Science Projects on Gerbils

A reward-based science project will be fun for both you and your furry friends. It's also a great way for children who have grown bored of their pets to reconnect with them once again and learn new skills. A fun test can be achieved by assessing the cognitive intelligence of your gerbils when confronted with obstacles between them and a delicious-smelling treat. Allow them to explore a maze and test to see how fast the gerbil can get to the treat at the end, or test the gerbil against another rodent to compare intelligence.

  1. Maze Test

    • Make a maze with one entrance, one exit and several dead ends. Avoid using medium-density fiberboard for your maze, because it is toxic for gerbils. Alternatively, you can buy tubes that link together or ready-made mazes from the pet store. Place an edible treat at the end of the maze as a reward. Conduct the experiment during the evening when the gerbil is more energetic. Use a stopwatch to time the gerbil's first attempt of the maze. Return it to its home to rest and drink if necessary. Repeat the maze experiment after 30 minutes and set the stopwatch to see if the second run is faster. Repeat the test several times over different days, each time with a treat at the end of the maze. If the gerbil gradually speeds up, it has learned to run the maze and proven its intelligence.

    Gerbil Hamster Test

    • Create a gerbil-sized maze. Place the gerbil at the starting point and time how long it takes to complete the maze and reach a treat at the exit. When the gerbil has finished, place a hamster at the entrance and time how long it takes for the hamster to complete the run. Test each over several consecutive runs and compare the results to see who completed the maze the fastest and whose speed increased at a faster rate. The quickest learner will be the smartest critter.

    Food Test

    • Conduct a test to determine the effect of fresh foods on the health of a gerbil. Weigh two gerbils and make a note of how healthy and energetic they each are. Over the course of two weeks, feed one gerbil dried foods only. Feed the second gerbil dried foods as well as a plentiful supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. When the two weeks are up, examine the gerbils to see which is the healthier and more energetic of the two and which weighs the most.

    Genetic Test

    • Conduct a genetic test in conjunction with a respected gerbil breeder. Test for the genetic dominance of fur color by breeding two gerbils of different colorings. If possible, breed a pair with genetic records to predetermine the recessive color genes of each gerbil. Note how many of the resulting litter have the mother's colorings and how many have the father's colorings. Repeat the experiment for three litters to determine which are the dominant and which are the recessive colorings. Always consider the welfare of your furry friends and don't breed gerbils yourself at home unless you have adequate means to support and care for the large number of offspring.