Pet Breed Guide NZ
Gerbil (Mongolian Gerbil)
Social, active rodents popular in Europe and North America but completely prohibited in New Zealand.
Photo Gallery
NZ Ownership Snapshot
Prohibited in NZ- Noise Level
- quiet
- Social Needs
- pairs
Gerbils are prohibited in New Zealand: Schedule 2 of the HSNO Act 1996 lists "any gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)" as a prohibited new organism, so no approval can be issued to import or release one. No other gerbil can be imported as a pet either — other than cats and dogs, MPI allows only rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas to be imported as pets. Legal NZ alternatives: guinea pigs, rats, mice, rabbits.
Breed Snapshot
- Size
- small
- Lifespan
- 3-5 years
- Origin
- Mongolia and northern China
- Care Focus
- Curious, social, active during daytime; best kept in same-sex pairs or groups
- NZ Price
- NOT AVAILABLE IN NZ — prohibited species
NZ Lifestyle Fit
Prohibited. The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is listed in Schedule 2 of the HSNO Act 1996 (item 8) as a prohibited new organism, and s25(2) of the Act bars any approval to import, develop, field test or release it. Sources: legislation.govt.nz (HSNO Act 1996, s25 and Schedule 2); epa.govt.nz (Prohibited organisms in New Zealand). Checked 29 September 2026.
The Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is a popular, social pet rodent widely kept in Europe and North America. However, the Mongolian gerbil is a prohibited new organism in New Zealand: it is listed in Schedule 2 of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996, and no approval can ever be issued to import or release one. Gerbils appear on our banned and restricted pets list for NZ alongside the other prohibited rodents. Legal NZ social small pet alternatives: fancy rats (very intelligent) or guinea pigs (great for families).
Related Breeds
Peruvian Guinea Pig
The Peruvian is the long-haired guinea pig, its silky coat growing continuously to 15 to 20 cm or more, sweeping forward over the head into a fringe or mop-top and backwards from the rump; underneath sits a compact, cobby body of roughly 700 g to 1.2 kg. Coats come in solids, bi-colours and tri-colours, and lifespan is generally 4 to 7 years. Temperament is sweet and gentle, often timid at first, and the breed is highly social, suiting same-sex pairs or small herds rather than life alone. The coat sets this breed apart from short-haired cavies: daily brushing, periodic trimming and scrupulous hygiene, because neglected long hair invites fungal skin infections, mites and lice. Alongside that come a hay-led diet with vegetables rich in vitamin C, daily supervised floor time, and indoor housing, which protects the coat and avoids overheating in humid weather. It suits an owner who genuinely enjoys grooming.
Teddy Guinea Pig
The Teddy is the crinkle-coated guinea pig: short, dense fur that stands upright rather than lying flat, giving the plush, soft-toy look behind the name. Adults weigh about 700 g to 1.2 kg, measure 20 to 30 cm and typically live 4 to 6 years, with coats in solids, agoutis and Himalayans and short, floppy ears. Temperament is friendly, docile and curious: shy at first, then content with lap time and gentle handling. The breed is thoroughly social and does best in same-sex pairs or small herds. Grooming is moderate rather than demanding, so daily care centres on hay, fresh vegetables supplying the vitamin C guinea pigs cannot make themselves, clean water, spot-cleaning, and supervised floor time in a guinea-pig-proofed space. Weekly checks cover nails, teeth and overall condition. It suits first-time small-pet keepers and families able to house at least two indoors.
Skinny Pig (Hairless Guinea Pig)
The Skinny Pig is a near-hairless guinea pig, smooth-skinned apart from a little fuzz on the muzzle, feet and legs, and it comes in colours ranging from pink to black, chocolate and spotted. Developed in Canada, it keeps the stocky build and sociable habits of a coated guinea pig: gentle, curious, rarely inclined to bite, and talkative, wheeking for food and purring when settled. Skinny Pigs live roughly four to six years and do best in pairs or small groups, with daily handling and supervised floor time outside the cage. The trade-off is climate control. Bare skin means indoor housing in a warm, draught-free room around 20-24C, out of direct sun, and frequent checks for dryness, cuts and fungal skin trouble. Like all guinea pigs they need unlimited hay and a vitamin C source. Best suited to a household ready for hands-on daily care rather than a low-effort pet.
Dutch Rabbit
The Dutch Rabbit is a compact, boldly marked rabbit of roughly 1.8 to 2.5 kilograms, placid and even-tempered enough to suit families wanting a calm small pet. Its pattern is the giveaway: a white blaze running up the face between the eyes and a white saddle across the shoulders and back, meeting cleanly against a coloured head and rear in black, blue, chocolate, grey or tortoise. The short, dense, soft coat keeps grooming light: a weekly brush and nail trims every four to six weeks. Dutch Rabbits are intelligent, curious without being hyperactive, and become genuinely affectionate once settled, particularly where gentle handling starts early. They are social, do best in compatible pairs, take to litter training and settle into a household routine. They need three to four hours of supervised exercise daily in a secure, rabbit-proofed space, with housing that keeps out predators such as stoats and ferrets. Over a lifespan of 8 to 12 years they suit a household able to commit to daily care.
Chinchilla
The Chinchilla is a dense-furred rodent from the Andes of South America, active mainly at dawn and dusk and unusually long-lived for a small pet at fifteen to twenty years. Adults weigh roughly 400 to 800 grams, with a body of 25-35 cm plus a bushy tail, and coats running from the standard grey through beige, white, black and sapphire. Character is curious, agile and playful rather than cuddly: chinchillas would mostly rather climb, explore and chew than sit on a lap, and they turn skittish without calm, regular handling. They are social animals, usually kept in same-sex pairs or small groups. Care is specific, meaning a tall multi-level cage, a daily dust bath of ten to fifteen minutes, unlimited timothy hay with chinchilla-formulated pellets, and a room held below 25C, because heat is genuinely dangerous to them. A long-term pet for a patient household, not a starter animal.
Rex Rat
Rex rats are fancy rats with a curly coat and curled whiskers — the same species and the same care as any pet rat. Pet rats are legal in NZ, but the rex coat is not present in New Zealand's closed rat gene pool (importing rats is banned) — NZ rats come in standard and NZ Angora coats only. They need company of their own kind and daily out-of-cage time. Watch for respiratory infection (Mycoplasma pulmonis), bumblefoot and age-related tumours. Typical lifespan is 2-3 years.