Do Gerbils smell? No, gerbils are actually one of the least smelly rodents. They are almost odorless. How is that possible? Let me explain. Why Are Gerbils Almost Odorless? Gerbils are desert animals, and experts at absorbing almost everything they eat and drink. Therefore, they don’t need to drink much water, which means they don’t urinate much compared to other rodents. And less urine means less odor. A lot of animals use their urine to scent mark, but gerbils don’t. They instead use a scent gland on their stomachs, which further helps to keep urine production down. As a bonus,