This is a very controversial subject as lots of pet stores sell plastic items and toys supposedly for your gerbils, but in reality that pink plastic tube that looks really cool can be fatal for your gerbils health. You see, your gerbil just thinks that it is something to chew and decides to munch on this for as long as it takes before you realise and take it out. Usually by then, its a little late. Your gerbil may just shred the plastic or eat it, but usually its a little of both. Your gerbil will digest the plastic (that's of course if it doesn't get caught in the cheeks or stuck in the throat on the way down) and then will be very painful in the stomach and may puncture the stomach and can lead to fatal problems. This sounds very morbid (I know) but sometimes the truth hurts. Don't worry though, if your gerbil has swallowed some plastic, there is always the chance. I would advise taking him/her to the vet and see what they say, usually signs occur 2-5 days after they have swallowed it.
The main factor in this though, is established if your gerbil is actually eating it or not. Usually gerbils only eat stuff if it smells nice, and plastic does not. Even if you can't see all the shredding of it, maybe they have hidden it somewhere you won't be able to find it because they've burried it. The best thing you can do is monitor your gerbil, remove any plastic toys/houses etc from the cage immediatley and invest in some wooden toys/houses. These may be a little more expensive but not a lot! They actually even out cheaper in the long run because they last longer and your gerbils can nibble at them all they want and it will grind their teeth down and won't harm them. Instead of plastic tubes to run through, try putting in kitchen and loo roll tubes they love to chew them and run through them and they will cost you 0 pennies from your pocket.
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