Gerbil mouse. Lifestyle and habitat of the gerbil. Mongolian gerbil Where the gerbil lives in the desert

26.10.2019

Probably, many have already seen this animal in pet stores or on the market, which has recently become widespread among animal lovers and looks something like a mouse or a rat, something like a hamster, and something like a jerboa. This animal is a gerbil.

All gerbils are small, proportionally built, long-tailed rodents. The length of the body varies in different species from 5 to 20 cm, the tail - from 3.5 to 21 cm. In the smallest forms, the physique is rather light, graceful; in the largest gerbils, the body is valky. The hind limbs are usually noticeably longer than the forelimbs, the feet are always longer than the hand, which gives them some resemblance to jerboas. The tail, as a rule, is approximately equal to the length of the body, has a brush of elongated hair at the end. The coloration is typical for desert rodents - the general tone of the upper body is most often light sand tones, the bottom is pure white, contrasting with the color of the back.

Clawed or Mongolian gerbil

Here - in Moscow and St. Petersburg - the most common type of gerbil in keeping is the clawed gerbil, or, as it is more commonly called, the Mongolian gerbil Meriones unguiculatus. These are relatively small gerbils: body length 10-14 cm, tail 8.5-11.5 cm. the belly has white tops and dark bases, so that the general color tone is off-white. These gerbils are characterized by long claws (hence the species name - clawed). This species devotes a lot of time to digging - more than many other species of gerbils.

Gerbils in nature

In nature, clawed gerbils live in Mongolia, Dzungaria, Tuva, southern and eastern Transbaikalia. They settle in the desert steppes, that is, in the semi-desert zone. They can live next to a person, as they find enough food in the fields and near buildings - weeds and cereals. These are diurnal animals, only during the hot months of summer they are active at dusk. They do not hibernate in winter, they live mainly on the stocks made during the summer.

They can sometimes (in good weather) come to the surface, but at the same time they do not dig passages in the snow, like many other rodents (mice, voles), but walk straight through the snow. They lead a sedentary, family-group lifestyle. The family usually consists of one adult male and one or two, rarely three adult females and their offspring. During spring and summer, females bring up to three broods, on average 5-7 cubs in each.

The young may stay in the family until the following spring, when it is time for them to settle and create their families, but the animals from the first spring brood may leave and begin breeding that same summer. Each family group occupies a separate area with two or three nesting and several simple holes used as temporary shelters. In complex family groups, numbering two or three adult females, females live together in the same territory, but only one breeds, or each has its own nesting hole, protecting it from other females (but not from the male). In this case, all females breed.

Plot sizes vary from 100 to 1600 square meters, and all adults and young animals actively guard the borders. Mongolian gerbils have a well-developed mid-abdominal gland (it can be seen on the abdomen of an adult animal with the naked eye), with the secret of which they mark their territory. The main (dominant) male pays especially much attention to this.

Shelters of gerbils are numerous and varied in size and complexity of the device: simple, nesting, wintering. Burrows of the simplest type (temporary shelters) have 1-3 entrances, are 1-2 m long, are located within a radius of 10-15 m from the permanent burrow and are connected to it by paths. Permanently inhabited summer burrows have 4-5 exits (sometimes up to 10) and a relatively large nesting chamber (20¦15¦15 cm or even larger) at a depth of 40-45 cm, as well as several non-residential nesting chambers. Wintering burrows are similar to them, but, given that it is not possible to feed on the surface in winter, gerbils dig several chambers (usually 4-5) for food reserves, 2-3 times larger than nesting ones, and wintering nests at a depth of 110-150 cm.

Sometimes permanent burrows have a more complex structure. The total length of passages in them reaches 11 meters, and the wintering nest is located at a depth of 170 cm. When constructing holes in a new place, the animal willingly uses Brandt's vole as the basis of a hole. Usually a number of family plots are located close to each other, forming a colony. On its territory there are also solitary gerbils without a specific area. From spring to mid-summer, gerbils feed on greenery, from the second half of summer to spring - mainly seeds of various plants: cereals, lilies, Compositae and others. For the winter, a family can prepare several kilograms of food.

Since clawed gerbils have long been kept in captivity, first as a laboratory and then as a decorative animal, today there are many different colors: albino, cream, blue, lilac, red, black, "wild" color - "agouti", plain and spotted. Several breeds have been bred, each has its own standard. Of course, on the market and in pet stores we see "outbred" gerbils, mostly black, albinos and "wild" color, but there are clubs where you can buy a thoroughbred gerbil of a rare color, with a pedigree with which you can participate in exhibitions and win real prizes!

Gerbil behavior

In captivity, gerbils are active at any time of the day - both in the evening and at night, and during the day, especially if something interesting is happening outside. They are easily tamed, take food from their hands, do not usually bite, or at least bite less often than hamsters. When handling a gerbil, you need to remember two things: firstly, a gerbil is able to jump unexpectedly, and quite far, right into the unknown from your hands, therefore, so that the animal does not hit when it falls from a height and is not lost, it is better to keep it with its muzzle towards you . Secondly, you can not tightly squeeze the tail of the animal, otherwise the gerbil will "give" the skin from the tail, and after a while the part of the tail that has lost the skin will fall off. Animals can be kept alone if you are sure that you can give the animal enough attention on a daily basis. But it's better to keep a couple.

In this case, firstly, the animals will not be bored, and secondly, the behavior of a pair of animals is much richer and more interesting. If you don't want your gerbils to have babies, you can get two girls. Usually girls live in peace with each other, especially if they are introduced before the age of eight weeks. Boys, even if they are from the same brood, can start fighting when they grow up. Therefore, it is undesirable to keep two adult males together.

It is very interesting to watch gerbils when they play, run around the aquarium or one after another, dig holes or collect material for the nest. Digging takes a very long time; during the day the "landscape" of the aquarium - pits and hills of sawdust - can change several times. Nest material - large sawdust, hay, toilet paper - can be worn by all family members, but the female pays the most attention to this. The animal picks up a bunch of blades of grass or sawdust into its mouth with the help of its paws, so that they stick out to the sides from the mouth, and carries it to the nest.

Gradually, gerbils gnaw into small pieces everything that can be chewed and can be used as bedding in the nest: large blades of hay, large pieces of paper, large sawdust and branches of almost any thickness. However, even if something is not needed as bedding, but this something can be gnawed - it will be gnawed. Therefore, plastic wheels, feeders, and so on, which, perhaps, can serve a hamster for a long time, gerbils "live" for no more than a day. It happens that gerbils build one nest in the house and another outside, or sometimes change the location of the nest - for some time they live outside, in one of the corners of the aquarium, and then suddenly move into the house.

An important ritual in the life of gerbils is mutual cleaning, which strengthens the relationship between the animals. One animal can even follow another and "beg" for cleaning. By who cleans whom more often, you can roughly determine who is the boss in the family. Dominant ("main") animals more often clean others, and subordinates are more often "substituted" for cleaning and can "beg" for it from the dominant animal. Gerbils like to sit together, while one gerbil can sit on its long hind legs and lean on top of its neighbor with its whole body. They are silent animals. Their squeak can be heard on the first day of their life (if you did not know that the female is pregnant, then a loud squeak coming from the aquarium will tell you that a joyful event has already happened), or even during an active showdown. But you can often hear the "drumroll" that gerbils knock out with their hind legs when they are worried.

Room for gerbils

When kept in captivity, it is important that the room is sufficiently dry - with high humidity, the animals will get sick. Gerbils are less demanding on temperature, they live well at room temperature, they easily tolerate a gradual decrease even to zero, if the room is dry, there are no drafts, there is enough high-calorie food, there is a house and material for the nest.

You can keep animals both in cages and in terrariums. In a cage, gerbils will never be too humid or stuffy, but the cage itself must be strong, and around the perimeter you need a side 15-20 cm high (10 cm above the level of the litter, otherwise the entire space around the cage will be covered with it). It is better that the terrarium be made of ordinary glass, since the surface of Plexiglas is quickly scratched. From above it must be tightly covered with a mesh cover - gerbils jump very well and high. The dimensions of the room for a pair of clawed gerbils are 60x30x40 cm (of course, the larger the better).

The bottom is covered with bedding. The best option is a 3-10 cm thick layer of large sawdust. You can change it once a week, while there will be no hint of an unpleasant smell in the room. Sawdust absorbs moisture well and has thermal insulation properties. Only not sawdust of coniferous trees! They contain resin, so they do not absorb moisture well and, moreover, have a harmful effect on animals, especially the liver. You can pour sand, put stones and driftwood, creating a real corner of the desert. It looks original, but sand can produce dust, it does not absorb moisture well, it gets dirty quickly and it is cold, so this can only be done in warm rooms, and you must definitely take care of a warm wooden house and material for the nest.

As bedding, you can use a mixture of peat with garden soil and finely chopped straw (in a ratio of 1:1:1). At the same time, almost the entire terrarium is filled with a wet mixture, leaving a distance of about 15 cm to the upper edge. The mixture is compacted, and gerbils can dig holes in it. Moreover, if for the first few days the walls of the terrarium are closed, for example, with cardboard, then gerbils can dig their passages next to the glass, and then it will be possible to observe their underground life. With this content, you can change the top layer of the mixture once a week, and the entire mixture once every 3 months. One of the disadvantages of this content is that it is almost impossible to catch gerbils without destroying all their holes.

It is advisable to put a wooden or ceramic house in the room for gerbils. The simplest house is two small wooden boards knocked together at right angles. The house does not need a bottom - on the one hand, it will not be wet in it, and on the other hand, it is easy to catch a gerbil by lifting it up. Animals love to sit on elevations, and the house is perfect for this, and in case of danger, they can always hide in it. Thus, the house will make the life of your gerbils more comfortable. Of course, wooden houses will have to be changed periodically, but gerbils will always have something to chew on, and there will be no problems with constantly growing incisors in rodents. As a material for the nest, gerbils can use hay (gradually eating it), large sawdust and just toilet paper. If there is no house, the animals build a nest, really similar at first glance to a bird's nest, in one of the corners of the aquarium.

It is highly desirable to put a wheel, but it must be metal (otherwise they will gnaw it in a day), large (gerbils have a long tail, and they often run in jumps), reinforced firmly (otherwise they are turned upside down) and above the level of the litter (otherwise they will bury). It is good to put a drinker: let the animal have a choice - to drink or not to drink. But for people from the semi-desert zone, this is not vital. Gerbils can be fed with any ready-to-use rodent food mix, plus wet food (fruits other than citrus fruits, vegetables), hay for food, and nests and twigs (willow, birch, apple) for incisor training. It is good to give vitamins for rodents, sprouted oats, and in summer grass, once a week - protein food (boiled egg, cottage cheese).

Gerbil breeding

Gerbils breed easily. Pregnancy lasts 27-30 days, lactation (milk feeding) 20-25 days. There are usually 4-5 cubs in a brood (from 1 to 8-10). They are born naked and blind, after 5 days they become covered with hair, and after 2 weeks they open their eyes. But even 2-4 days before opening their eyes, the cubs begin to actively crawl out of the nest, try to dig and sometimes even try something on the tooth. The male does not need to be separated for the time of childbirth and feeding: he is not only not dangerous for children, but also actively helps the female.

The male never eats the cubs, as is the case, for example, with hamsters. But the female, it happens, eats several cubs from the litter on the first day after birth. This can happen for several reasons. On the one hand, it is possible that the cub was born dead or not viable. Another reason may be the anxiety of the female on the day of birth. Another possible reason that does not immediately come to mind is the lack of water. It happens that gerbils, and other rodents, do not put water, and they are content with the liquid that they get from succulent feed - apples, carrots, cabbage, etc.

Some animals are able to live in such conditions for quite a long time if they receive succulent food every day. But in no case should this be taken as a recommendation - animals should always be given free access to water. Gerbils can live without water for a very long time - this is due to their adaptations to life in arid places. But the female has to spend a lot of liquid not only for herself, but also for carrying and feeding the cubs. It may also be due to a lack of protein or minerals (especially calcium) in the body of the female. All of the above is true for other species of rodents. Therefore, when the birth is approaching and within one to two weeks after the birth of the cubs, animals should not be disturbed and you need to make sure that they have enough water, and the diet is complete, varied and includes protein foods.

On the first day after birth, gerbils mate, and it seems that the parents do not pay any attention to the cubs. They can even dig them up along with the substrate, not paying attention to the plaintive squeak of the kids. But there is no need to worry - everything will be fine with them, the next day the parents will begin to take care of them as expected. Both parents, together or in turn, warm the cubs, clean them and take them to the nest if they suddenly fall out of there. By the month, the cubs switch to independent feeding, but it is better not to separate them from their parents for up to two or three months, and if there is enough space, then you can leave the whole large family to live together.

Other types of gerbils

Theoretically, it is believed that the large Rhombomys opimus and the red-tailed Meriones libycus gerbil are also widespread in the content, but in reality, in addition to the clawed gerbil, you can find only one of the species of African gerbils - a graceful animal a little larger than a mouse, red with a white belly, with a pointed muzzle and big eyes. And even then, you can see it very rarely, except perhaps at a rodent exhibition or sometimes in a pet store at the zoo.

If you decide to purchase a couple of these interesting little animals, then you can always find them on the Kondratievsky market and in many pet stores. Each animal will cost you about 60-100 rubles. To purchase a thoroughbred animal, visit a rodent exhibition or contact one of the rodent clubs.

* Arid climate (from lat. aridus - dry) - a dry climate with high air temperatures, experiencing large daily fluctuations, and low precipitation (100-150 mm / year) or their complete absence. The arid climate is characteristic of deserts and semi-deserts.

Gribkova O.

Systematics

Latin name - Rhombomys opimus

English name - Great gerbil

Class - Mammals (Mammalia)

Order - Rodents (Rodentia)

Family - Hamsters (Cricetidae)

Subfamily - Gerbils (Gerbillinae)

Genus - Large gerbils (Rhombomys)

The greater gerbil is the only species in the genus greater gerbil.

The status of the species in nature

The species is numerous in a significant part of the range.

View and person

Large gerbils in places harm crops of grain crops. When digging burrows, sometimes the banks of ditches and railway tracks are destroyed. The species is of great epidemiological importance as a natural carrier of the causative agent of plague, typhoid fevers, tick-borne relapsing fever, leishmaniasis and some other dangerous diseases. Sanitary and epidemiological stations carry out extensive measures to destroy large gerbils in areas of epidemiological significance.

However, great gerbils play a crucial role in the formation of desert ecosystems.

Many hobbyists keep gerbils at home as they are easily tamed and breed well in captivity.

Distribution and habitats

The great gerbil is distributed from the eastern Caspian region and the central part of Western Asia to the southern Balkhash region, northwestern and northern China, Afghanistan, eastern Pakistan, and southern Mongolia. The great gerbil inhabits hilly and ridge-hilly sandy deserts, as well as clayey and loess-sandy deserts of foothill areas. Usually settles in inter-ridge depressions, in the lower part of the slopes of sandy mounds. It does not occur on bare takyrs, salt marshes and on loose sands devoid of vegetation.

Appearance

The greater gerbil is the largest of the gerbils. Body length 13.5 - 20 cm, tail 12.6-16 cm. It looks like a rat. The muzzle is blunt. The toenails are quite long. The tail is densely pubescent, at the end there is a tassel. The wool is thick and soft. The hairline is characterized by seasonal dimorphism: in winter it is thicker and higher than in summer. The color of the dorsal side of the body is sandy yellow, orange, dark yellow or dark grayish yellow. Abdomen whitish. There is a mid-abdominal cutaneous gland.

Lifestyle and social organization

Large gerbils are active during daylight hours. In summer, the animals take a break for hot daytime hours. In the cold season, they are active mainly in the middle of the day. During severe frosts and snowfalls, they may not come to the surface for several days.

In the desert, it is difficult to find shelter among sparse vegetation, and the only salvation is burrows. And it is the great gerbils that play an outstanding role in the construction of such grandiose underground structures in Central Asia. The complex system of underground passages dug by them duplicates the system of paths on the surface where the animals feed. Wherever danger finds the animal, the entrance to the mink is always close.

Here is how the remarkable zoologist and animalist V.M. Smirin described the hole of a large gerbil: “The basis of a complex hole is a labyrinth of passages laid shallow under the surface of the earth. These are the so-called fodder and protective passages. Among them there are large extensions - storage chambers. Inland from this system are a few passages ending in nesting chambers. Nests are summer and wintering, the latter are located deeper (a meter or more). The surface passage system has a plurality of outlets. Their number is from several tens to hundreds. The holes of the burrow are of a characteristic oval shape. A complex burrow of a large gerbil, together with the area located on it, on which the animals feed, is usually called a colony. In its central part, almost all vegetation is eaten away, and the soil is heavily trampled. Numerous paths diverge in all directions from the center of the colony to the periphery, where the vegetation is much richer. Hollow holes are visible everywhere along these paths.

It is clear that not one animal makes and lives in such a complex hole, but a whole group. Accordingly, each such group occupies a territory with a complex burrow. At the heart of this group is a family consisting of several generations. This family in the spring begins with a pair of animals. Juveniles remain on the parental colony until mid-summer. After the cubs of the second litter grow up, the partial resettlement of the first young begins.

In the middle of summer and autumn, the population of some colonies can number up to two or three dozen animals. They enter into complex relationships with each other, visit neighboring colonies, protect their territory from the invasion of foreign animals. Near the entrance holes of the gerbil burrows, conical heaps of sand are poured. The excrement of gerbils is buried in them, and from above they "mark" them, pressing against the surface of the sand with their belly. The gerbil has a gland on its abdomen, which is especially well developed in males. It secretes an odorous secret, the smell of which is individual for each animal. Young animals that have begun to come to the surface often run after the male and crawl under his belly. Thus, all young animals of one colony receive a single odorous "mark". This is very important for recognizing "ours". "Outsiders" are usually expelled from their territory by the owners of the colony.

A colony with complex burrows is on average about 50 m across, and these burrows attract many other animals. Few small animals can withstand the desert sun in summer and the harsh winds and temperature changes in winter. It is estimated that the burrows of large gerbils provide shelter for three hundred species of different animals. In burrows, turtles, hedgehogs wait out the hole and the cold, lizards, snakes, even some birds hide. Many small land animals of the desert not only hide in the burrows of gerbils, but also give birth to cubs there. In addition, the activity of the great gerbil greatly changes the vegetation cover, eating away part of the plants, and the soil, enriching it with humus. For example, in the center of the colony, where the gerbils regularly “cut” the saxaul, the trees are undersized, and along the edges, where the soil is also fertilized, but the feeding activity of the animals is much lower, powerful saxaul trunks grow. Eagles build their nests on these trees, which eat themselves and bring to their chicks a huge number of gerbils, but never touch the animals of their “own” colony. Thus, gerbils living under a bird of prey nest are safer as nest owners drive away other predators.

Being on the surface of the earth, gerbils often look around, because they have a lot of enemies. In case of danger, the animals stand in a column and emit a melodic whistle, which serves as a signal to relatives. In addition to the vocal signal, gerbils warn of danger by jumping up and knocking their paws on the ground. Vibration is felt by animals under the ground.

Feeding and feeding behavior

Gerbils feed on plant foods, including the branches of desert shrubs. An important place in their diet is occupied by saxaul. Animals climb bushes and gnaw twigs. A feeding gerbil first gnaws the shoot across. Then, quickly turning the cut branch with its front paws, the animal instantly gnaws it into pieces two to three centimeters long, while eating the most attractive parts. At the feeding place of the gerbil there is always a bunch of cuttings of twigs and shoots of eaten plants. If the gerbil feeds on a bare area, it squats quite low, but if among the grass or semi-shrubs, it stands almost vertically.

When storing food, there is a division of labor, when one gerbil gnaws branches from bushes and dumps them on the ground, while others drag these branches into a hole. Stocks are stored in storage chambers. These pantries are at a shallow depth, and gerbils do not fill them with supplies to the very ceiling. Numerous holes create ventilation, and stocks dry well. Sometimes on hard clays and stony soils, gerbils arrange piles on the surface of the colonies.

Animals feed on stocks only in winter in severe weather. If there is no wind and the sun is shining, gerbils come out of their holes to feed even in severe frost.

Gerbils practically do not drink water, getting moisture from the feed.

Reproduction and parenting behavior

Large gerbil family groups have strong social ties, and both males and females take care of the cubs. Parents clean, feed the babies, bring fresh grass and twigs to the nest. Growing up, young animals are included in the process of foraging. When the cubs of the second litter of the year grow up, some of their older brothers and sisters begin to leave the colony.

Lifespan

In nature, they live 1-2 years, in captivity 3-5 years.

History of Life at the Zoo

In the few zoos that keep small mammals, the great gerbil is not uncommon, as the species does well in captivity. Gerbils are one of the most studied species of rodents. For successful keeping and breeding in captivity, it is necessary to periodically replenish the artificial population with animals from nature.

Greater gerbils have been kept in the Moscow Zoo since the mid-1980s. A lot of research work has been done to study social relationships in groups of large gerbils.

Large gerbils can be seen in the Semi-Desert exhibition enclosure in the Night World pavilion. They are covered with elaborate burrows. Gerbils are fed every other day, part of the food (fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs) is placed in a closed feeder, and hay, fresh grass and grain mixture (sunflower seeds, oats) are poured directly onto the substrate in the aviary. Vitamin and mineral supplements are added to food. Large gerbils have a great need for ultraviolet light, so UV lamps are specially built into the ceiling, some of them work all day.

At the moment, there are no large gerbils on the zoo's exposition, but there are other types of gerbils - midday, Mongolian, etc.

Work carried out on this species in the Moscow Zoo

1. O.G. Ilchenko, G.V. Vakhrusheva, E.Yu. Pavlova, 1992, "The main directions of development of methods of reproduction of rodents in captivity", Scientific research in zoological parks, issue 2, Moscow Zoological Park, Moscow.

2. I.A. Volodin, O.G. Ilchenko, S.V. Popov, 1996 "Gerbils: maintenance and demography of populations of various species in captivity", Moscow Zoological Park, Moscow.

3. S.V. Popov, O.G. Ilchenko, E.Yu. Olekhnovich, 1998 "Animal activity at the exposition "Night World"", Scientific research in zoological parks, issue 10.

Media

Shouts of a defending animal during an aggressive conflict

Cries of warning about danger, combined with paws on the ground

If you are claiming a prize in the nomination for choosing the most original pet, but getting hamsters (more about) is not included in your plans, but you have a weakness for rodents, then gerbils, small rodents, may be just the contender for a place in your heart and in your dream home. And so that you are convinced of the correctness of your choice - we invite you to read our publication about the features of keeping these rodents, about the advantages and disadvantages of living together with them, about what to feed them and how to care for them ...

So, let's get to know each other better - gerbils…

Description of gerbils

Gerbils are called small rodents that, under natural conditions, live in semi-deserts and deserts, where, you guessed it, there is a sandy landscape. These creatures look quite cute, they somehow resemble jerboas at the same time, only their body length reaches 18 centimeters, and their tail is covered with short hair and has a funny thick tassel at the end. By the way, its length is equal to the length of the rodent's body, and sometimes even exceeds it... The color of gerbils is sandy-yellow with black patches in the form of some hairs. And, here in the abdomen, the wool is lighter.

Today there are a large number of artificially bred colors of gerbils, so even if you set out to collect a “collection” of these multi-colored animals, you will have at least several dozen copies. This variety allows you to choose the color of the pet that you like best.

These are quite unpretentious and hardy creatures, because Nature taught them to be content with little, so they can be without food and water for a long time - but this does not mean that if you get a gerbil at home, you will have to starve it.

You can’t call these creatures pests, since they don’t destroy agricultural crops like mice, but these rodents are of great interest to physicians, since people, they can suffer from plague and tularemia. Therefore, they are automatically considered carriers of these diseases ...

Character of gerbils

Gerbils are very active creatures, while the periods of their activity do not depend on the time of day and night, they just alternate with small breaks for rest. So, the gerbil plays for several hours, and sleeps for several hours. True, if you try to rebuild it to fit your schedule and place it in a room without light for the night, it is likely that it will sleep until the morning.

Also, it should be noted, talking about the nature of these animals, their friendliness, and curiosity. As for communication with a person, they are always the first to make contact, which is why they won the love of rodent fans for home maintenance. It will not be difficult for you to tame a gerbil, since it is already almost tame from the very beginning. And, if you treat the animal with a treat from your hands a couple more times, then there will be no limit to its devotion.

As for their communication with other animals, they are never the first to show aggression, and if a conflict arises, the gerbil will rather try to retreat than take part in it.

Features of keeping gerbils at home

The life expectancy of a pet, with proper care, is 3-4 years.

By the way, these rodents are social creatures, in addition to communicating with you, they need to communicate with their own kind, therefore, experts recommend having several animals at once, especially if you are a little busy at work and cannot constantly devote time to your pet. If you are concerned about the question of what you will do with the offspring if you get heterosexual rodents, you can start several females or several males. In principle, they do not conflict with each other, the main thing is to introduce them to each other correctly, give them time to get used to, and only then settle them together.

Unlike most rodents, gerbils are still not recommended to be kept in cages. This option is not the best for them, because the animals have very sharp teeth, with which they can easily gnaw through the bars of the cage. In addition, gerbils have a habit of rubbing their muzzles against bars, and in these places they can form bald patches and wounds. Therefore, it is better to choose an aquarium, or a spacious plastic box for their home.

By the way, about the fact that gerbils gnaw everything - this instinct is very strong in them, so they will definitely try bowls, and running wheels and plastic and wooden houses ... In order to somehow distract the pet from these accessories necessary for his comfortable living - regularly provide the gerbil with pieces of wood or twigs.

If you chose a box or an aquarium for a rodent to live in, it must have a lid that closes tightly, but allows air to pass through. The fact is that gerbils jump well and high, therefore, it will not be difficult for them to overcome a height of 30 centimeters.

Let the bottom of the gerbils' house be metal, as they can gnaw through plastic over time.

Gerbil litter

As a filler for gerbils, you can use sawdust, pressed sawdust, hay, paper, cardboard, napkins (read about the types of fillers for rodents). At the same time, you can change the filler much less frequently than in the case of hamsters or, since gerbils emit little liquid and practically do not smell, making it easier for you to clean their habitat. However, as soon as the filler becomes wet, it should be changed immediately, since gerbils do not tolerate moisture well and can get sick from it.

If you really want to have a pet, but are afraid of the responsibility that will fall on your shoulders, then get a small and unpretentious animal - a gerbil. But first, learn how to care for her.

What is this animal?

The gerbil is a small rodent that looks like a rat. Basically, it's a cute house mouse. The body length of an adult animal can vary from 5 to 20 centimeters. The length of the tail is usually 6-24 centimeters, at the end of it there may be a small tassel.

The muzzle of the gerbil is pointed, the auricles are small but well developed, the eyes are rather large and protruding. The color on the back is darker and can vary from gray to brown. The abdomen is usually light. There may be light spots on the head. The hind legs are more developed than the front ones, so sometimes these rodents move on them.

Gerbils are ubiquitous. They are found in semi-deserts, deserts and steppes. Such animals can be found in Asia, Africa, China, Mongolia, as well as in the regions of Transbaikalia, Kazakhstan and Ciscaucasia.

The life expectancy of a gerbil at home ranges from two to three years. And in the natural environment, such rodents usually live no more than six months.

Lifestyle

Gerbils are burrowing animals. But they all lead a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle, and climb into holes only when necessary. Most of these rodents form colonies. Many gerbils are diurnal animals, meaning they are active during the day. But they can't sleep at night either.

At the same time, gerbils do not fall into hibernation, in winter they continue to live their usual lives, but in severe frosts they can plunge into a state of stupor.

In the wild, these rodents feed on plants as well as various seeds. Gerbils are very thrifty, sometimes the food supply in the hole by weight reaches 60 kilograms!

It is worth noting that gerbils have a special gland in the abdomen, which is used to mark the territory. But the smell of the secreted liquid is not sharp and almost imperceptible, so gerbils cannot be called bad-smelling animals.

These rodents are very active. They are constantly digging, nibbling, looking for, storing and so on. And if the rodent does not have the opportunity to do all this, then he can get sick and even die. Consider this and by all means provide your pet with all the conditions necessary for a full life.

Although gerbils are relatively unpretentious animals, still providing optimal living conditions will prolong the life of the pet and make it healthy and active. Let's list a few key points.

One or two gerbils?

The gerbil is a rodent that needs constant communication, so it's best to get a pair at once. But remember that unfamiliar rodents can fight, so at first, keep a close eye on them.

The optimum air temperature is 20-25 degrees. In any case, it should not fall below 15 degrees, in a cool place the rodent will be less active. Gerbils do not tolerate moisture, so the room must be dry. Do not place your pet's home in drafts, near air conditioners or heaters.

Housing

The best housing for such a rodent will be a cage with metal bars. But remember that the gap between the bars should be small, otherwise the pet may escape or get seriously injured. Also, choose a deep-bottomed cage.

Instead of a cage, you can also use an aquarium, but always with a breathable lid (a gerbil can jump out and travel around the house, which can be unsafe). In any case, housing should be quite spacious, otherwise the animal will feel cramped.

Home Improvement

How to properly care for a gerbil rodent? It is extremely important to properly equip her housing. Be sure to pour a fairly large (about 10 centimeters) layer of sawdust into the cage tray, their pet will dig. But such a rodent also needs sand, so pour it into a small bath and place it in the corner of the cage so that the gerbil bathes and cleans its coat.

You can put a house in a cage in which the rodent will hide. But remember that it will have to be changed, as the gerbil will periodically gnaw and destroy its homes. Instead of a house, a pet can use a nest. Hay is most often used to create it, so be sure to put it in a cage.

Since gerbils need to grind down their teeth, offer them twigs, tree bark. Otherwise, the pet will use the cage for grinding and damage the teeth or soft tissues.

Since these rodents do not tolerate moisture, the sawdust must remain dry. That is why you should purchase a special non-spillable drinker for rodents. And be sure to keep the water clean! It is best to hang the feeder or place it on the second floor of the cage, otherwise the pet will constantly turn it over or bury food, making supplies.

The sawdust in the cage should be changed regularly, but not too often. 1 time in two weeks is enough.

Since gerbils are active and like to move a lot, then either periodically let them out of the cage, or place a special wheel in the dwelling (preferably metal and mesh).

Be sure to offer your little pet toys. These can be cardboard boxes, toilet paper sleeves, baskets, and so on. Games have a positive effect on the mental development of gerbils, so they are necessary.

Food

What to feed a gerbil? The diet should be quite varied. Its main part will be made up of grain mixtures. Also, be sure to give your pet vegetables (carrots, lettuce,), fruits (apples, bananas). You can buy a special ready-made food at the pet store.

If you prefer natural nutrition, then by all means give the rodent vitamins. To avoid a lack of salt, attach a mineral-salt stone to the bars of the cage or hang it on a wire (it can be purchased at a specialized store).

reproduction

Puberty occurs in gerbils at the age of 3-4 months. One female can bring from 1 to 10 litters per year. In one litter, as a rule, 5-6 cubs. They are born naked and blind and become independent only after a month. The duration of pregnancy is 3-5 weeks. The lactation period lasts approximately three weeks.

Possible problems

Gerbils practically do not get sick, but still some problems can arise. Among them are loss of the tail, swelling of the secreting gland, diseases of the ears, digestive disorders, diseases of the teeth, eyes, respiratory and cardiovascular systems, as well as injuries.

Taming

It is better to tame a pet from a very early age (from about three weeks). First, feed him with your hand, pet him, talk to him, be around more often. Then pick up the animal. As a rule, gerbils are non-aggressive and do not bite for no reason.

Let your pet be healthy and active!

- This is a small rodent, which is slightly larger than a mouse and a hamster.
These animals are kept as pets, in kindergartens, in school zoos and youth clubs.
Unlike rats and mice, the gerbil's tail is covered with hair, and this tail is crowned with a tassel with longer hair at the end. They are very friendly, inquisitive, sociable and very clean, therefore they bring special joy to everyone.
These cute animals live in the deserts of Africa, Asia and southeast Europe. In Russia, they live in Transbaikalia, the Caspian regions and Ciscaucasia.
APPEARANCE.
The gerbil looks like a medium-sized mouse, only a tail with a brush, and smaller ears.
Sometimes these can grow up to 20 cm and weigh 100-200 g, and there are also quite tiny ones - 5 cm in length and weigh 15 g.
Life expectancy is 3-4 years. The muzzle is sharp or (depending on the species) blunt. The color, of course, is contained in its name - sand or brown.
Mother - Nature took care of a small, defenseless animal and endowed it with a sandy color for the purpose of disguise, so that it would be invisible in the sands.
endowed with sharp eyesight, excellent hearing, quick reactions and elongated hind legs to immediately hide from the enemy.
LIFE IN THE WILD.
In the daytime, gerbils are active all year round, but with the advent of winter they can fall into a stupor.
They are natural vegetarians, so they eat seeds of cereals and green plants, but on occasion they can also eat a bug.
Like all desert dwellers, gerbils are accustomed to being limited in water, and morning dew and moisture contained in plants help to quench their thirst.
All summer the animals work diligently and prepare supplies for the winter, dragging grain into the mink. Supplies are stored in special underground pantries and provide a well-fed life in harsh times.
In search of food, gerbils can move in whole colonies over long distances. And, if on their way they meet such a pantry with food, they can easily "privatize" it and adapt it to their own housing.
LIFE AT HOME.
If you are planning to make such a friend at home, you need to know that gerbil - one of the most active and mobile rodents.
And since she is so nimble, the cage should be spacious and strong. After all, the animal, inclined to constantly gnaw something, will get to its home.
A large layer of hay or straw is placed at the bottom so that she can dig.
It is good to install a container with sand - she can use this container for taking sand baths, and maybe as a toilet.
A multi-story cage is not suitable, because. the animal during climbing can break loose and get injured. It would be nice to put a wheel so that the animal can splash out its energy in it.
It is not a fact that the wheels are enough for such an active friend, so you will have to let them run around the room, but under strict supervision - gerbils love to build nests in hard-to-reach places for humans.
Meals are simple - a mixture for rodents, vegetables, fruits, sometimes a piece of boiled egg.
Gerbils live in groups, and if you decide to get a small animal, then get a few or at least two, otherwise it will be sad and lonely alone.