A hamster is a hamster, but not necessarily a funny one, but still a cute one to look at. Gerbils and hamsters are both members of the rodent family, but they’re very different in personality, but a lot alike in needs. If you are not sure which one you would like to have then read on a little more, and learn about the personalities and care of hamsters and gerbils.
Socially gerbils and hamsters are two very different creatures. If you like to buy only one animal at a time, then you’ll want to look at the gerbil. A gerbil is content to either live by itself, or if introduced when pups they can live with other gerbils. Don’t be fooled by the gerbil’s intelligence because they will not accept another pup, or even the same pup back into its cage, even if it’s only been a few days since its brother or sister left. Hamsters on the other hand, want to be left alone and will fight with other hamsters, so if you want more than one you’ll need to buy a separate cage. Hamsters are smaller than gerbils on average, but not significantly though. Typical gerbils range in size from the tip of the nose to the end of its tail to eight inches, and hamsters are about seven inches long. The sizes of their cages are about the same, too, of 12x24 inches wide with a foot of height.
Gerbils have been reported to live a year or two longer, and some can live up to six years. Hamsters live about three years. During their lifetime you’ll find that gerbils love to play a lot, while hamsters will have periods of inactivity. Children love animals that really play and interact with them a lot. Another great thing about gerbils is that they’ll adapt to your schedule, and that’s good for kids. Also, your children will be able to pop in their rooms most anytime, and a gerbil will be up and about. Temperament is another thing that encourages people to buy a gerbil. They’re much easier to tame, and overall compared to other members of the rodent family, they’re docile and people friendly. Of course both the hamster and gerbil have to be tamed to get used to being handled. A hamster will bite if they are startled when awoken from a dead sleep, but the gerbil is not as skittish, and has to be provoked to bite, but it will bite if extremely frightened.
Hamsters just like most of its rodent cousins will urinate frequently. In their bedding it will become soggy from a high ammonia smell. It will need to be changed often, at least once every two weeks. The benefit of a gerbil is that because they originated from the deserts, they don’t urinate as often, and their bedding can be changed about once every two weeks. You’ll need to keep clean fresh water out in a non-toxic ceramic bow, or bottle on the side of their cage, but it won’t have to be filled up as much because they don’t drink as often as the hamster. Both the hamsters and gerbils dietary needs are about the same. A good way to know what they need is to talk with a veterinarian that works with exotic animals; they can tell you the best diet for either the hamster or gerbil.
Physically both species are prone to injuries because of neglect, or not enough knowledge about their bodies. One drawback to owning a gerbil is that its tail can be damaged very easily. A gerbil will bite if hurt, so know how to handle them. Don’t ever pick up a gerbil by its tail! The skin can dislodge from the base of its tail, and pull off exposing bone. Some gerbils have died, and others have to be sent to the vet for the tail to be amputated. Hamster have problems too because people leave them unattended and they fall to their death. The eyesight on a hamster is not good at all, and that’s part of the reason they will snap out and bite, even if putting a hand into their cage.
Finally, it might sound like the hamster has gotten a bad rap, but its important to know what type of animal you want, especially if you’ve children in the home. Its not that the hammy hamster is bad, their just different, and they might be more appropriate for older children.
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