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Gerbils

The urban legend

The story involving gerbils and actor Richard Gere is a well-known urban legend—and completely false. If you’re Gen Z, you’re possibly thinking “What the fuck?!*”

In the 1990s, a bizarre, graphic rumour circulated claiming actor Richard Gere had been admitted to a hospital following an incident involving a gerbil and a sexual act. The story alleged that the gerbil had to be surgically removed from his body. This is 100% untrue.

Origin and spread

The tale likely began as a piece of shock humour or internet gossip, spreading through early internet forums, tabloid magazines, and word-of-mouth. It followed a pattern common in urban legends—blending taboo themes with celebrity status for maximum shock value. It was never backed by evidence, no media outlet has ever confirmed any such incident, and Richard Gere has never acknowledged it as anything but fiction. At the time, Gere was a high-profile star in films like Pretty Woman and Sommersby, and celebrity gossip tends to gain traction.

The story played on homophobic undertones and body-shaming humour, making it particularly problematic in hindsight. It's often cited in discussions about how fake news, celebrity rumours, and urban myths spread in media and pop culture.

Gerbils! | Family Feud | 10 Feb 2015 | 1m 34s
Lemmiwinks Song (All Hail the Gerbil King) | South Park | 13 Mar 2014 | 3m 40s

Gerbils

Gerbils are small, burrowing rodents native to dry, desert-like regions—especially in Africa and Asia. They are originally from Mongolia, China, and parts of Central Asia. Wild gerbils are adapted to hot, arid climates and live in underground tunnels to stay cool.
The word “gerbil” comes from the Latin word gerbillus, meaning “small clawed one.” The most common pet species is the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) which has been domesticated for many years
They communicate through scent, body language, and quiet sounds (like thumping their feet). They live 2–4 years and are ‘diurnal’ or ‘crepuscular’, meaning they’re active during the day or at dawn/ dusk

Gerbils as pets

Friendly and curious: They're social and often enjoy interacting with humans
Low smells and odour: Unlike some rodents, gerbils have very little smell, making them great indoor pets
Active and entertaining: They love to dig, chew, climb, and explore
Easy to care for: With a proper setup, they’re relatively low-maintenance

What gerbils need

Space: Spacious cage with deep bedding for digging tunnels
Social: Gerbils are social and do best in pairs or groups of the same sex
Stimulation: Toys, tubes, and chew items. They need mental stimulation and things to gnaw on to keep their teeth healthy
Dust baths: A dust bath to help them keep their fur clean
Nutrition: A balanced diet, mostly pellets and grains, with the occasional treat like sunflower seeds or veggies

Fun facts about gerbils

Gerbils stamp their back legs: They stamp their back legs to warn of danger, attract a mate, or show they're excited!
They love to dig tunnels: In the wild, gerbils create complex underground burrow systems with separate rooms for sleeping, storing food, and going to the toilet!
Their teeth never stop growing: Like all rodents, gerbils need to chew constantly to wear down their teeth, which grow throughout their lives
They can jump surprisingly high: Despite their small size, gerbils are powerful jumpers—up to 30 cm (about a foot) in a single hop!
They purr: When a gerbil is relaxed and happy, it may make a soft, vibrating or purring-like noise, especially when being gently held
They’re tidy: Gerbils are naturally clean animals. They groom themselves often and rarely smell, even without frequent cage cleaning
They have amazing hearing and smell: Gerbils use their senses to communicate, find food, and stay alert to predators—even in total darkness
They’re social but picky: Gerbils love company, but introducing new ones must be done carefully, or they might fight. Siblings or same-litter pairs usually get along best

Gerbils in space

The Soviet Union included gerbils and other rodents into space in the 1970s and 1980s. In the 2000s, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) conducted gerbil space missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS). While NASA used mice, rats, and monkeys extensively, there's no confirmed evidence that NASA itself launched gerbils. However, it collaborated on experiments with other agencies and may have supported research using gerbils aboard joint missions like the ISS.

More

Massive gerbil rescue by the RSPCA | 18 Mar 2022 | 1m 36s
Gerbil TV | Small Paws | 4 Oct 2017 | 10m 32s
Gerbils in the desert for cats (to watch) | Palm Squirrels Studio | 12 Nov 2023 | 10h 00m 23s

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