By far the best way to keep gerbils is in a breeding pair. They will remain together for life and the male will assist in rearing the young. They may produce up to 9 litters in their life time. However, you must be sure that you can handle so many young gerbils, because if you separate the pair they cannot later be reintroduced nor introduced to new companions. Gerbils are extremely territorial and will not tolerate strangers.

If you do not wish to keep a breeding pair then a two or three females will live happily together. Gerbils are thought to live in underground colonies in the wild, but this has consistently failed in captivity, due to severe fighting. This may be due to lack of space, and should not be attempted by the beginner. Some pairs will produce up to nine litters in their lifetime. They will have between 2 and 6 young (with 3 or 4 being normal), and they are looked after by both the male and female.