We like Eco bedding, the crinkled paper available at petland, mixed with Aspen. We don't use other paper brands as we haven't had luck finding a brand that doesn't remain consistently dust free. We also use Oxbow brand timothy hay and timothy X botanical hay as a treat.
Our gerbils are housed in 40 gallon bins. Bins can be great however you must always be aware that a gerbil can easily chew through a bin in a matter of hours. Glass aquariums are much safer, and generally cheaper overall. You can check your local sales listings for used fish tanks over 30 gallons but no more than 60 gallons (that's too big and gerbils can declan). Make sure if there are any cracks, that you file them smooth, as gerbils will eat tape and scratch off silicone.
Gerbils need ceramic, glass, or edible (wood / cardboard) home "deco". Plastic is a huge NO for gerbils, as they will destroy it and eat it which will kill them. Glass water bottles are also required, and the hangers for the bottles should be adhesive velcro or a metal hanger. Do not use zip ties.
Gerbils enjoy daily cardboard munchies, and if you choose to feed them in dishes be sure the dishes are ceramic. We don't personally use the bowl method as we find our gerbils get more enrichment and enjoyment when we scatter the food. When we have babies we will scatter the food in the same area, then as the gerbils age we will move the feeding areas around to make it a game. Gerbils love to hunt for their food, but don't make it too difficult!
Glass and ceramic hides can be buried in the bedding at different heights to create a fun maze for your gerbil. We generally use 10-15" of bedding for our future breeding hopefuls. Breeding adults and their babies are kept on much less bedding so they don't get lost.
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