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 Taking on a gerbil as a pet is a commitment and should not be taken lightly. It will need attention, daily care and veterinary treatment if the gerbil should become ill.
Buying a Gerbil from a Breeder
If buying a gerbil the best place to buy is always directly from a reputable breeder. Gerbil breeders may be located through gerbil clubs or advertisements for gerbils for sale.
The advantages of buying directly from a breeder is that breeding has usually been carefully planned and thought through with regard to producing robust, healthy gerbils of good temperament. Many breeders will also offer some form of guarantee contracting to take the gerbil back if not suitable. Unfortunately the same cannot always be said for gerbils sold in pet shops where the history of the gerbils for sale is often unknown.
Some breeders of gerbils also show their gerbils and so breed towards producing a good healthy show gerbil with a view to keeping one or two themselves so quality and temperament is of vital importance when planning their breeding.
Although breeders of show gerbils have usually carefully planned the breeding of their gerbils, there are also owners who have bred their pet gerbils. These may be the result of a planned or unplanned pregnancy but the gerbils have usually been well cared for and handled.
Buying a gerbil direct from the breeder means that there is the opportunity to see the parents and know the date of birth of the gerbil(s) that it is intended to purchase.
Unfortunately not all private breeders are reputable - there are breeders who, whilst not "commercial" take on gerbil breeding as a financial hobby and as such their main aim is quantity rather than quality.
Buying a Gerbil from a Rescue Home
Another option when seeking a gerbil as a pet is to obtain a gerbil from a rescue home. Many gerbils, both young and old, unfortunately become abandoned or homeless through no fault of their own every year.
Rescue homes usually assess the gerbil's behaviour and health on arrival and ensure it receives any necessary veterinary treatment before offering for rehoming.
The background, exact age or breeding details of gerbisl in Rescue homes are often not know. However, unless the intention is to show or breed then rescue gerbils should be considered.
Depending on the rescue organisation they may require the completion of a series of forms, interviews or even a home visit to assess suitabilty as a potential gerbil owner. Their primary concern is to ensure the correct placement of the gerbils in their care with a suitable new owner.
Buying a Gerbil from a Pet Shop
Gerbils are often available in pet shops. These gerbils are unlikely to have come from a reputable show breeder and are most likely to have come from a pet owner with an unplanned pregnancy or from commercial gerbil farms. There is some risk as to whether these gerbils will be of good good temperament or health as the parents cannot be seen and often little or no information can be given about their background or breeding.
It is no fun buying a unhealthy, weakly gerbil and then dealing with the problems this presents afterwards - it can cause a lot of heartache so it is essential to find a good healthy gerbil. Should any pet shop or the health of the gerbils offered for sale cause concern they can be reported to an Animal Welfare organisation or local authority if the conditions warrant it.
The best place always to buy a gerbil is directly from a private or hobbyist breeder but this may not always be possible and therefore many gerbil owners buy their first gerbil from a pet shop.
The advantages of buying from a private or hobbyist breeder is that breeding has usually been carefully planned and thought through with regard to producing robust, healthy gerbils of good temperament. They are not the result of commercial breeding of mass numbers of gerbils. You will also have the opportunity to see the parents and know the date of birth of the gerbil you intend to purchase. Private and hobbyist breeders regularly handle their babies and so any gerbils they sell are used to being handled. Unfortunately the same cannot always been said for gerbils sold in pet shops that have come from commercial breeders.
If you are buying a gerbil from a pet shop what should you look for? How do you tell a good pet shop from a bad one? The first impression of the pet shop will usually indicate their standards. A clean, tidy shop is often a good indication that the shop owners take pride in their shop and therefore are likely to take pride in the gerbils they sell. An untidy or dirty shop is best avoided.
It is always a good idea to find out about gerbils before you go looking for one. You can then ask information from the pet shop staff and this will give you a good indication of whether they are actually knowledgeable about the gerbils they are selling. Males and females should be housed in separate cages and staff should be able to tell the sex of the gerbils they are selling.
If you are not satisfied with the pet shop, their knowledge or their gerbils, walk out and find another one. It is no fun buying a unhealthy, pregnant or weakly gerbil and then dealing with the problems this presents afterwards - it can cause a lot of heartache so take your time and find a good healthy gerbil.
Shops have a wide variety of cages and equipment for your gerbil. Avoid cedar shavings and fluffy bedding as both of these are dangerous to gerbils.
What should you do if you find a bad pet shop? Apart from leaving and finding another shop to buy your gerbil you can report the shop an Animal Welfare organisation or your local authority if you feel the conditions warrant it.
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