Bedding
Libby Hanna
and Cathy Bickel
There are several kinds of bedding that are safe for gerbils: aspen, kiln-dried pine, and paper beddings such as Carefresh or Kaytee Clean & Cozy. The paper-based beddings will generally be dustier.
Cedar bedding can cause respiratory problems and liver damage, as can pine bedding that has not been kiln-dried. These types of bedding were once state of the art and recommended by pet stores, but are no longer considered safe as more has been learned about the health risks associated with them. Scoopable cat litter is not an appropriate gerbil bedding.
Aspen and kiln-dried pine are well-tolerated by most gerbils, but occasionally a gerbil will not be happy with a certain bedding, leading to repeated infections as she rubs her nose. In this case, experimentation will be needed to see what bedding she can have. Some gerbil owners report luck with torn-up pieces of paper or corncob bedding.
GerbILARIUMS
Showcase of various custom cages built for gerbils.
Be sure the size and type of cage is manageable and one you can keep clean. It's not all about size. Gerbils need stimulation and ideally time to explore out of the cage: gerbils love to run, climb, dig, nest, take dust baths, tunnel and chew.
