“Gerbils are referred to as nocturnal animals because they are most active at night, or at the very least, can be most active at night if you train them like that. This implies that they are not born nocturnal animals; their biological nature is not strictly nocturnal. This is because their bodies are not affected by the same circadian rhythms as owls and hamsters. “

The world has gone beyond having cats, dogs, and some other enormous animals as pets. Several petite creatures are perfect as pets and can be kept in a lot of households. These small animals have similar things in common or certain characteristics they share, but they are very different too.

Some of these animals include hamsters, ferrets, gerbils, rabbits, etc. There's one, in particular, we're about to discuss in this article and that is the Gerbil. Gerbils are small creatures that usually inhabit scrubland, grassland, desert, and some semi desserts. English-speaking countries started keeping them as pets a little after 1954. Thus, they are newcomers to the global pet market and are now proving to be very popular among people all over the world.

A brief history about Gerbils, shall we? The Gerbil has a scientific name of Meriones unguiculatus and it is roughly translated as Clawed Warrior. Legend says the name was given to it by the Emperor Genghis Khan because a Gerbil bit the foot of an assassin sent to kill the Emperor while he was sleeping. The assassin cried out in pain because of the bite and that woke the Emperor who killed struck the assassin to death.  

This then made the Emperor love and cherish the Gerbil for its loyalty and sharpness. Given their history, what other pet would you rather have than a Gerbil?! 

About Gerbils

Gerbils are curious and bold creatures considering their size, and they make very cute and tamable pets.  There are over 90 species of Gerbils, but the most common ones are Mongolian Gerbils and fat-tailed Gerbils.

The largest species is the Great Gerbil which is native to Turkmenistan and they can grow up to 16 inches.  The fat-tailed Gerbils are from the northern part of the Sahara desert and can be found in places like Algeria.

This species of Gerbils are known as fat-tailed because they are skilled survivors that have evolved to store fat in their tails. They are now rare to find, so you will most likely find Mongolian Gerbils around as pets. They are cousins of Hamsters, but they do not like to be alone.

They live in families with up to 20 members in their natural habitat. Remember their housing and dietary needs are exactly like Hamsters, but you should get them sturdy wheels because of their long tails. Gerbils' tails tend to tangle with wire wheels. Healthy and strong Gerbils can live up to 5 years as long as they are well taken care of and fed.

They are adorable creatures that easily develop strong bonds with one another and their owners. Their features make them easily accessible to people and friendly faces. Gerbils are energetic animals with entertaining personalities and cute voices that sweep everyone off their feet. They are also easy to care for and quite inexpensive. 

They are known for burrowing through almost anything. Gerbils build extensive networks of underground tunnels and they spend most their time in the burrows they dig. Their entire body is full of furs and so you must protect them from sunburns if your area is hot. Note that if you have children in your home, then Gerbils are not advised for you.

This is because they can be injured if they are dropped or squeezed carelessly, and that is to be expected from young ones. Gerbils are also known to nip or scratch whenever they feel threatened or in an unfamiliar environment. They live in colonies in their natural habitat so you intend to get them, make sure you get about 3 or 4 so they do not feel lonely.

They perform poorly as solitary pets so keep that in mind. Same-sex pairing is very important; littermates often do well together. Gerbils are very territorial animals so if it is the case that you already just one Gerbil and it happens to be old, it might be difficult to bring in a new one. Since gerbils are very sociable, taming them is easy with consistent handling.

Taming Gerbils

Hand-taming Gerbils is easier with the use of rewards and treats, just like operant conditioning. Also remember one should never touch their long furry tails at all, as it will lead to a permanent injury.  As curious and inquisitive as gerbils are, they do not get easily startled. But whenever they sense danger, the quiet and cute gerbil would let out a squeal and thump its back legs like a rabbit to warn others of the threat.  

Gerbils usually wash with sand instead of water. To get debris off them, they roll around in the sand and they come out smoother and shinier. A fact about gerbils that is not so known by people is how they shed their tails if they ever get caught. This is a self-adaptation technique that lets them escape predators that can catch them by their tail. 

Nocturnality with Gerbils

Gerbils are referred to as nocturnal animals because they are most active at night, or at the very least, can be most active at night if you train them like that. This implies that they are not born nocturnal animals; their biological nature is not strictly nocturnal. This is because their bodies are not affected by the same circadian rhythms as owls and hamsters.

They sleep, eat, play, and start the routine all over for as long as possible. However, they are not very active during the day but mostly at night and quiet down and retreat at dawn and dusk. Prey and predators adapt their sleeping habits to one another.

This implies that predators are usually awake when their prey is asleep and vulnerable, while preys try as much as possible to avoid the time when their enemies are out hunting. Since Gerbils are more prey than predators, they have to adapt to the sleeping nature of their predators. Most of their predators are nocturnal, hence a major reason for their nocturnal nature. 

Other Questions

Are Gerbils active at night?

Gerbils in the wild are neither diurnal nor nocturnal as they sleep shortly during the day and also sleep shortly at night.

But gerbils in homes sleep depending on the status of prey in an environment. Since your home is not a threat, they will most likely be active at the time dictated to them.

It is already in their nature to sleep, eat, and play, but how active they are at night is based on their current environment. You cannot force your gerbils to sleep, but if you make them play hard during the day, they might be less energetic at night. 

Can you Keep Gerbils in your bedroom?

Gerbils are lovely and cute animals that are perfect as pets, however, they can be very disturbing and troublesome. Keeping them in your bedroom is a bad idea, except you do not sleep there.

As we've stated earlier, gerbils are most active at night so if you keep them in your bedroom where you sleep, then it is goodbye to a life of sound sleep.

At night, if you do not want them awake, you give them some toys to keep them busy. They are mostly nocturnal animals so keeping them in your bedroom makes it worse for you. 

Are Gerbils Friendlier than Hamsters?

It is a common misconception among pet owners that gerbils and hamsters are the same.

Unfortunately, they are not; though they share some features, they very different. Hamsters in their natural habitat live alone and are more nocturnal creatures than gerbils.

Gerbils are by far friendlier than hamsters because it is already in their nature. They live and love to walk in colonies in their natural habitat, so you can be sure they are very friendly.  They easily get startled, unlike gerbils. However, either gerbils or hamsters are to be kept in a really cold environment.