At Cub Creek Science Camp we have a small
colony of Gerbils for summer campers to play with and hold.
At Science Camp a camper may adopt a Gerbil for a week and
learn how to care for the Gerbil, provide enrichment for the
Gerbil and feed the Gerbil.
At Science Camp campers will learn how to
tell the difference between our small furry mammals, such as
Gerbils and Hamsters. Gerbils look very similar to Hamsters
but there are several differences. Gerbil have a long furry
tail but hamsters have a short hairless stub for a tail.
Gerbils need the society of other gerbils but Hamsters are
solitary creatures. Gerbils will chew through anything
plastic, so don't put a plastic house in their cage, but
Hamsters won't chew through plastic. Gerbils will
stand up high on their back legs using their tail for
balance but it is much harder for the Hamster to do that.
Gerbils vs Hamsters
Even though both are rodents
that are quite popular as pets, gerbils and hamsters do have
some striking differences which separate the behavior of the
two species to a great extent. For instance, gerbils are
social creatures, while
hamsters
exhibit solitary behavior. Not many people are aware of the
differences between gerbil and hamster, and hence, they tend
to make a wrong choice and end up with a pet they don't
want. It is important to know the differences between these
two, in order to decide which one would be more suitable for
you. Before we move on to debating on gerbil vs hamster,
let's take a brief look at some of the basic facts about
each of them.
Gerbil Facts
A gerbil is a small burrowing rodent, typically,
characterized by strong hind legs adapted for leaping. It is
found in various countries including, China, India and
Turkmenistan etc. Gerbils are also exported as exotic pets
to European and American nations. There are around 110
sub-species of this rodent. On an average, gerbil species
can grow to a length of 6 to 12 inches, and weigh
approximately, 2 to 3 ounces. Though, most of the gerbil
sub-species are diurnal in nature, some of them do exhibit
crepuscular traits. They are social animals, which are found
in groups, in the wild. Although they are regarded as pests
in many countries, some species of gerbils, such as the
Clawed Jird, are quite popular as pets. Read more on
gerbils as pets.
Hamster Facts
Hamsters are small burrowing rodents, typically
characterized by large cheek pouches and a short tail. These
rodents are crepuscular in nature, which means, they are
most active at dusk and dawn. They spend the entire day
burrowing in the ground, in order to avoid being caught by
predators. There are around 25 sub-species of hamsters.
Being omnivorous in nature, hamsters generally, feed on
vegetables, nuts, berries, fruits etc., as well as some
insect species such as, crickets and meal worms. As they are
very easy to breed, hamsters are used as lab specimens in
various countries. Hamsters as pets are also quite popular
in various parts of the world.
Gerbil Vs Hamster
As we said earlier, gerbils and hamsters differ from each
other to a great extent, as far as socialization is
concerned. Solitary hamsters seldom prefer company and if
two hamsters are kept together as pets, they are bound to
engage in a struggle. On the other hand, gerbils, which are
social, can be kept in each others company. However, keeping
a male and female gerbil together wouldn't be a nice idea if
you don't want a family of gerbils. Hamsters are nocturnal
creatures who like to spend the entire day sleeping, while
gerbils are diurnal creatures active during the day. With
such sleep pattern differences between the two, gerbils
would be a better choice as a pet over hamsters, who
wouldn't like being disturbed during the day.
Their appearance plays a major role, when it comes to gerbil
vs hamster comparison. The gerbils sport a long, soft tail,
while the hamster is virtually tailless. Owing to their long
snout, gerbils resemble rats more than hamsters. Though,
both the rodent species require daily exercise, gerbils tend
to be more active than hamsters. Ideally, you will have to
provide your pet, whichever is your choice, a wheel in the
cage to stay healthy. Gerbils can get dehydrated in high
temperatures, and hence, you will have to provide your pet
gerbil with necessary surroundings. Pet gerbils seldom bite,
but pet hamsters do bite, especially if woken during the
day.
