It means ‘small-clawed warrior'
There are over 100 species of gerbil, though the Mongolian gerbil is the most common pet.
Gerbils wash using sand.
They roll around in the sand, which cleans off any debris and leaves them with a shinier coat.
Gerbils are omnivorous.
They eat a huge variety of seeds, grasses, vegetables and fruits, as well as insects and worms.
Lifespan: 3 - 4 years +
Distribution: China, Mongolia and Russia
Habitat: Deserts and arid shrubland
Size: 12cm in length, with a tail of 12cm. They weigh between 60-130grams
Food: Gerbils feed on grains, seeds, nuts, roots, fruits, vegetables and insects
Social behaviour: Gerbils live in social groups in the wild, ranging from two to 15 animals of all ages and sexes. Groups are founded by a breeding pair and extended by their offspring and other relatives. In captivity do best in pairs of the same sex, and should never be kept alone
Lifestyle: Unlike rats, mice and hamsters they are diurnal (awake during the day instead of the night).
Home life: They live in burrows under the ground in complex tunnels they build themselves. These burrows can go as deep as 1.7 metres and stretch across 6-8 metres.Â
Behaviours: They can thump their big back legs to warn others of danger!
Gerbils are one of only 3 mammals that we know of with the ability to drop their tail if threatened by a predator
