The 6 Best Gerbil Breeds For People Who Love Pets
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Pets are a huge part of many people’s lives, and for those of us who love them, there’s nothing better than having a furry friend by our side. However, not everyone is able to have a large pet like a dog, and it can be difficult to choose the perfect gerbil breed for your next pet.
If you’re thinking of getting a pet, there are many different gerbil breeds to choose from and each has its own unique personality and features that can suit your needs. It’s important to research which breeds are best suited for you.
Why Should I Get a Gerbil?
There are many reasons why you may want to get a gerbil as a pet. They are intelligent and playful creatures that can be great companions. They make great house pets, as they do not require a lot of space and can be kept in relatively small cages.
Gerbils are also fairly low-maintenance pets, requiring little in the way of care other than regular feeding, attention, and treats.
Gerbils are small rodents that typically live three to four years. They are easy to care for and do not require a lot of space, making them perfect for people who don’t have a lot of time to devote to walks, but still want a pet.
There are many different types of gerbils, and each one has its own unique personality traits.
What Are Gerbils?
Gerbils are a type of rodent that belongs to the Gerbillinae subfamily. There are around 110 species with different names, some that are classified in tribes and others with multiple genera. Gerbils were once classified as desert rats and included a variety of Asian rodents like jirds and sand rats.
Gerbils are most active throughout the day, and can easily adapt to different kinds of climates. So, which one is the best choice for you? Read on to find out!
Mongolian Gerbil Breed
The gerbils that originate from China are typically around six to twelve inches long, but there are a variety of colors and breeds available. These are among the most common breed of gerbil in the United States.
The Mongolian gerbil is a desert-dwelling rodent from Mongolia. They are typically grey, yellow, or brown and can have other colors in captivity-bred animals. They do well living in with another gerbil. However, they can live alone if given enough space, interaction, and enrichment.
Guinean Gerbil Breed
The Guinean gerbil is a type of rodent that originated in Guinea and can be found throughout West Africa. These animals are often grey-brown in color and are typically quite large, with bodies that can reach up to six inches tall and tails that measure seven inches long.
They have ears that are elongated, eyes that are large, and rounded snouts. Guinean gerbils enjoy living in both rocky areas as well as tropical dry forests and subtropical settings.
Fat-Tailed Gerbil Breed
The Fat-Tailed Gerbil is a type of gerbil that originated in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. These gerbils are generally about 6 to 12 inches long. They have a much shorter tail than the Mongolian Gerbil at an estimated 2 inches long and pretty much wider.
While the Fat-Tailed gerbil is known to be insectivorous, they can easily follow a strict diet like that set for a Mongolian Gerbil. Interestingly, the gerbil got its name due to the fact that they can store fat in their tail for “lean” times.
Fat-Tailed gerbils are burrowing animals that prefer soft bedding to tunnel through. A few inches of soft bedding, such as wood shaving, is a great option for them. Avoid pine and cedar because these types of woods can cause respiratory issues due to the fact they break off into small bits.
Pale Gerbil Breed
The Pale Gerbil is a small, pale gerbil originating in the northwestern part of Egypt. They have light orange fur with white underparts, and white on their feet and forelimbs. These gerbils are popular as pets and are considered good roommates due to their peaceful nature. They generally grow to about 11 inches long and weigh around 50 grams.
North African Gerbil Breed
North African Gerbils originate from their namesake – North Africa and generally grow anywhere from 6 to 12 inches. Their colors range from brown to orange-brown.
They are quiet and cool animals that have a distinctive white color on their cheeks and also a white throat. The total length of the body is only 60 percent of their complete length as their tail covers up to 40 percent of their overall length.
They can easily live alone without issues and you can adopt or purchase them in pairs so they have company to play with while you are not around.
Great Gerbil Breed
Great gerbils originate from Central Asia and are known to grow anywhere from 6 to 12 inches – the body alone can go up to 8 inches in total. Their physical look has a stand-out feature that sets them apart from the other gerbil breeds – their skulls have two grooves in each incisor.
In addition, they have large front claws, which they use to give them the pleasure of burrowing. They function well in groups even though they can live alone and being diurnal animals, they feed mostly on vegetable products. Their price range varies based on where you go to purchase your pet.
These are just a few of the best gerbil breeds for people who want a small pet. The gerbils presented here have some of the best characteristics you would want in a pet, such as being non-aggressive and rarely biting unless they feel threatened.
They do not cost a lot to care for and are easy to maintain with a suitable habitat, lots of enrichment, and great sustaining diet.
