The oldest male gerbil was weeks and the oldest female gerbil in the study was weeks. Longevity records from indicated a life expectancy of 2 years. So the lifespan of a captive or pet gerbil is a lot longer than that of wild gerbils. Nowadays, Mongolian gerbils usually will live between 2 and 5 years, with an average of 3 years. But the main dangers in captivity that might lead to a short lifespan are improper care and a bad diet.
Genetic predisposition to certain health issues is one of the main factors that determine the lifespan of any animal, including your gerbil. Gerbils are known to be prone to certain health issues and diseases. Gerbils are known to be able to get seizures that are mainly caused by loud noises or stress.
When you see your gerbil trembling or severely shaking this is caused by a seizure. Seizures can occur in gerbils from a very young age around two months but they will usually diminish when your gerbil gets older. Just as humans, gerbils can also develop cancers and some of them are possibly inherited. There are some more frequent types of cancers like skin cancer and cancer of the ovaries or the ventral scent gland.
Such cancers can be noticed by lumps and swellings and you should seek the help of a vet for further treatment. To live a healthy and long life your gerbil will need:. Mongolian gerbils are social creatures that live in groups in the wild. A common mistake that new gerbil owner will make is to get only one gerbil and keep it as a solitary animal. When you keep only one gerbil, you create a risky situation. Rather surprisingly, the dental care of your gerbil can play a significant role in their health and lifespan.
Gerbils are social creatures and almost always can be found in groups. Gerbils living alone in isolation will get very lonely which leads to stress, depression, and even illness. All of these factors are known to lead to a reduced lifespan and should therefore be avoided if possible which means owning a small group of gerbils as a minimum requirement.
The best way to ensure a healthy and happy life right from the start is to own a pair of gerbils that are already familiar with each other. This allows for instant interaction which is of course a good thing but also for the reason that it reduces any issues that come with introducing new gerbils. While a gerbil can live from years depending on the breed, a common average in captivity is years. Diet, regular cleaning of their environment, and monitoring general characteristics weight, appetite, and activity levels are things that will ensure your gerbil lives a full life.
For this reason, a gerbil will seldom do well as a solitary pair so it is necessary to keep a same-sex pair at all times, littermates usually being a good choice. Even so, there are certain steps which can be taken to improve their relationship. Since they are very social and active, gerbils can become quite tame if they have a good and kind owner.
You will observe that your new best-bud generally has a pretty agreeable temperament and will only be predisposed to biting if it feels threatened, this being the main reason why they became so popular as pets. Hand-taming a gerbil is a pretty easy process and you should remember that you can make your job even easier by making sure to always be fully stocked up on delicious treats as they love being spoiled.
Number-wise, there are more than a hundred species of gerbils living in the wild, all of them with varying lifespans due to their different living conditions and predator interactions. Gerbils which cannot stand having an owner and prefer to live in isolated group seclusion out in nature only live for up to one or two years. In captivity, pet gerbils extend their lifespan up to anything between three to five years while some breeds can live up to eight years if properly cared for and protected.
This is because just like any pet, their life cycle depends on a lot of genetic factors but also other things such as quality of food, exercise, a stressful environment, or diseases. If you plan on getting one of these furry rodents as a companion you should know that the most important factors which can impact their lifespan are as following:. In total, there are about different breeds of gerbils with each one of them having a slightly different life expectancy due to a number of different factors.
As a rule of thumb, you will find that pet gerbils will almost always outlive wild gerbils simply due to the importance of humans taking care of them. And, you should never grab or hold a gerbil by her tail, or you could cause a serious injury. Gerbils, like most rodents, are chewers. You don't want to house your gerbils in a cage made of wood. Wire cages don't work well either, because gerbils tend to dig, and the metal could cause an injury.
For many gerbils, a gallon fish tanks makes a great home, or you may choose a plastic gerbil home available in most pet stores. Don't choose a rounded tank, though, because gerbils like to curl up in corners. Just as with most pets, your gerbil's home can never be too large. You may find pre-mixed gerbil food at your local pet store and for most gerbil owners, this will suffice.
But you also may make your own gerbil feed by combining hamster food with parrot feed. Other things you may can to your gerbil's diet include fresh fruits and vegetables, but not too much lettuce as it can cause diarrhea.
Gerbils also love hard-boiled eggs, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and cheese, but these items should only be given in small amounts because of their high fat content. In the wild, gerbils get most of their daily water intake through the food they eat, but store-bought gerbil food is dry.
So you should make sure your pet has a ready supply of fresh, clean water at all times. Usually a gravity-fed water drip works best. You should change the water in the container at least once a week, even if there is still water in it, although changing it daily is best. Use only aspen wood shavings for your gerbil's bedding as other wood bedding types, like pine or cedar, can be harmful to your pet.
The bedding needs to be cleaned at least once a week, but more often if you have more than two gerbils in the same cage. You will find that your gerbils tend to go to the bathroom in one location, so this should make cleaning your cage easier. To clean you gerbil's cage, scoop out the old bedding and replace it with fresh bedding.
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