How to Play With Gerbils

Gerbils make great companions. They can entertain each other for hours, and you too! Whether you are a first-time owner or want to bond more with the gerbils you have, bonding with your gerbils is easy as long as you follow general guidelines.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Gaining Your Gerbils’ Trust

1
Be patient. Gerbils, like people, build relationships based on trust. Since they are prey animals in the wild, they are especially cautious of bigger animals (like you)! Until your gerbils get used to their new home and you, avoid trying to touch them or pick them up.
- The amount of time it takes gerbils to get used to a new environment and owner varies from a few hours to a few days.
- Your gerbils will “tell” you when they are ready for more interaction. If they hide or run away from you, they aren’t ready to be touched or held.
To become socialized, gerbils needs to be around people more than they are not.^{[1]XResearch source} Do not let gerbils out of their cage to roam freely until you are able to hold them!
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3
Sit near your gerbils' cage and talk or sing to them. If your gerbils won’t come near your hand, spend some time each day sitting near their cage and talking to them so they can observe your movements and get used to your voice.
- You don’t have to speak directly to them, but talk or sing out loud (but not loudly) so they become comfortable with your voice.
4
Wash your hands. Gerbils have a very strong sense of smell and use this sense to familiarize themselves with people. Washing your hands well before interacting with them ensures that they are smelling you and not whatever you touched earlier in the day.
- This is especially important if you have other pets, like dogs and cats. These animals would be predators in the wild.
- Use a non-perfumed soap so you don’t mask you own scent.
5
Offer your gerbils a treat from your hand. Taming your gerbils requires a series of steps. Getting them to eat out of your hand is the best way to encourage them to come close to you and to become accustomed to your smell. Lay your palm on the ground with a treat in the middle of it and keep your hand still.
- If they will not eat from your hand right away, that’s ok. Put the food on the floor near them and back away. Eventually they will associate your hand with treats.
- The best treats are things that don’t typically come in gerbil food, like almonds, pecans, or walnuts.
- Gerbils, like people, are individuals with different levels of social acclimation. Some may come to you quickly, while some are more skittish. Don’t take it personally.
- Sometimes gerbils will backslide, and you may have to start from an earlier stage to rebuild trust. Don’t get frustrated and try again.
- Offer a second treat if they are not tempted by one. Put one on the ground and one in your hand to encourage them to go to either one.
6
Place your hand out and let them jump into it. This is the best way to hold your gerbil, and will be much less threatening to them than trying to pick them up.
- It might take a few times before your gerbil is comfortable getting in your hand. Be patient and kind.
- When they first jump into your palm, raise your arm slowly to your chest so that they don’t feel scared.
- If they won’t let you touch them, try holding your hand in a fist near them and letting them get used to your smell first.^{[2]XResearch source}
It is better to let them come to you, but if you need to pick them up, cup your hands and place one on either side of them. Move them slowly together so that they have to step up into your hands. This method lets them know what is going on and allows them to decide to let you pick them up.^{[3]XResearch source}
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Playing with Your Gerbils

1
Schedule daily playtime. Gerbils need regular attention to stay socialized. If you stop playing with them, they won’t want to play with you anymore. Make sure you are spending sufficient time with them every day, both caring for them and providing recreation.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Don’t ever let them out of their cage unsupervised. Gerbils are very good at hiding!
2
Prepare a safe environment to play in. Gerbils need playtime outside their cage every day. Whenever you open the cage, make sure you are in an enclosed area with few hiding spaces so that your gerbil can’t run away. Check that all windows and doors are closed before opening the cage and make sure no electrical cords are within reach.
- It’s best not to let your gerbils out of their cage until you are able to hold them.
- If they do manage to find a hiding place, it’s best to wait for them to come out on their own rather than forcibly grab them.
- A great place to let them play is in an empty kiddie pool.
3
Open the cage and let them investigate. After the initial introductory period, let your gerbil enter your environment on their own terms. If you can’t touch them by the second day, try letting them out in an empty bathtub.^{[5]XResearch source} Place their cage in the tub, sit on the opposite side, and open the cage door.
- Don’t pull them out of their cage forcibly! Just open the door and sit near it.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Make sure the tub is clean, with no soap or detergent residue.^{[7]XResearch source}
4
Add some toys. You can buy safe toys or make your own. Cardboard tissue boxes, egg cartons and empty toilet paper rolls are great “toys” you can easily find around your home. They also might like wooden blocks with holes drilled for walking through and wheels to run on.
- Buy a wheel that is solid, not one with spokes or holes in it. Their tails or feet could get caught in any holes and cause injury.
- Don't give them scented paper towels or towels with text or writing.
- Gerbils need to chew, so look for untreated and unpainted wooden toys rather than plastic ones or painted ones.
- Use empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls to make a fun tunnel for your gerbils to run through.
- Make a tunnel out of PVC pipe.
5
Pet your gerbil gently on the head or back. Gerbils tend to be fidgety, but to develop a close bond they need to get used to your touch.^{[8]XResearch source} Wait until they approach you and gently stroke their head or back.
- Be careful not to use too much force! Gerbils are little and may scare easily until they get used to you.
6
Make your gerbil a present! Wrap a treat in a few tissues and paper to make your gerbil a special toy. Make sure to use clean, white tissues with no lotions or added scents!^{[9]XResearch source}
- Put treats in the middle, fold tissues in half, and roll up like a burrito.
- Tie the end of the tissue pack into a loose knot and put inside a toilet paper tube.
- Stuff a tissue into each side of the roll, so that the treat is in the middle.
- Place the roll on a sheet of white paper and roll like a burrito.
- Twist the ends like a candy wrapper and present to your gerbil.
7
Teach them to flip backwards. Hold a treat in your fingers just out of their reach. When they move towards it, bring the treat up and over their head, towards their back. Eager gerbils will flip over to get to it.
- If your gerbil is really smart, they may just turn around on the ground to get the treat. Try holding it closer to their head next time.
Gerbils can jump 18 inches across and 6 inches high, and can even change direction in mid-air. Hold a treat in your fingers up high to encourage jumping. Hold a treat several inches away and a couple inches high to encourage a long jump.
9
Teach them to run through a maze. Create maze with blocks or other light objects and put a treat or two at the end. Carefully place the gerbil at the beginning and watch them try to find the treat.
- Start with a straight line maze and increase difficulty as your gerbil gets used to it.
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Tips

Refill their food and water dishes daily. Make sure your gerbils always have fresh water.
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Always make sure they have clean bedding.
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Some gerbils shouldn't have wire cages because they can chew them. Get them fish tanks instead, about 10-15 gallons.
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Warnings

Always supervise gerbils when outside their cage.
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Never let your gerbils outside of their cage in the outdoors.
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Never pick up a gerbil by its tail, under any circumstances! Their tails are very fragile and they use them for balance.
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Don’t punish your gerbil for what you consider “bad” behaviors, like nipping at your clothes or fingers. These are natural behaviors and should not be associated with negative reactions. Wear an old t-shirt when playing with them if they like to chew your clothes, instead.^{[10]XResearch source}
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Never blow in a gerbil’s face.^{[11]XResearch source}
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