I've had a hamster, but I'm as clueless as you (maybe even more) when it comes to gerbils. So what I am able to answer will all be about hamsters:
My dad has already said that after 6 months of me having my own guinea pigs, that I can foster guinea pigs, because my mom said I can't have any more than two. Well, I have liked Gerbils, and Hamsters for a long time, and I asked her if I could possibly foster gerbils, and hamsters too, she said maybe, that we would see, I want to know more about how to care for them etc. etc. Since the rodent books are always inaccurate, I have some questions.
What do they eat? What brand of food is good?
Sorry...can't help you with that one other than that hamsters like apples!
What cage is large enough for them?
I think if you can get a plastic container it should be ok, I don't know anything of them needing air circulation, although thinking about it - it might be better. The cage NEEDS a lid! Hamsters are escape artists!
(To catch them, have a pail with veggies and fruits in the room you think they're in, have a ladder leading into the pail, but not one leading out. I'll climb up the ladder, jump into the pail, eat, and can't get out!)
Can you use fleece for bedding with them too, or should you use CareFresh, or Aspen?
I wouldn't use fleece because hamsters like to cuddle up in their bedding. There is even this batting like thing you can buy for them to sleep in. I also don't think they require CareFresh, just use any wood chips that are OK for guinea pigs to use. (Both rodents can smell well)
What kinds of toys do they like?
Wheels!!!! Hamsters will run MILES in a night (Sorry but I forget the exact numbers that were estimated of hamsters running every night)
Can you use excercise balls, and wheels with them? I'm 99.9% sure you can
You definitely can! They love them!
Do they have to be kept in pairs?
Some breeds of hamsters (dwarf hamsters) can be kept together but otherwise, MOST hamsters will KILL eachother! That's why it's said to be pretty hard to breed them - because they are so territorial!
Any specific things I need to know about them?
Hamsters will bite without warning. (My hamster never did! That is - he only bit my mother 3 times!!)
Sorry for all the questions! I know there was something else I wanted to ask, but for the life of me I can't remember!
Edit-(Here are the questions I forgot)
Do they need hay, like guinea pigs?
I don't think they need hay - though then again they do eat grass and hay would probably be good for them...
Do they need any veggies?
Yes, apples I know were my hamster's favorites. Grapes...etc. I got you a list below.
By the way, hamster's are omnivores, they also eat meat!!
Fruits
- Apple (seedless)
- Banana
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe.
- Cherries
- Cranberries
- Grapes(seedless)
- Lychee
- Mango
- Melon
- Peaches (no stone)
- Plums (no pits)
- Raspberries
- Raspberry Leaves (helpful for diarrhea)
- Strawberries
Veggies
- Asparagus
- Bean Sprouts
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Cabbage (Limited amounts)
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chard
- Chestnuts
- Chickweed
- Chicory
- Clover
- Corn on the Cob
- Cucumbers
- Dandelion Leaves
- Endive
- Green Beans
- Kale
- Parsnips
- Peas
- Radicchio
- Romaine Lettuce
- Spinach
- Squash
- Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet bell Peppers
- Swiss Chard
- Turnip
- Water Chestnuts
- Water Cress
- Zucchini
Meats and Proteins foods
- Cooked Ground Beef (Rinse well in hot water to remove any grease)
- Cooked Chicken or Turkey (Steamed or baked)
- Low Fat Cottage Cheese
- Fish Cod (Cooked removing bones and skin)
- Grasshoppers (Pet Shop)
- Mealworms (Pet Shop)
- Crickets (Pet Shop)
- Bread(whole grain no white bread) soaked in milk ( Low Fat, Skim, Soy)
- Eggs ( boiled or scrambled)
- Plain Tofu
- Plain Low Fat Yogurt
- Dog Biscuits (No Garlic, onion, or onion powder)
- Monkey Chow
- Lab Blocks
Other foods
- Buckwheat
- Baby Food(low sugar and no onion or garlic)
- Cheese (mild cheeses in moderation)
- Cooked Plain Brown Rice
- Cooked Pasta(Wheat or Spinach would be better)
- Dry toast(Also helpful for diarrhea
- Flax seed
- Low or Sugarless Cereals
- Pumpkin Seeds (unsalted)
- Nuts (No almonds)
- Sesame Seeds
- Soybeans(Roasted no salt)
- Squash seeds
- Lentils
- Oatmeal(dry or soaked in skim, soy or lowfat milk)
- Nutritional Yeast
- Bran and Wheat Germ (Refrigerated goes bad fast)
- Peanuts (unsalted)
- Alfafa
- Unsalted Popcorn (no butter)
Foods To Avoid
- Almonds (Contains Cyanic Acid)
- Apple Seeds
- Canned food
- Chocolate
- Candies
- Chips and Junk food
- Pork Products
- Potatoes (Raw)
- Raw Kidney Beans
- Eggplant
- Fool's Parsley
- Grape Seeds
- Avocado (Contains Cardiac Glycosides)
- Raw Rhubarb
- Tomato leaves
- Oranges or Tangerines(no citrus fruits)
- No watermelon (the water content is high causes diarrhea)
- Cherry Stone
- Peach Stone & Leaves
- Apricot Stone
- Lemon or Lime
- Jams and jellies
- Spices
- Garlic
- Onions
- Leeks
- Scallions
- Chives
- Pickles
I hope this helps!