Gerbil Questions (plus gerbils vs mice)?

The American Gerbil Society has a page discussing the pros and cons of the different cages in which both aquariums and wire ones are included. The link is as follows:

http://agsgerbils.org/Learn/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/c...

Regarding which type of cages would be best, since I live in the States and you live in the UK, what I suggest might not be obtainable over there. You might have better luck asking on a gerbil forum because it is solely gerbil people. Two active sites are as follows:

http://www.egerbil.com/general.html

http://gerbilforum.proboards.com/index.cgi

You are correct that females are best in pairs whereas males can be housed in larger colonies. According to the National Gerbil Society,:

"Because females can be so aggressive it is usually best to keep females in pairs whilst males can be kept in larger groups without much trouble."

http://www.gerbils.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gerbils/in...

Since you already know how much you adore gerbils, I would stick with them. Mice I am obviously partial to, but they are not for everyone. I would hate for you to be disappointed if you got mice because they are so different to have. On the plus side, though, you guys have incredible mice over there in the UK. They are of amazing quality.

I am sorry you lost your Angel and Princess. All the best with your new additions.

I have like 12 gerbils of course a bunch of those are babies I've got 2 females and a male and they are all very good friends and the two moms feed each others litters... But if I are gettin 3 or 4 get all males if u cant ever them from all the same litter then get the boys then if u want to add more get t

Young males between 6-8 weeksbold then they are accepted into the existing group much better

1&2) An aquarium is far better for gerbils than anything barred or with plastic. Barred cages do not allow for digging or burrowing, which is a gerbil must-do, and often allow for bedding to be pushed right out. It can get quite messy! Plastic can be (and often is) chewed right through.

And aquariums do NOT "give them respiratory diseases" - gerbils pee far less than other rodents, and as long as the cages are cleaned properly they will NOT contribute to any respiratory issues. Period.

3) The larger the group of gerbils, the higher the chance that they will fight. Males can be kept in trios as they tend to be more social and less territorial, but females should not be kept in anything more than pairs.

Unless, of course, you have serious gerbil experience and know how to watch for signs of de-clanning. I know some breeders who have successfully housed multiple gerbils in one habitat but they'd been breeding for years.

4) Mice are more skittish and tend to be harder to hand tame. At least they have been in my opinion. Gerbils seem to be more social and open to human interaction. I would choose gerbils over mice (but i would choose rats over any other small rodent.)

gerbils way better