[header] How to pick up a gerbil [title] Give your gerbil time to adjust to his new home. [step] You may be tempted to start holding your gerbil as soon as you bring him home, but he will need time to learn his new environment first. Let him explore his cage and get used to where things are. 
Give him at least a few hours of exploration time. [substeps] Gerbils can be very timid, so your gerbil may need longer than a few hours to adjust to his new home.