In order to study the tensile mechanical behaviors of selvages in gabion meshes with different mesh sizes and selvage ways, a selvage stretching device was designed according to European Standard(EN10223-3:1997). Selvage tensile tests were carried out on the gabion meshes of 60 mm×80 mm and 80 mm×100 mm with type-A and type-B selvage ways. The mechanical behaviors of gabion meshes were analyzed, and the typical failure mode of the selvage tension was discussed. The test results showed that the selvage tensile strength of the gabion mesh with type-A selvage way was greater than that of type-B. According to the damage mode of gabion mesh, selvage tensile failure was classified into three failure modes: pull-out failure of the wire wound on the edge wire, tensile failure of mesh wire and tensile failure of mesh wire after pulling out of some enwinding wires. It is also found that selvage quality was dependent on the winding turns and compact degree of the wire wound on the edge wire. Selvage tensile mechanical characteristics of the gabion mesh were significantly affected by the mesh size, wire size, and selvage quality. This study is expected to provide some useful references for the design and construction of reinforced gabion structures.