The best place always to buy a gerbil is directly from a private or hobbyist breeder but this may not always be possible and therefore many gerbil owners buy their first gerbil from a pet shop. The advantages of buying from a private or hobbyist breeder is that breeding has usually been carefully planned and thought through with regard to producing robust, healthy gerbils of good temperament. They are not the result of commercial breeding of mass numbers of gerbils. You will also have the opportunity to see the parents and know the date of birth of the gerbil you intend to purchase. Private and hobbyist breeders regularly handle their babies and so any gerbils they sell are used to being handled. Unfortunately the same cannot always been said for gerbils sold in pet shops that have come from commercial breeders.
If you are buying a gerbil from a pet shop what should you look for? How do you tell a good pet shop from a bad one? The first impression of the pet shop will usually indicate their standards. A clean, tidy shop is often a good indication that the shop owners take pride in their shop and therefore are likely to take pride in the gerbils they sell. An untidy or dirty shop is best avoided.