How To Keep Your Gerbil Safe In A Winter Storm

Severe winter weather is one of the most common natural disasters in the world, and being prepared in advance can help keep your gerbil safe during a winter storm. With a few simple and easy preparations you can ensure that your pet stays healthy and comfortable, even when the weather outside is dangerously cold. Prior to the storm hitting, here are a few things you can do to prepare your gerbil for a winter storm.

Have 2 weeks of food available before the storm hits: Prior to severe winter weather, many people stock up on essentials for themselves- but may forget that they also need to have essentials on hand for their pets. Prior to a winter storm approaching, make sure you have at least 2 weeks of food available for your gerbil. In case of emergency, you will be able to ensure your pet is still fed.

Keep extra water available: In case of frozen pipes or a loss of access to fresh water, you will also want to make sure you have water available for your gerbil. Having an additional gallon of fresh drinking water available in case of an emergency, for your pet, can help prevent issues if you lose access to water during the storm.

Prepare emergency travel cage: In the case of any emergency situation, we always recommend attempting to have some kind of emergency travel cage available in case you need to relocate with your pet. A travel cage specifically made for gerbil is recommended, but in the case of an emergency you can also use a plastic Tupperware container with a lid that has had holes poked into the top. If necessary, you can also use a small cardboard box with holes poked into the top. In the case of a cardboard box, it is especially important to monitor your pet to ensure they are not attempting to chew out of the box. Regardless of the type of travel cage you prepare, it’s best to have a layer of soft bedding in the bottom of the cage to keep your pet comfortable and to give them a sense of security by allowing them to burrow.

Keep habitat away from windows and doors: Most winter storms are accompanied by strong, cold winds. These winds often create very cold drafts near doors and windows. To keep your pet from becoming chilled, it’s best to keep the habitat away from areas that are subject to cold drafts. Placing your gerbil’s habitat against an inside wall, or in the center of a room, can help ensure they are not near cold winter air.

Offer soft, thick bedding for proper insulation: Replacing wood bedding with paper or cardboard based bedding during a winter storm can also help your pet stay warmer. Paper based bedding tends to insulate more efficiently than wood based bedding, which can help your gerbil stay warmer, easier.

Keep bedding very dry: In the case of dangerously cold weather, it’s very important that your pet stay as dry as possible. If they were to get wet, it will be harder for them to maintain an appropriate body temperature.

Place multiple tunnels and hide-outs within the habitat: During cold temperatures, having multiple hide-outs available for your gerbil is a good way to encourage them to hide away and stay warm. Most gerbils will instinctively burrow when the weather gets colder to stay warm. Offering deep bedding with multiple tunnels and hide-outs gives them plenty of places to stay comfy.

Fill a tunnel with warm nesting material: An easy way to make tunnels and hide-outs warmer for your gerbil is to fill them with warm nesting material such as untreated moss, hay, coconut coir, bamboo, natural wool, and natural animal fur (such as angora rabbit fur). These materials give your gerbil well-insulated material they can burrow into.

Keep habitat in the warmest room in the house: If a certain part of your house tends to be warmer than other parts, placing your gerbil’s habitat in that room during severe winter weather can help your pet stay safe.

Offer high-fat snacks: If temperatures begin to drop in your home, a quick way to help your pet temporarily increase their body temperature is to feed them a high fat snack. These snacks should be fed in moderation, but can help pets with high metabolisms, such as gerbils, stay content when the room temperature drops. These high fat snacks can include sunflower seeds, corn kernels, peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, or a bit of unsweetened cooked oatmeal.

Avoid feeding fresh produce temporarily, to prevent moisture from getting into bedding: Although fresh produce is a very important part of a gerbil’s diet, we recommend temporarily avoiding fresh produce during winter storm warnings. Often gerbil’s will take fresh fruit and store it in different areas within their habitat. The moisture of fresh produce can dampen bedding, subjecting your pet to area’s where their fur can get wet as well. Wet fur can cause your pet to get colder, easier. Holding off on feeding fresh produce until the severe winter weather has passed can help you keep your pet’s bedding dry and safe.

If the heat in your home is inefficient, check out our tips for keeping a gerbil warm in winter here.

What should you do with your gerbil if the electricity goes out during the winter storm?

If the electricity goes out, it’s vital you take extra steps to keep your gerbil safe during a winter storm. In case of a cold weather emergency, these actions can help keep your gerbil warm and healthy.

Place habitat in center of room where you can easily monitor them: The first step you should take to keep your gerbil safe in the case of a winter storm electrical outage, is to place their habitat in the center of a room where you can easily monitor them. This will keep them away from drafts, while also allowing you to check on them regularly.

Cover habitat with blanket to keep in heat: By placing a heavy blanket over your pet’s cage you can keep warm air in their habitat longer. This will insulate the warmer air and keep the cage comfortable, even as the rest of the room begins to cool down.

Keep pet in habitat: During emergency situations, such as a winter storm power outage, it’s best not to bring your pet out of their habitat. Keeping your pet safely in their habitat allows them to burrow and stay warm. It also allows you to easily monitor them and keep them secure in case you need to quickly relocate them.

If your pet burrows into bedding, do not disturb your pet: Burrowing is a natural instinct many animals have to keep themselves warm in cooler temperatures. If you notice your gerbil is burrowing into the bedding or staying in a hideaway, do not disturb them. By letting them stay in place, you will help them stay warm and comfortable.

Monitor pet for signs of hypothermia: Check your pet regularly as the temperature in your home drops to look for signs of hypothermia. In gerbils these signs include acting lethargic and unresponsive or shaking/shivering for more than 5 consecutive minutes.

If your gerbil begins to show signs of hypothermia, what should you do?

Gerbils are hardy little pets and can often weather cold temperatures by comfortably burrowing away into warm bedding. If your pet begins to act very lethargic and unresponsive, is shivering for more than 5 consecutive minutes, or gets wet by accident in cold temperatures- it’s important to act quickly to help your pet get warm. If you cannot access a vet, here are a few steps you can take to help your pet.

If your gerbil is hand-tame, hold the gerbil in your hands: One of the most effective way to increase a gerbil’s body temperature is to use your own warmth. If your hands are warm wrap your gerbil in a small cloth, such as a wash cloth, and gentle cradle the gerbil in your hands. You can bring the gerbil closer to you- even placing them on your lap or in a sweatshirt pocket. Anywhere where your body heat can extend to them can help them get warm.

Place pet in your emergency travel cage: Your emergency travel cage can be a special travel cage made specifically for gerbils, or a Tupperware container with holes in the lid, or a cardboard box with holes in the top.

Fill the travel cage or box with soft dry bedding: Your travel cage should be filled with a layer of soft dry bedding that your pet can easily burrow into. Bamboo fiber, paper-based beddings, and coconut coir are all great bedding sources that allow for comfortable insulated burrowing.

If you have access to electricity, place the travel cage on top of a heat blanket: A heat blanket is a good source of consistent warm heat. You can place your gerbil’s travel cage on top of the heat blanket to help it become warmer. To help insulate the heat, wrap the blanket around the cage leaving one side open so you can monitor your pet. 

Place cage near you under a heavy blanket: If you do not have access to electricity or a heat blanket, you can create your own heat source with your own body heat. Place your gerbil’s travel cage beside you and then place a heavy blanket over you and the cage. Allow your body heat to warm area under the heat blanket, also warming the heat blanket.

Monitor your gerbil’s behavior: As your gerbil’s body temperature warms they should become more alert. They should no longer be lethargic or shivering. They should eventually begin to get up and try to move around. At this point offer them access to a water source and a small amount of gerbil kibble. Continue to monitor your gerbil. Ideally, you should also keep your gerbil in a warm area- such as a travel cage next to your body where they have a stable heat source to help them stay warm.

Winter storms are stressful for humans and their pets alike. Small animals, such as gerbil, are especially susceptible to the cold and taking extra precautions during winter storms, and knowing what to do in the case of an emergency can help you prepare for even the most extreme of cold weather emergencies.