Gerbil vs Mouse: Which Should You Get?
🤎 The short version: gerbils and mice are close in spirit — tiny, social, burrowing rodents you mostly watch rather than cuddle — but they differ in the details. Gerbils are nearly odourless desert diggers that bond into clans (which can occasionally fall out). Mice are busy nest-builders where females group easily but adult males often can’t share. Both are short-lived and endlessly entertaining.
At a glance
| Gerbil | Mouse | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ~50–90 g | ~28 g |
| Lifespan | 2–3 years | 1.5–2.5 years |
| Odour | Nearly odourless | Cleanish; males scent-mark |
| Company | Same-sex clan (watch declanning) | Females group; adult males often fight |
| Housing | Deep gerbilarium | Big tank / narrow-barred cage |
Odour and mess
If low odour matters, gerbils win clearly. As desert animals they produce very little urine, so they’re remarkably clean and low-mess. Mice are fairly clean too, but male mice scent-mark noticeably, so a male group has a musk. (More in do small pets smell?)
The social setup
Both are social and shouldn’t live alone, but the grouping differs:
- Gerbils live in clans (same-sex pairs or groups formed young and kept stable). The catch is declanning — a bonded clan can suddenly fall out — so you watch the social side and be ready to separate.
- Mice: females group very well, but adult males often fight and frequently can’t be housed together (safest as never-separated litter brothers). So a female mouse group is the easy social option; a male one is tricky.
Housing
Both are burrowers that need depth, not just floor space — but the enclosure differs. Gerbils need a deep gerbilarium (glass/plastic, ~20–30 cm of substrate); a barred cage is wrong because they gnaw the bars and damage their teeth. Mice need a big tank or a cage with very narrow bar spacing (they squeeze through tiny gaps), also with deep bedding. Neither should have cotton-wool bedding or an open-rung wire wheel.
Handling
Both are quick and light, better watched than handled, and tamed with gentle, patient, low contact. One firm rule for gerbils: never pick one up by the tail — the skin can strip off (tail slip). Scoop both in cupped hands.
Who should get which?
- Get gerbils if you want the lowest-odour option, love watching deep-burrow digging, and can keep a stable clan (and cope if it declans).
- Get mice if you want the smallest pet and the easy route of a female group, and enjoy watching constant nest-building and foraging.
The honest takeaway
Very similar pets with different quirks: gerbils for near-zero odour and clan life; mice for tiny, busy, female-group simplicity. Read the full gerbil and mouse care guides to decide.
Sources & further reading
- Hayfold — gerbil care guide and mouse care guide — the full, fact-checked references.
- RSPCA — gerbils and mice — company, housing and diet.
Common questions
Are gerbils or mice better pets?
Both are small, social, burrowing rodents best watched rather than cuddled. Gerbils are nearly odourless desert diggers that bond into clans (which can occasionally fall out); mice are busy nest-builders where females group easily but adult males often can’t share. Choose on odour, social setup and what you enjoy watching.
Do gerbils or mice smell less?
Gerbils, clearly. As desert animals they produce very little urine and are nearly odourless. Mice are cleanish too, but male mice scent-mark more strongly, so a group of males has a noticeable musk.
Can you keep two gerbils or two mice together?
Both need company. Gerbils must live in a same-sex pair or clan. Female mice group very well, but adult male mice often fight and frequently can’t be housed together — the safest male groups are litter brothers grouped young.
Do gerbils and mice need the same housing?
Similar but not identical. Both need deep bedding to dig, but gerbils specifically need a deep glass or plastic gerbilarium (they gnaw and hurt themselves on bars), while mice need a big tank or a cage with very narrow bar spacing to stop them escaping.