Description
Scientific name: Meriones unguiculatus
Life span: Up to 2-3 years
The Mongolian gerbil is a small rodent that burrows and is frequently employed in research experiments and as a small home pet. Their body is typically 120 mm in length and their tail may be 120 mm long. The thin fur has a black tip, a yellow shaft, and gray roots. The skin color of their ventral region may be seen through their white, unfurred claws. Males weigh an average of 60 g, while females weigh an average of 50–55 g, making males somewhat bigger as compared to females.
Native Region/Habitat
Mongolian gerbils are endemic to Mongolia, Russia, and China. They inhabit shrublands, steppes, grasslands, deserts, and semi deserts.
As Pet
Behavior/Temperament
The behavior of Mongolian gerbils is fascinating. Each gerbil family group appears to be headed by a dominant alpha male who is bigger than the others. Alpha male size appears to be related to family and territory size. In every family, there seem to be 1-2 times as many females as males, however, families seldom have more than Twenty animals. Foraging takes up a large portion of gerbil time. In order to preserve energy, they also stop moving at the warmest and coldest times of the day. Additionally, exercise levels decline during the coolest and hottest months of the year. Even in captivity, gerbils display symptoms of lethargy during the warmest and coldest times of the year and day, suggesting that this behavior is intrinsic in all gerbils.
Care/Grooming
Mongolian gerbils need intense care in captivity because they are very delicate and sensitive as well. Their enclosure must contain all the requirements that they need. The basic need is food because they spend most of their time foraging for food. Another basic requirement is sunlight. They need sunlight to remove oily secretions from their fur because their fur is responsible for the regulation of their body temperature. Instead of living alone, Mongolian gerbils choose to dwell in couples or groups. Their enclosure must contain sand or mud containers to provide an environment for digging and dwelling. The sand container must be cleaned on a regular basis to remove litter and prevent infections.
Pictures
