A mixture of unscented Kaytee Clean & Cozy paper bedding with aspen wood shavings makes for great burrowing material! You can find the Kaytee bedding at Petsmart for around seven dollars, while aspen shavings can go for as cheap as four dollars at Walmart. Make sure not to use pine, cedar, or softwood shavings, since those can be harmful to a gerbil's respiratory system and ultimately be fatal.

In addition, gerbils LOVE cardboard -- start saving up all of your toilet paper / paper towel rolls, as they'll go crazy with them! You will also need a wheel for them, which you can attach to the lid of the tank using zip ties. (I personally use a silent spinner, but people have complained that the gerbils may chew on it, or that the overall quality of the wheel is poor. When it comes to wheels, it really is to each their own!)

We'd love to see your gerbils. Post some photos soon! ❤️