Are you considering adding a small friend to your family? When it comes to delightful and sociable pets, rats and gerbils are two options worth considering.
Gerbils have actually been called “sand rats!” They may seem quite similar to fancy rats, and they do have pretty similar care needs, but are actually a totally separate species.
One big difference between the two is the tail. Rat tails are almost completely bald, while gerbils have furrier tails. Some people may have an easier time with gerbil tails for that reason!
With that said, rats are generally a bit more interested in people than gerbils are. There are exceptions – some shy rats and some more outgoing gerbils – but for the most part, you will probably find most rats to be a bit more affectionate and curious about you.
Similarities between rats and gerbils
- Intelligence: Rats and gerbils are both intelligent rodents. They can learn tricks, navigate mazes, and solve puzzles.
- Lifespan: Both rats and gerbils have relatively short lifespans compared to larger animals.
- Diet: Rats and gerbils share similar dietary preferences. They are omnivores, meaning they eat a combination of plant-based and animal-based foods. A balanced diet for both species includes grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and occasional protein sources.
- Burrowing Instincts: Both rats and gerbils have a natural instinct to dig and burrow. They enjoy having access to tunnels, bedding material, and hiding spots in their habitat.
- Dental Care: Rats and gerbils have continuously growing incisor teeth. They need appropriate chew toys and objects to wear down their teeth.
- Playfulness: Rats and gerbils exhibit playful behavior, engaging in wrestling, chasing, and exploring their surroundings. Providing them with toys and opportunities for playtime is essential for their well-being.
- Susceptibility to Similar Health Issues: Both rats and gerbils may be prone to certain health issues, such as respiratory problems, dental issues, and tumors. Regular veterinary check-ups and a proper care routine are important for their overall health.
- Jumping: Both rats and gerbils can jump surprisingly high for their size!
Differences between rats and gerbils
| Pet Rats | Gerbils | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | A rat’s body can get as long as 11″, not counting the tail. Female rats are usually around 300-500g when healthy, while males can get quite large, up to 700g. | Gerbils are about half the size of rats, around 4-5″ body length. They are considerably lighter, only weighing around 60-100g on average. |
| Food | Rats are omnivores, and can eat just about everything that we do. They eat a dry mix each day, supplemented with some fruits, veggies and proteins. | Gerbils are also omnivores, and enjoy a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, veggies, and occasional proteins. |
| Cage | Rats need about 2 – 2.5 cubic feet per individual to really thrive. Rats need cages with bars, rather than tanks, because they commonly suffer from respiratory issues. They also like to have vertical climbing space. | Gerbils spend most of their time in their deep substrate, digging and building tunnels. They need about the same amount of cage space as rats, but can live in tanks, and don’t need tall cages. |
| Noise | Rats are fairly quiet pets. You’ll be able to hear them squeaking when they play and wrestle with each other, and they scuffle around a lot. But other than that, they’re pretty quiet pets. | Gerbils are nearly silent, but you can sometimes hear very tiny squeaks! You might still hear them playing and scuffling around in their bedding. |
| Lifespan | Rats only live 2 to 3 years, with more than 3 years being a rare exception. | Gerbils can live 3 to 4 years. |
| Smell | As long as you keep their cage clean, rats don’t smell very much. You can actually litter train rats! | Gerbils are known for having very little smell for a rodent, besides their bedding. |
| Maintenance | Rats need food and water every day, and a deep cleaning of their cage 1-2 times a week. | Gerbils also need fresh food and water daily. Gerbils are known for not peeing as much as other rodents, so you don’t have to clean their cage as often. |
| Grooming | Rats will happily groom themselves, and don’t really enjoy (or need) water baths. If their nails bother you, you can trim them. | Gerbils will keep themselves clean if provided with a sand bath. They also don’t need water baths. |
| Temperament | Most rats are quite curious about people. Though they can be shy at first, they often bond with their owners, and can be quite affectionate – like a dog! Rats normally don’t bite, unless they feel threatened. | Gerbils aren’t quite as interested in people as rats are. You can tame them so they aren’t afraid of you, but being more solitary is in their nature. Like rats, gerbils are also very unlikely to bite. |
| Vet Care | Rats are considered exotics, so vet care can be just as costly as with a dog or cat. Rats suffer from a few common health problems that may require medication, like respiratory illness, tumors, etc. | Like rats, gerbils are considered exotic pets and can be very expensive to take to the vet. They can suffer from many of the same ailments that rats do, though respiratory illness is somewhat less common. |
| Legality | Pet rats are are illegal in Alberta, certain states like Hawaii and Alaska, and some towns and cities. Check with your municipality before adopting a new pet! | Gerbils are legal in most places, with some exceptions, like Hawaii and California. Mainly officials are worried about pets escaping! |
| Cohabitation | Rats need the company of other rats, so they do best in pairs or larger groups. Rats can be territorial towards new, unfamiliar rats, so need to be introduced first. Most rats are eventually able to accept new rats into their existing groups. | Gerbils do best in pairs or groups that are related to each other (family). Bigger groups of unrelated gerbils typically fight with each other, and gerbils are more difficult to introduce to each other than rats. |
| Training | Rats can be litter trained, and learn tricks! But you don’t need to do any training if you don’t want to. | Gerbils can learn their name and come when called! Gerbils naturally poop in sand, so are easily litter trained. |
| Activity Level | Rats are very inquisitive, and can be quite active when young. (Especially female rats!) They love to explore and enjoy free roam time outside their cage. | Gerbils are usually described as more chill and calm than rats. They mainly like to tunnel around their cage. |
| Sleep Schedule | Rats tend to be most active at dawn and dusk, but they nap throughout the day and night as well. Their sleeping schedule is pretty flexible. | Gerbils are polyphasic sleepers, so they nap throughout the day and night. They can easily adapt their sleeping schedules to yours. |
| Attention Needed | Rats need quite a variety of enrichment, and enjoy 1-2 hours outside of their cage with you each day. They can become depressed when bored. | Gerbils aren’t quite as social with people as rats are. They can be left alone for a few days, as long as they have enough food and water. |
| Destructiveness | Rats chew anything and everything! They love wooden chew toys, but also your furniture, blankets, etc. if you aren’t careful! | Like rats, gerbils constantly chew! They can be quite destructive. Gerbils also appreciate wooden chew toys. |
Can rats and gerbils live together?
Rats and gerbils can’t live together. Rats are quite a lot larger than gerbils, and are known to fight or kill smaller rodents like mice, hamsters and gerbils. This might be out of competition for food and space, or even to eat them.
While there might be some videos floating around of different species getting along, letting them interact is still very risky and accidents can happen quickly.
You can keep rats and gerbils in the same room without issue, though – as long as they aren’t allowed to interact, bother each other or to get into each others’ cages.
Are rats or gerbils better pets for kids?
Personally I recommend rats for children, because they’re a bit bigger and sturdier than gerbils. Rats also seem to enjoy human companionship whereas gerbils are more likely to just tolerate being touched.
Neither animal should ever be picked up by the tail, because this can detach the tail which is incredibly painful. Gerbils tend to be a bit more delicate in that respect, though, and may be too fragile for little grabby hands.
Conclusion
Gerbils tend to keep to themselves a little more than rats, and can usually go a bit longer between cage cleanings. Other than that, the two species have pretty similar care needs and routines. They’re both small, can spend most of their time in their cage, and don’t eat a ton of food!
Both rats and gerbils make very interesting and rewarding pets. If you want a pet you can interact with every day, rats are probably the pet for you. If you prefer a pet that can keep themselves entertained, you might like gerbils more.
I hope this article helped you figure out the fairly minor differences between the two so you can pick which one you like the most!
