Provide at least two inches of bedding in the cage to allow normal burrowing behavior. Cotton and shredded tissue paper make excellent nesting materials. Adult gerbils require a minimum floor area of 36 square inches and a cage height of 6 inches. A breeding pair of gerbils require a much larger area, approximately 180 square inches. Twelve hour light cycles are preferred, with gerbils being roughly equally active day and night.
Gerbils are social animals which tend to cohabitate well together.
The typical social interactions consist of grooming, wrestling and communal sleeping. However, gerbils may become aggressive to intruders, and they may fight when crowded or mixed as adults. Breeding pairs are kept together, with the male even helping to raise the young. As a rule of thumb, the cage and accessories should be thoroughly cleaned at least once weekly. An exception to this schedule is when newborn babies are present, then wait until they are at least two weeks old.