Buyer question
Is a gerbil good for beginners?
Yes: our Animal Library rates the Gerbil 5 out of 5 for beginners (excellent first rodent).
Source: the Agouti gerbil page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Gerbil in the Animal Library
The detail
The agouti, or golden agouti, is the wild-type Mongolian gerbil: sandy brown with ticked fur, a pale belly and dark eyes. It is curious, rarely bites and is easy to keep, and like every gerbil it needs a same-sex companion and deep bedding to dig in.
- Best fit
- Families, first-time pet owners
- Handling
- 4 out of 5 (Curious, rarely bites)
- Care load
- 2 out of 5 (Dry, low-odor, easy)
What to weigh
Gerbils chew through plastic and need deep, dusty-free bedding to dig, so a wire-topped tank beats a pet-store cage. Adults are hard to introduce, so buy a pair raised together.