Once you have successfully introduced a pair of gerbils, let them get used to each other for several days before adding toys to the tank.

In the meantime, you can give them plenty of toilet paper tubes to keep them busy. To learn more about gerbils and toilet paper tubes (and staying stocked with tubes), see the Best Gerbil Toy tip.

Toys for Gerbils

After five to seven days, if your newly introducted gerbils still seem to be getting along, you can try adding one or two toys, possibly a wheel (see the Gerbil-Safe Wheels tip) and/or a small wooden house. Make sure any toys or houses are unused. If they smell like other gerbils, they may provoke a fight.

Keep an eye on your gerbils to make sure they don't get territorial over the new items. Things should go okay but have a pair of gloves and a critter keeper nearby just in case. Samantha and Suzie handled the addition of two wheels and a nesting box without any problems.

Time for a Tank Cleaning

After five to seven days of peaceful living with toys, your gerbils are finally ready for a tank cleaning. You will want to use extra caution during the first tank cleaning after an introduction. While you clean their tank, move your gerbils to a spare tank. Fill it with large handfuls of their old, dirty bedding. (Alternatively, you can move them to a spare tank filled with brand new bedding.) In either case,

• Do not place any toys in the tank.
• Keep your gerbils closeby while you clean the tank.
• Keep gloves and a critter keeper handy just in case.
• Give your gerbils a couple of toilet paper tubes and some food to keep them busy.

While your gerbils are in the spare tank and closeby, fill the clean tank with new bedding. If you wish, you may sprinkle some of their old bedding over it to keep smells familiar, but in future tank cleanings, do not use any old bedding. I prefer to move my gerbils to a completely clean tank so they do not get territorial over which scents are where in the tank. People have had luck with both methods, though.

Place toys, food, a water bottle, a couple of toilet paper tubes, and a few sheets of plain white toilet paper (to shred for nesting) in the tank.

After ensuring that your gloves and critter keeper are handy, place both gerbils back in the tank at the same time. Watch them for a little while to make sure they're handling the clean tank okay and are still getting along.