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Introduction to the Mongolian Gerbil
Introduction to the Mongolian Gerbil
The Meriones unguiculatus belongs to the subfamily of Gerbillinae and is a rodent. They are more commonly known as species of the Gerbil subfamily. This is the main gerbil species to have been domesticated and made into pets. They are also called the Mongolian Gerbil or Mongolian Jird because their natural habitat was originally in Mongolia. The Mongolian Jird is often confused with the gerbil, but remember that the Jird is a separate species and is larger than the gerbil.
Dr. Victor Schwentker introduced Gerbils to America in 1954. He used them in his research, just like the hamster.
The Mongolian Gerbil is also called the Desert rat. They originate from Mongolia and North China and are extremely good diggers. They dig with their front paws and kick off the loose dirt with their strong hind legs.
A full-grown Mongolian Gerbil can reach a length of about 12-14cm, measured from tip of nose to base of tail. The tail is an extra 8-10cm in length. It has a broad and short head and a tail that is covered with fur with a tuft at the tip.
The Mongolian gerbil is a very social pet and actively likes company. They are usually active through day and night and sleep in installments of an hour or two at a time. They also easily adjust to the cycle of their owners.
They are active, good natured and curious creatures and make really great pets. An average Mongolian Gerbil may live up to 3-5 years but some live even longer.
The Mongolian Gerbil has a light brown color with black tipped hairs and a gray under-fur. Mongolian Gerbils don’t differ in size from the average pet gerbil. In the wild, they live in burrows made into sandy soil and usually put bits of grass, shrubs and herbs in the burrows. Their diet is made up of seeds, vegetables, roots etc. They also actively help scatter seeds when they eat, helping plants grow.
A gerbil family will typically contain at least 2 to up to 17 or more gerbils living together. There are usually more males than females in the family. They show a distinct social hierarchy. The males take care of the females and the older gerbils take care of the younger ones. They live together according to age groups in the family – old with old and young with young.
Even though Mongolian Gerbils live in harsh environments, they thrive easily because they don’t have many natural enemies. If attacked, a gerbil can use its strong hind legs to jump out of the reach of the attacker. They can also dig really fast to get away from the attacker.
The other animals that eat the same food as the Gerbils are smaller than them. So gathering food is also easy.
All in all, they are loveable creatures and make really good pets and playmates.
Gerbil pets, Gerbil information, Gerbil tips, Gerbil advice
Next Article: Do You want to Pet a Gerbil
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