Pictured: Mongolian gerbil

Small gerbils are animals that look like rats (pointed muzzle, rather large eyes), but at the same time have a pubescent tail, dark elongated hairs at the end of which form a kind of “panicle”. The size of small gerbils varies: up to 15 cm (small forms) and up to 18.5 cm (large). The ears can be small, medium or large, depending on the species. As a rule, the coat is soft, and the color of the top is ocher-sandy, monophonic, without spots and stripes.


Small gerbils live in deserts, semi-deserts and desert steppes and inhabit a vast territory (from Mongolia, China, Transbaikalia to the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Western Africa and North Africa).


The burrows are quite complicated, "equipped" with many burrows, 1 nesting chamber and several "warehouses" for supplies. Burrows for wintering are deeper.


In nature, gerbils feed on plant parts (underground and green), seeds, insects, and even other small animals. Some species "storage" food for the winter. Gerbils do not drink - they have enough moisture obtained from plants.


Mongolian gerbils form colonies, the number of which can be up to several thousand rodents.


The Mongolian gerbil is active during the day.

The nature of the Mongolian gerbil

Mongolian gerbils are quite interesting animals, so they are quite popular with rodent lovers. Watching them can be compared to meditation.


The gerbil never sits still: she digs, builds, jumps, plays, cleans the fur coats of her relatives - in general, she has no time to be bored.


Gerbils are peaceful and friendly, but if you decide to “introduce” a new animal into an already formed family, this can result in injuries as a result of a serious fight. Therefore, if you really want to replenish your home rodent colony, choose young individuals (1.5 - 3 months old). The older the pets, the more difficult it is for them to accept new ones.


In no case do not introduce a new animal into the group if you do not have time to control the process!

Maintenance and care of the Mongolian gerbil


Gerbils can be kept in an aquarium (equipped with a lid and well ventilated) or in a metal cage. These animals are kept in pairs or small families.


The temperature in the room should be maintained at + 20 ... 23 degrees (the minimum allowable temperature is +15 degrees).


Avoid drafts and direct sunlight.


Gerbils burrow all the time, so fill the bottom of their "apartment" sawdust(not coniferous!) in a layer of 10 - 15 cm. To build a nest, you will need hay or plain toilet paper. Fabric is a bad choice: the animal can get tangled in the threads.


The drinker is attached outside the cage or inside, but make sure that it does not flow and the sawdust remains dry. If the bedding rots, gerbils will get sick.


The feeder is suspended above the level of sawdust or placed on the second floor of the cage.


Gerbils need to grind down their teeth, so provide them with pieces of wood, twigs, or driftwood. They can be found in nature and decontaminated before giving to animals, or bought at a pet store. If you forget about it, the rodent will start grinding its teeth on the bars of the cage and may even damage the nose.


These small animals cannot live without sand baths, so put a container with sand in the cage 1-2 times a week. Special sand for rodents is sold at the pet store.


Gerbils need to move a lot, and the cage limits their movement. So that the kids do not suffer, buy a wheel. The plastic "projectile" will quickly be destroyed, so it is better to choose a metal wheel equipped with a mesh instead of crossbars. A wheel with crossbars is traumatic.


Plastic is also not a suitable option for a house: your pets will chew it and get sick. The house must be wooden.

The cage is cleaned once every 2 weeks. It includes washing (without the use of detergents) and changing the bedding. With proper care of gerbils, gerbils are practically free of unpleasant odors.

Feeding the Mongolian gerbil


At home, gerbils eat mostly grain mix, which is sold in pet stores. You can add a piece of dried white bread or bread with bran. Grains (millet, sunflower and oats) should be dry, not moldy.


The source of moisture is juicy food: turnips, beets, carrots, young raspberry leaves, wood lice, clover or dandelion leaves. Gerbils love apples, pears, cabbage, tomatoes, melon, watermelon, grapes. However, cabbage and grapes are given in very small doses, as they can cause indigestion.


Sometimes juicy food is replaced with soaked raisins or dried apricots.


Vegetables and fruits are washed and coarsely chopped. Rotten vegetables and fruits should not be given.

These are amazing animals that willingly communicate with people. They are quite clean, almost do not emit odors. IN Lately these creatures increasingly began to appear in apartments as pets. In addition, they can often be seen in various zoo corners and zoo circles. The content of these requires a lot of time and certain conditions. Therefore, before starting a gerbil at home, read the rules for keeping and caring for it.

Description and photo

The gerbil, the photo of which is offered in the article, is a small one that lives in the wild. The body weight of the animal varies between 50-200 g.

Among individual individuals, there are completely different body parameters from each other. The length of the body of some representatives of the species can reach 24 cm, while in others it does not exceed 5-6 cm. The length of the tail of a mammal is usually equal to the length of the body - about 20-24 cm.

The forelimbs are noticeably shorter than the hind limbs, due to which the gerbil can move quickly. This structure of the limbs is due to the need to protect themselves from predators in the wild habitat. Fast limbs, as well as brilliant hearing and vision, help the animal hide from impending danger with incredible speed.

The eyes of a mammal are large, convex. The ears are also prominent. The muzzle is pointed, slightly blunted at the end. Each member of this species has 16 teeth.

The upper body is monochromatic, cloudy, light brown or sandy in color with sparse black hairs. In the region of the abdomen, the coat has a light shade. Modern breeders artificially bred more than a dozen gerbils of different colors.

By appearance The gerbil is very similar to the common rat. However, the gerbil is smaller, its tail is completely covered with fur, and the tip of the tail resembles an artistic brush.

Did you know?capablediscard the tail or tail skin. A similar thing happens when a predator attacks her, grabbing her by the tail. This display of instinctself-preservationincreases the chances of a small animal to survive in the wild. But, unfortunately, the tail does not grow back, as, for example, in.

The nature of the rodent

Speaking about the nature of this mammal, it is worth highlighting his friendliness and curiosity. A gerbil is always the first to make contact with a person. It is not difficult to tame a rodent, since it is initially almost tame.

Treat this beautiful creature with treats from your hands several times, and it will become your devoted friend. If you don't act in a way that threatens the gerbil, it will never bite you. Thanks to such fidelity, the gerbil has won the hearts of rodent lovers around the world.

As for the interaction of this mouse with other animals, it will never be the first to show hostility. If a strife arises, she would rather retreat than take part in the conflict.

Plus, the gerbil is a very energetic animal. The phases of its activity are not related to the time of day, they are simply repeated periodically with short rest breaks. However, if you try to change your pet's daily routine to suit your daily routine and move him to a dark room at night, it is quite possible that he will sleep until morning.

Did you know? The gerbil has the ability to perceive human speech. She can determine the difference in voices and go out only to the voice of the owner.

Life in the wild

In the wild, these rodents are common in deserts, semi-deserts and steppes, where a sandy landscape prevails. Mice live in large friendly families. In their native territories, they feed mainly on plant foods: leaves, flowers, plant shoots, herbaceous shrubs, berries and rhizomes.

However, in the deserts, vegetation is very sparse. Therefore, as soon as there is a shortage in the territory occupied by rodents necessary products food, the whole colony immigrates to more productive territories. Having found such lands, they hastily settle down, dig new dwellings, or adapt other people's empty minks.

Houses of gerbils are complex structures, which they constantly improve and repair. In a permanent mink, many passages are connected to the surface of the earth. The place for winter holiday usually located at the very depths. For the winter, the animals store branches of saxaul or other sandy plants, camel thorn.

In addition to permanent housing, these little hard workers always have several temporary shallow burrows equipped with just one exit. They require such temporary housing to protect them from potential danger while searching for food. When a predator approaches, the gerbil quickly hides in the nearest burrow.
In freedom, the phase of activity of the animals falls at night. During the daytime, they prefer sleep.

How to choose a gerbil for your home

When choosing a pet, carefully look at the appearance of individuals. Pure wool should tightly clasp the body. The ears and nose should look dry and clean, and the eyes clear and shiny.

A healthy animal is also calculated by the degree of activity. If an individual behaves lazily, this is a sign of poor health.

By age, the purchased animal should be no older than six months, because the older it is, the more difficult it is to tame. In addition, you can be deceived and purposely sell the old animal.

In pet stores there is a wide variety of colors of these amazing creatures. Among them, you can choose the one you like.

Having chosen a small representative of the fauna, it will not be superfluous to obtain information about the parents in order to have an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat it will become in the future.

Important!A sudden change in food can cause upset in a gerbil, so be sure to ask the seller what he fed the animal.

Features of care

The gerbil is a rather unpretentious and hardy creature, it is content with little. However certain rules care still needs to be followed.

Requirements and arrangement of the cage

Unlike other representatives of the hamster family, it is undesirable to place a gerbil in. Of course, a three-dimensional cage with rods is acceptable, but this is not the most The best decision for the gerbil. These creatures have very sharp teeth, with which they easily break the bars of the cage.

In addition, the animal loves to rub its face against the bars, which often causes bald patches and wounds. Therefore, as a house for them, choose a glass aquarium or a capacious plastic box.

The lid of the house must close tightly. This is due to the fact that the gerbil is able to jump quite high and overcome a height of 30 centimeters. At the same time, make sure that the lid by all means passes air.

Equip the bottom of the dwelling with metal material, since the mouse also gradually gnaws through the plastic.

The dwelling should be spacious, especially if there are several pets. Put a thick layer of sawdust on the bottom of the house.

Accessories

An excellent adaptation for the dwelling of rodents can be a special drinker, which is increasingly used instead of conventional water containers. To do this, hang in the corner of the house plastic bottle with a metal ball.

As a toilet, install a container with filler: hay, sawdust, paper, napkins or cardboard.

So that your pet does not get bored, install a running wheel for him. At the same time, make sure that the front legs of the pet do not fall between its bars, as this can lead to serious injury to the animal.

On sale you can also find walking balls, all kinds of playgrounds and other toys for hamsters.

Important! In order for the mouse to always be in good health, sheregularlyit is necessary to take the so-called« sand baths» . Therefore, it is imperative to place a container with sand in the animal's dwelling.

How to care for a pet

The answer to the question, how long does it live house mouse directly depends on the conditions of detention, diet, lifestyle and so on. Also, don't forget that gerbils get bored when they're alone. Therefore, it is advisable to immediately purchase two pets (of the same or different sex).

Approximately once every 3-4 weeks, change the sawdust in the house. In this case, pets need to be temporarily placed in another container.

The filler is usually rarely changed, since these representatives of the fauna emit little liquid and almost no smell. Therefore, do not change the filler until it becomes wet. Do not miss this moment, as the animals do not tolerate a humid environment and can quickly fall ill.

What to feed a gerbil

Gerbils kept at home should be as simple as possible. The menu is made up of a mixture for hamsters with the addition of vegetables or neutral fruits. As already noted, you can not put a drinker at all, since these animals are adapted to desert conditions and get the necessary moisture from fruits and vegetables.

Germinated cereals are very useful for the health of mice. It is also recommended to give them boiled eggs. Sometimes rodents can be pampered with nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, or special store-bought treats.

Important! Gerbils should not be fed citrus fruits or other foods that have a strong flavor. Also, veterinarians do not advise giving mice bitter, sweet or salty foods.

reproduction

During the reproductive period, mammals accumulate in small settlements. There are from one to three females per male in such a colony. Together with each female, all her matured offspring live. The inhabitants of each colony guard their possessions and do not allow other mice there. Sometimes they arrange demonstrative fights.

That is why, if you breed these rodents at home, try not to keep more than two specimens of different sexes in one aquarium.

Female rodents bring from 3 to 7 broods per year. After a month of gestation, 3-7 babies are born in females. The whole settlement, even males, takes care of the common brood.

The life expectancy of these mammals is short. In freedom, they usually live 3-4 months. For those who are interested in the question of how long gerbils live at home, we will answer that the life of animals in captivity can last 2-3 years.

Possible diseases

Gerbils can suffer from the following pathological conditions:

  • Cryptosporidiosis (Tizzer's disease)- an ailment that manifests itself in impaired blood circulation, necrosis of liver tissue and inflammatory processes in the small intestine. The first symptom of the disease is an increase in the abdomen. The disease proceeds in an acute form and often ends in death. Young or pregnant animals are most susceptible to Tizzer's disease. The cause of the disease is contaminated food. Prevention consists in periodically cleaning the cage and feeding the pet with proven food.
  • Epilepsy- a fairly common disease that is inherited. Pathology is manifested by regular convulsions. Therapy and administration of anticonvulsants is not practiced.
  • Injuries. It is not uncommon for mice to have leg injuries or tail torn off. the best preventive measure considerate care and a properly designed house for your pet.
As you can see, monitoring the life of a gerbil mouse is very entertaining. And keeping and caring for her is quite simple. Get yourself this furry friend - and you won't regret it!

Gerbils (lat. Gerbillinae) - a family of rodents, including 87 species that belong to 14 genera. They inhabit the semi-deserts and deserts of Africa, Asia and the extreme southeast of Europe. In Transbaikalia, in the Ciscaucasia and in the west of the Caspian, one can meet the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). Most often, it is the Mongolian gerbil that lovers of these cute rodents keep at home.

"Portrait" of a gerbil

Outwardly, they resemble a cross between a mouse and a gopher. Large open eyes and small ears make the animals especially charming. The body length of an adult animal is 10-15 cm. The tail, 9-12 cm long, is covered with wool, and on its horse there is a small tassel. Animals weigh 75-120 g. The front paws of gerbils are mobile, with dexterous fingers. The hind legs are richly padded.

The natural color of the animals is sandy-yellow interspersed with black hair, the abdomen is lighter. The colors of gerbils bred by breeders are very diverse. There are black and white, silver and gold, red, beige and motley.

Gerbil as a pet

As pets, these animals are almost ideal. They are unpretentious, clean, sociable, peaceful, easily tamed, do not take up much space, and have almost no smell. In addition, unlike most rodents that are nocturnal, gerbils are active during the day.

These are very agile and funny rodents, they are constantly busy with something, they love a cage full of variety and a play environment, as well as educational games. However, it is not recommended to start gerbils if the family has children under 7-8 years old. Indeed, at this age, children love to hold their pet in their arms for a longer time, to cuddle it. And the gerbil, due to its mobility, will not survive for a long time on its hands. So this is an animal for those who like to watch from the side, and I must say, you can watch gerbils for hours.

Gerbils are sociable, contacts, and unlike some other rodents, do not tend to hide in nooks and crannies. When letting your pet out for a walk, you can not be afraid that the animal will hide somewhere - gerbils love to be in sight and communicate with others.

Perhaps, gerbils have one drawback - the need to constantly gnaw something. They gnaw literally everything - a cage, houses, bowls, running wheels ... But this problem is also partly solvable - pets in a cage should always have harmless material for chewing - tree branches.

Gerbils are social animals, they get bored alone. Even if the owner devotes enough time to the pet, he cannot replace his family. Without the ability to communicate with their own kind, the animal will suffer. Therefore, it is better to keep at least a couple of gerbils. And if you don’t want to get offspring from your wards (by the way, gerbils breed well in captivity), you can get same-sex animals, but keep in mind - animals must know each other from early childhood. When adult same-sex gerbils are placed in the same cage, conflict or even tragedy can occur.

Are gerbils clean? This question can be answered as follows: accustomed animals are clean. But be prepared for the fact that at first the animal will empty its intestines where it “itches”. The rodent can do this both in the cage and outside it (if it is on a walk).

There is one more feature inherent in all gerbils without exception - they mark their territory with urine. Therefore, prepare the old bedspreads - they will come in handy so that during the gerbil's walk around the apartment they could cover the furniture.

To teach your pet to cope natural needs in one place, in the cage, you need to put a small bath with filler (for example, for cat litter). To make it clear to the animal that this is not just a sand bath, but a toilet, put a few peas of your pet's feces in it. Watch the animal for a while, and as soon as you notice that it sits down, carefully take it and put it on the bath. If you have not one, but several individuals, you do not have to teach hygiene tricks to everyone - all family members will take an example from a clean relative.

house for gerbils

But it should be noted right away that an ordinary cage with rods is not the best option. There will always be garbage around it - after all, by their nature, these animals are very fond of digging minks and tunnels, while the litter will fly in all directions. In addition, animals will mercilessly gnaw on rods. Not only is this accompanied by unpleasant sounds, it also leads to bald patches on the noses of animals.

Aquariums also have their drawbacks. Firstly, they are not cheap, and secondly, aquariums are usually stretched upwards, and their bottom area is small. For this reason, air exchange is often difficult in them. Another significant disadvantage is that the aquarium is heavy and it is very inconvenient to wash it.

Today on sale there are plastic boxes that are made specifically for rodents. They are very convenient - no garbage, no smell in the house. In such houses, animals can carry out their excavations as much as they like, without filling everything around with garbage, as is the case with a cage. The only negative is that in the heat in such a dwelling, ventilation can be difficult.

When choosing a home for a gerbil, keep in mind that gerbils are very mobile and need more space than other rodents. The area of ​​​​the apartments should allow the animals to engage in construction and dig holes. Therefore, a box for a pair of gerbils should be at least 50 cm long, and preferably 70 cm. If the dwelling is not very spacious, it will be necessary to let the pets run around the apartment more often.

Feeders (preferably ceramic), ball or nipple drinkers are placed in the house of gerbils. Don't forget the mineral and salt stones. Houses, tunnels, ladders, chewing material - all this must also be provided. If you want to please your pets with a running wheel, then due to the excessive activity of the animals, choose a closed wheel.



As a filler, sawdust, hay, special granules or napkins or soft paper are used.

The climate in the home

Gerbils are not demanding on temperature: they are quite comfortable at room temperature, and even a gradual decrease in temperature to 0 ° C is easily tolerated by animals. The main thing for them is that the room should be dry enough, with high humidity the animals will get sick. Gerbils should also be protected from drafts - they can be fatal for them. Make sure the cage is not exposed to direct sunlight.


Bathing gerbils

Since high humidity is contraindicated for gerbils, they should not be bathed in water. For bathing, sand is used, but not ordinary river sand, but special. At the pet store you can buy sand for bathing chinchillas. It must be poured into any container of suitable size and placed in a cage with the animals. Gerbils, as a rule, take sand baths with pleasure. After 30-40 minutes, the container with sand is removed. "Bath" days are arranged at least twice a week. Sand bathing will keep the skin and fur of animals in good condition.

What to feed gerbils?

The basis of the diet of gerbils is grain mixtures. You can buy ready-made food for gerbils at the pet store (food for hamsters, mice and rats is also suitable), or you can make your own dry mix from seeds, oats, wheat and barley. But dry food alone is not enough for a full-fledged gerbil nutrition. We need juicy feed, hay, and special fortified supplements. Together with grain mixtures, they will provide gerbils with a complete balanced diet.

Gerbils can be given leaf or head salads, carrots, beets, zucchini, cucumbers, celery, thoroughly washed and peeled. With great pleasure they eat fruits and berries: apples, pears, grapes, strawberries, raspberries. They love bananas very much, but you should not overfeed your pets with this high-calorie delicacy, especially if the conditions of detention do not allow the crumbs to move much. It is not recommended to give citrus fruits and kiwi fruit to gerbils, since most rodents do not tolerate these types of fruits very well. As for cabbage, it can be given, but in small quantities, as it is the main source of bloating in rodents.

Important food sources for gerbils are also hay, tree branches and fresh grass. The requirements for the quality of hay, both ready-made (store-bought) and harvested independently, are identical: hay must be clean, without mold and musty smell, with a slight aroma of dry grass. Gerbils love to gnaw on branches of maple, acacia, willow and some other trees. In addition, such branches contribute to the grinding of the front incisors of rodents. Fresh juicy grass contributes to the good functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Most importantly, all these “natural” delicacies should be collected away from highways and industrial areas, and the branches and grass should be thoroughly washed and dried before use. However, not everyone can go out of town and collect hay or grass, and in winter such manipulations are completely impossible. The easiest way is to buy meadow hay for rodents at a pet store. Even if the animal refuses one type of hay, it will be possible to offer it another option, for example, granulated grass hay or alfalfa hay, which are low in fat, high in fiber, enriched with vitamins and minerals.

In nature, gerbils consume very little water, the need for liquid is replenished with the help of succulent feed. However, the presence of a drinker for rodents in the cage is mandatory, especially if we are talking about a gerbil feeding babies. Water should be clean, preferably filtered.

Sometimes gerbils can be treated with a small amount of natural sugar-free yogurt, sour cream and low-fat cottage cheese. But you need to remember that pregnant females, as well as gerbils - lactating mothers need the largest number protein and other beneficial trace elements. The source of proteins can be boiled eggs or a piece of meat (beef), ground in a meat grinder or chopped with a knife.

As for the optimal amount of food for gerbils, it should be enough so that the animal can eat it during the day. In the case when gerbils stock up, the amount of food should be reduced. If the feeder is empty by the middle of the day, increase accordingly. It would be correct to periodically audit their storerooms, as well as remove spoiled supplies.

Whatever type of food is chosen for small pet- self-developed or ready-made food, the main thing is to take care of its usefulness and usefulness. After all healthy eating- secret Have a good mood little pet and its owner!

In contact with

The origin and native land of the rodent, behavior in the wild, breeding of gerbils, advice on keeping, diseases, correct purchase of an animal and its price.

The content of the article:

For many people, pets are not just animals that live with them under the same roof, but full members of their families. Sometimes a person with great responsibility approaches the issue of choosing a friend of his smaller one. If not so long ago, when choosing a pet, people could focus only on those representatives of the world fauna that are not difficult to buy, then in the era of our modernity, everything is much more complicated. These difficulties do not lie in the fact that there is no way to find or acquire this or that little animal, the problem most often lies precisely in the choice.

For the reason that today you can afford to bring into your house the most extraordinary pupil, it all depends on you, your tastes, preferences, and of course your financial situation. After all, not everyone can afford to buy a chimpanzee or white tiger, firstly, they are very expensive, and secondly, it is necessary to have a fairly large living area so that these elite pets feel cozy and comfortable. But here is a small original rodent, which will not be like all its relatives - almost anyone can easily afford it.

For example, pay your attention to such a miracle of nature as a gerbil - this is a small animal that will become a reliable friend and comrade for you without any problems. In addition, these little animals are very modest and unpretentious, they will never require a large and spacious cage for themselves, they will not run away from you at the first opportunity to the most secluded corners of your apartment, and most importantly, these pretty rodents are very clean. Why not the perfect pet?

If you still opted for a gerbil, then in order to avoid unnecessary problems and unpleasant situations, you should get to know this animal better.

Origin and home territories of the gerbil


The gerbil is an animal that outwardly bears some resemblance to the jerboa and the common mouse. Scientists who studied the pedigree of this pretty little representative of the fauna classified it into the class of mammals, the order of rodents, the hamster family, the subfamily of the gerbil and the genus of the fat-tailed gerbil.

If we talk about the native lands of this little animal, then we can say that the area of ​​\u200b\u200bits natural distribution is quite wide. This specimen of a large animal kingdom lives both in Europe and Asia, and is even found on the African continent. Based on the name of this rodent, we can already conclude that it lives where there is sand, namely in desert and semi-desert regions, but if they get to locations with clay or gravelly soil, then this craftsman is able to settle well there, the main thing to have something to eat.

Features of living gerbil in open nature


The period of activity for these animals falls at night, but during the day they prefer to sleep off, carefully hiding in their personal dwellings. Almost all of his free time these little hard workers spend on the construction of their house, it would be more correct to say houses. Usually gerbils dig burrows of complex layout, which are constantly improved and repaired, and sometimes even transferred to the next generations. They always have several temporary apartments, which are located in different locations, they are usually not deep, do not have a nesting chamber and are equipped with only one exit, the little animals almost never spend time in them. a large number of time. Most often, they need such temporary housing so that the animals can feel calm when they go out in search of food. After all, when any danger approaches, gerbils always run away to the nearest hole and can sit there until they are sure that they have nothing to fear.

A permanent home for rodents is like family mansions, they have a rather complex layout. In a permanent hole, there must necessarily be many passages that connect their house with the surface of the earth, there are also always several burrows, one of them is used by the animal as a latrine, and all the rest, as utility rooms in which food is stored, they store it for winter. The place for winter rest is usually located at the deepest depth, where even the most ferocious cold cannot reach, there gerbils pull off a lot of dry grass and foliage, from which I construct a soft and warm sleeping place for myself.

These little builders are very social and friendly animals, they are used to living in large colonies in their native areas, in which peace and harmony always reign.

Nature did not endow these peace-loving rodents with a large, stocky and strong body, sharp claws or huge fangs, therefore, their means of protection from all kinds of predators that intend to eat miniature animals are their excellent hearing and vision, as well as quick paws, which with amazing speed take the gerbils away from the approaching danger to a safe place.

In conditions wildlife they are also not very whimsical and are used to getting by with everything that is nearby. So rodents may well live if there is no reservoir near their place of residence, these mammals have enough fluid that they receive when eating succulent plants. As for their diet, these hamsters usually eat plant foods that grow in their territories, these are leaves, flowers, plant shoots, and even berries and rhizomes. In the event that there is a shortage of food products in the area they occupy, then the whole large friendly family of gerbils begins to “pack their bags” and move to more fertile lands. Having found such places, they quickly begin to equip for themselves the necessary conditions for life, build new holes, or do overhaul in dwellings dug by other animals.

Continuation of the genus of a mammal


Start mating season in these animals, it falls at the beginning of spring, then they form small groups, which include one male and several female gerbils, as well as their offspring. Such separate colonies occupy a small area and diligently protect their territory from their other relatives, if suddenly someone else decides to join such a family, then these seemingly very cute animals can resort to aggression and even use force, but such battles are very rare end in bloodshed.

The period of bearing babies in females lasts about a month, at the end of this period, from 3 to 7 cubs are born. The maturation of the boys is quite rapid, at the age of 2-3 months, such "kids" are already becoming sexually mature. After the completion of the reproductive season, all representatives of the genus of gerbils again unite into one large social group and all together raise offspring and take care of him, regardless of who their biological parents are.

During one year, an adult and healthy female can get offspring from 4 to 7 times.

Features of the external appearance of the gerbil


The parameters of the body of this rodent are different, the body length of some individuals can reach up to 20 cm, and some specimens do not grow more than 5–6 cm. The tail process is most often equal to the length of the body of the animal. The body weight of these mammals ranges from 50 to 200 grams.

In appearance, these animals are very similar to ordinary mice, the most characteristic hallmark their appearance is their tail, which is wrapped in wool along its entire length and ends in a beautiful tassel, formed by a thick tuft of long hair.

Their muzzle is usually slightly blunt. The hind limbs are much longer than the front, which helps gerbils to move very quickly.


The color of these animals does not always correspond to their name, mammals that live in the wild are usually painted in sandy-brown shades or in a solid brown color, only the abdominal area is noticeably lighter. Due to the fact that now these rodents are increasingly being brought in as pets, people have learned to earn good money on them. Namely, they began to artificially breed animals with a wide variety of body colors, so if you don’t like sandy tones, then you can easily pick up a pet in the color that you like best.


Gerbils are, I'm not afraid of this word, the most ideal pets of all rodents, they are happy to make contact with a person, they are very playful. It will not be difficult to tame this comrade, he will not be afraid of you anyway and will begin to play and go into your arms, and if you treat him with some yummy from your hands several times, then the adaptation process will be much faster and more pleasant for your pet.

The only thing that sometimes scares people when buying such an exotic is its nighttime activity, but you should not worry about this. The gerbil is an animal that can be easily accustomed to your daily routine, the first time you live with this friend under the same roof you will notice that he never sleeps all day, most likely he rests from time to time, he also does at night - he will play a little and runs and goes to recuperate. But if you want him to sleep all night, then you should put his house in some kind of dark room, where, most likely, he will sleep all night.

As a personal home for such a pet, you can, of course, purchase a cage, but due to the fact that this rodent is used to sharpening its teeth, the bars of the cage will be destroyed very quickly. For this reason, it is best to house your lodger in a spacious aquarium with a tight-fitting lid, but with good ventilation. The lid is needed so that this jumper simply does not jump over the side of her house and does not run away for a walk around your apartment. Unlike hamsters, these little animals will not climb into the most unexpected places where they are not only impossible to find, but also difficult to get out of there.

But the fact that they can do various pranks is another matter. They can easily gnaw on furniture, wallpaper and even wires.

You can use sawdust, hay, special rodent litter, and even ordinary napkins or paper as flooring for your new buddy. It is not necessary to change it very often, as these little animals emit very little liquid, so cleaning in an aquarium with a gerbil should be done as the filler gets wet, as they do not tolerate a humid environment very well.

The thickness of the filler layer in the personal dwelling of a rodent should be at least 10-15 cm so that this worker can dig at least a small mink for himself.

You can think of a place to sleep for your pupil yourself, but it would be better to bring him some hay, dry leaves, napkins, or a simple toilet paper and he will do everything with his "crazy" paws and to his liking.

In order for your pet's living conditions to be comfortable for him, it is necessary to equip his house with a variety of entertainment, such as a running wheel, walking balls and other interesting things for rodents. Not only will this keep your gerbil from getting bored when you are not around, but it will also keep her small body in constant shape.

In addition, always bring her some twigs or snags as a gift, as she has something to gnaw at the level of instinct, and if the animal does not have suitable attributes, it will begin to sharpen its teeth on everything that is in its house.

Be sure this funny rodent should have a private pool, but only it needs to be filled not with water, but with sand, where your friend will relax, take his sand baths and clean his beautiful coat.

The fact that your pet has even the most comfortable living conditions in a cage or aquarium does not mean that he should be there all the time. When you return home, try to let this active friend out for a walk. During these trips around your home, keep a close eye on your gerbil to make sure it doesn't mess things up. If this cunning creature climbed under the sofa or hid behind the closet, do not panic, she will skip to you at the first call, and if the rodent does not respond, beckon him with some kind of treat, then he certainly will not resist.

And of course, if a cat lives in your house, make sure that your exotic hamster does not become a delicious dinner for her.


Feeding a gerbil at home is not difficult at all. It is impossible to pinpoint any favorite dish this mammal, at home it is usually fed with germinated grain, green grass, plant shoots, sometimes they can afford to eat a few sunflower seeds. In addition, they are happy to eat bread, legumes, various berries, carrots, apples, beets and even cabbage.

From time to time, you can spoil your furry friend with delicacies such as small insects, such as locusts or mealworms. With pleasure they eat cottage cheese. Sometimes kind owners treat gerbils with food from their dinner table, they certainly will not refuse sausage or some other similar goodies, but it is still not recommended to do this, since eating such unusual food for them can adversely affect your health. pet.

Do not forget about the vitamins and minerals that you need to feed your friend, his body will thank you very much for the extra calcium, which is contained, for example, in an eggshell or a piece of chalk.

Common Gerbil Diseases


Like all living creatures, these mammals are subject to a number of pathological conditions.
  1. Tizzer's disease (cryptosporidium). This disease in these cute little rodents is manifested by liver necrosis, enteritis, the first sign of the disease is that the animal increases in size, due to the accumulation of fluid in abdominal cavity. The onset of this pathology is acute and usually ends in the death of the animal. Young individuals and pregnant females are especially susceptible to cryptosporidium. The onset of the disease is associated with eating contaminated food. The best prevention is regular cleaning of cages, feeding the rodent with proven products.
  2. Epilepsy. A fairly common pathology among these animals, most often is hereditary. Manifested by periodic seizures. Treatment and use of anticonvulsants is not required.
  3. Injuries. Very often, gerbils injure their limbs or tear off their tail, so the best prevention for such conditions is careful care and proper housing for your friend.

Purchase and price of a gerbil


If you buy a rodent from breeders, do not hesitate to ask them to provide you with all the documents, since an animal brought from the wild and not examined by a doctor can be deadly for you and your family, since these animals are carriers of plague and tularemia. The average price for one individual of this little animal ranges from 1,500 to 2,500 rubles.

See more about the gerbil here:

Surely not all owners of gerbils know how to feed them properly. Gerbils are desert dwellers, so their diet consists of seeds and grass. You can only give these foods, but there are additional foods that your gerbil will enjoy.

In nature, the diet of these animals is rather modest: gerbils feed on any dry grass and seeds that they manage to get. But at home, the diet can be diversified with various products.

The ideal solution is a dry mix of seeds, oats, wheat and barley. Such mixtures are sold ready-made in pet stores.

If you can't find food specifically for gerbils, you can purchase food for hamsters. But from such a mixture, you will have to choose peanuts and sunflower seeds, since a large amount of fat for a gerbil is harmful.

The gerbil is a small hand mouse.

Gerbils are also suitable for parrot mixes. In addition, they can be given fresh vegetables and fruits. Some rodents even love dry cat and dog food. You can try to offer your pet different types of food and stop at the one that suits him.

Finding out what your gerbil likes is not difficult, she will decide on her own preferences. But it is not recommended to give gerbils one type of food. Gerbils, like all animals, need a balanced diet to keep them fit.

The feeding process best moment to establish a trusting relationship with the animal, if you feed the gerbil from your hands, then it will get used to you faster. Give your gerbil a choice different types poop and she will choose what she likes best.

How to feed a gerbil


Feeding time

Food is recommended to be poured into a bowl, but these animals like to stock up and hide food in different places, so you can feed and scatter around the cage. The animal will eat part of the food immediately, and save something for later. The gerbil should be fed in a clean cage. If the animal eats in the mud, it will get sick.

What to give a gerbil

The basis of the diet should be dry food, but it can be varied with a small amount of vegetables and fruits. Different animals prefer various types fruits and vegetables, so you have to experiment. Some gerbils like apples, grapes, and pears, while others like cabbages and carrots. Don't give your gerbil food that you wouldn't eat yourself.

goodies

These animals are very fond of seeds, but they cannot eat a lot of them. The animal must be controlled according to its needs. Sunflower seeds can be given to gerbils, but occasionally. You can feed her parrot food or millet sprouts. Gerbils love small seeds, besides, they contain oils that have a beneficial effect on the coat of the animal.


Respect the choice of the pet, if he does not like the food, you should not give it by force.

Water in a bowl

It is not recommended to put a bowl of water on a gerbil. The gerbil will bury the bowl and spread the dirt all over the cage without having fresh water. Hang a drinking bottle in the shape of a bottle on the cage. It will be convenient and hygienic option. The water container must be hung so that the animal can easily drink.

Important rules for feeding gerbils


The gerbil is a cute animal.

Food must be washed. Vegetables and fruits must be washed before giving the animal, as their peel may contain pesticides that are dangerous to the health of the gerbil. Excess food should be removed immediately, otherwise the animal will bury it, and it will disappear.

Do not feed your pet junk food. In principle, anything you can eat will not harm a gerbil. But it is not recommended to feed her with lettuce, beans and legumes, since they do not contain substances useful for the pet.