A new pet

Question
Hi Blake

I am a keen pet owner and am considering buying myself some gerbils.

I just wonder if you can give me some basic information about these cute animals.

1) If I got a pair, should I get males or females?

2) How big does their "house" need to be and how much approximately should I expect to pay for a suitable place for gerbils to live.

I currently keep guinea pigs (and answer expert questions on this site) and I want another type of animal, hence the question. As someone who has never owned a very small animal, should I opt for gerbils, or would hamsters be better.

Thanks for your time.

Andy

Answer
Andy,
 To answer your question about hamsters or gerbils, its more of a personal matter that easiness. Hamsters are very docile animals, they love to be cuddled but don't do a whole lot. Gerbils are very active but not the best animal to pick up and hold because they are QUICK.  For the pairs, if you get gerbils, either males or females get along just fine. As for hamsters unless they are dwarf hamsters, they are best left alone. dwarfs due well in female pairs. Housing you can either buy one of those commercial homes made for small animals or a cheaper option is to get a 10 gallon fish tank and line it with care fresh bedding and either put a tube or a paper towel role in there so that they can run around and chew. Also they should have a wheel and i recommend the kind that are not slated because i've seen little legs get broken that way. You should also get them a water bottel and a strong food dish. Because they LOVE to escape you also need to buy a screen for the top of the tank and clip it on to prevent them from leaving. Good luck and please write me with any other questions you may have!

Blake