, you need to fill it at least 7-8 inches high with bedding (wood shavings being the cheapest and easiest sourced option) so your gerbils can burrow and tunnel to their hearts content!
As for toys, plastic is a big no! Gerbils are avid chewers and if ingested the plastic can make them very ill. Wooden toys are they best, as they can provide cover and chew toys all in one! Gerbils adore cardboard and paper! Toilet and kitchen roll tubes are ready made gerbil toys, and they'll love boxes and anything else! Try to give them cardboard as often as possible to prevent them getting bored.
Commercial gerbil foods can be bought from most pet stores. Ones specifically for gerbils are much better than ones for all rodents, as they're specially designed for a gerbils nutrition value. We recommend Gerri Gerbil or Burgess Excel Supa Gerbil. Also remember that fresh foods can and should be given as a treat around once a week, in small around 2cm pieces, but foods with high water content should be avoided.
Gerbils should always be picked up via being "scooped" a hand from either side, scooping the gerbil up from below. Grabs from above can spook them easily. To get your gerbil used to you, rub your hands in its bedding to get its scent and sit with your hand perfectly still in the tank. The gerbil may nibble you to taste you, but try not to pull your hand away an spook it. Never, under any circumstances handle your gerbil by its tail. They are very fragile, and the skin can even come off. Gerbils that are difficult to handle that need to be moved can be picked up by holding a jar in front of them, being naturally curious they should run inside, and you can then let them come out onto you of their own accord.
