
Gerbils usually wash with sand instead of water. But whenever they sense danger, the quiet and cute gerbil would let out a squeal and thump its back legs like a rabbit to warn others of the threat. As curious and inquisitive as gerbils are, they do not get easily startled. Also remember one should never touch their long furry tails at all, as it will lead to a permanent injury. Hand-taming Gerbils is easier with the use of rewards and treats, just like operant conditioning. Since gerbils are very sociable, taming them is easy with consistent handling. Gerbils are very territorial animals so if it is the case that you already just one Gerbil and it happens to be old, it might be difficult to bring in a new one. Same-sex pairing is very important littermates often do well together. They perform poorly as solitary pets so keep that in mind. They live in colonies in their natural habitat so you intend to get them, make sure you get about 3 or 4 so they do not feel lonely. Gerbils are also known to nip or scratch whenever they feel threatened or in an unfamiliar environment. This is because they can be injured if they are dropped or squeezed carelessly, and that is to be expected from young ones. Note that if you have children in your home, then Gerbils are not advised for you.
ARE GERBILS NOCTURNAL FULL
Their entire body is full of furs and so you must protect them from sunburns if your area is hot. Gerbils build extensive networks of underground tunnels and they spend most their time in the burrows they dig. They are known for burrowing through almost anything. They are also easy to care for and quite inexpensive. Gerbils are energetic animals with entertaining personalities and cute voices that sweep everyone off their feet. Their features make them easily accessible to people and friendly faces. They are adorable creatures that easily develop strong bonds with one another and their owners. Healthy and strong Gerbils can live up to 5 years as long as they are well taken care of and fed. Gerbils' tails tend to tangle with wire wheels. Remember their housing and dietary needs are exactly like Hamsters, but you should get them sturdy wheels because of their long tails. They live in families with up to 20 members in their natural habitat. They are cousins of Hamsters, but they do not like to be alone. They are now rare to find, so you will most likely find Mongolian Gerbils around as pets. This species of Gerbils are known as fat-tailed because they are skilled survivors that have evolved to store fat in their tails. The fat-tailed Gerbils are from the northern part of the Sahara desert and can be found in places like Algeria.

The largest species is the Great Gerbil which is native to Turkmenistan and they can grow up to 16 inches. There are over 90 species of Gerbils, but the most common ones are Mongolian Gerbils and fat-tailed Gerbils.

Gerbils are curious and bold creatures considering their size, and they make very cute and tamable pets. Given their history, what other pet would you rather have than a Gerbil?!

This then made the Emperor love and cherish the Gerbil for its loyalty and sharpness. The assassin cried out in pain because of the bite and that woke the Emperor who killed struck the assassin to death. Legend says the name was given to it by the Emperor Genghis Khan because a Gerbil bit the foot of an assassin sent to kill the Emperor while he was sleeping. Thus, they are newcomers to the global pet market and are now proving to be very popular among people all over the world.Ī brief history about Gerbils, shall we? The Gerbil has a scientific name of Meriones unguiculatus and it is roughly translated as Clawed Warrior. English-speaking countries started keeping them as pets a little after 1954. Gerbils are small creatures that usually inhabit scrubland, grassland, desert, and some semi desserts. There's one, in particular, we're about to discuss in this article and that is the Gerbil. Some of these animals include hamsters, ferrets, gerbils, rabbits, etc. These small animals have similar things in common or certain characteristics they share, but they are very different too.

Several petite creatures are perfect as pets and can be kept in a lot of households. The world has gone beyond having cats, dogs, and some other enormous animals as pets. This is because their bodies are not affected by the same circadian rhythms as owls and hamsters. This implies that they are not born nocturnal animals their biological nature is not strictly nocturnal. “Gerbils are referred to as nocturnal animals because they are most active at night, or at the very least, can be most active at night if you train them like that.
