Although pelleted food, available from petshops, is a good basis for gerbil food, and the most convenient, it is also preferable to add to this a mixture of sunflower seeds, wheat, oats, maize and barley. They will also appreciate more succulent items of gerbil food such as washed fruit or vegetables like apples, pears or carrots, as well as the occasional small amount of greenstuff. It is, however, important to check daily for any decaying gerbil food and remove it. Because of their instinct to bury food this would readily rot if not promptly removed. Children will be fascinated watching a gerbil handle and shell sunflower seeds.

Your gerbil will also appreciate some sort of gnawing food item. This can be in the form of dog biscuits or a small piece of deciduous wood. Because gerbils love to gnaw, it is also essential that gnaw proof containers are used to hold the gerbil food, and these are best placed high up, say on a wooden platform so that it does not get buried.

Of course, apart from gerbil food, it is essential to have a constant supply of water available. This is best done by using a proprietary water bottle. Gerbils do not drink a great deal, unlike other rodents but fresh water should always be available to them. The water bottle should be cleaned at least once a week, preferably with a bottle brush, and sterilised occasionally with a sterilising agent. You can use Milton or something similar. However, be sure to rinse the bottle out thoroughly afterwards to avoid any toxic buildup in the bottle. If water bottles are not washed weekly, algae growth will build up on the inside, giving a greeny colour to the bottle.