Acclimating A New Gerbil

Moving into a new home can be overwhelming for little gerbils. Everything they’re used to will change when they come home with you. They’ll have new people to get used to, a new tank to get used to, and maybe even a new type of food or bedding to adjust to. There are some things that you can do to make the transition a little bit easier for your new rodent friends.

Prepare Their Home

The first and best thing that you can do is to get your gerbils’ tank and supplies ready before you bring your gerbils home. You can learn how to prepare a home for your new pets in the What Should I Do Before I Bring My Gerbils Home? Chapter of our Gerbil Care Guide.

Give Them Some Space

We know how anxious you’ll be to meet your new pets and play with the cute little gerbils who have just become part of your family. But remember that they are in a new world. They’re probably a little bit frightened, and even if they aren’t scared, they probably do feel very stressed and overwhelmed. Gerbils love exploring new places, but because so many things have changed at once, it’s best to give them some time to adapt to their new home and to rest from all the excitement of the day. If at all possible, for the first 12 to 24 hours, try to avoid picking your gerbils up, taking flash photography of them, or sticking your hand in the tank unnecessarily.