# Gerbil (*Meriones unguiculatus*) Gerbils are small, social rodents that like to dig tunnels. They are quick movers and love to explore. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Indoor tanks or cages with deep bedding for digging. ![Gerbil](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425887/objects/4366.jpg) ## Appearance The Gerbil has a compact body with soft, sandy-brown fur, a creamy white belly, and large dark eyes. Its long, furry tail, often tipped with a tuft of darker hair, helps it balance, and its small round ears sit atop its head, making it look different from chunkier hamsters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Muridae - **Genus:** Gerbillinae ## Interesting facts - Baby gerbils are born completely blind, deaf, and hairless, relying on their mom. - Gerbils can leap over 30 centimeters (a foot!) high to escape danger! - In the wild, groups of gerbils create huge underground tunnel systems, like cities! - Their super sense of smell helps them find buried food and recognize their family. ## Special abilities - **Burrow Builder:** Gerbil can dig extensive burrow systems with its strong claws to create safe homes, store food, and escape extreme temperatures. - **Water Saver:** Gerbil has specialized kidneys that help it conserve water by producing very concentrated urine, allowing it to survive in dry environments. - **Warning Thump:** Gerbil can thump its hind feet and tail on the ground to warn others of danger or mark its territory. - **Food Stasher:** Gerbil can collect and store seeds and other food in its burrows, ensuring it has enough to eat when food is scarce. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-14 cm - **Weight:** 0.05-0.13 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 20 km/h - **Litter Size:** 3-7 - **Gestation:** 24-26 days ## Diet & Feeding Gerbils munch on plants and seeds, but will sometimes snack on insects too! - **Primary Foods:** Seeds, Grasses, Roots, Leaves, Insects, Nuts - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Fennec Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fennec-fox) (*Vulpes zerda*) — A desert fox that hunts small rodents and other desert animals. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Eagle-Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-eagle-owl) (*Bubo bubo*) — A large owl that preys on various small mammals, including gerbils. - **Eaten by:** [Desert Horned Viper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-horned-viper) (*Cerastes cerastes*) — A venomous snake that ambushes rodents in sandy desert environments. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Domesticated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/domesticated): Domesticated refers to species that have been selectively bred and tamed by humans for specific purposes. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be gentle — sudden movements can scare them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Gerbil? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Gerbil? 10-14 cm ### How much does Gerbil weigh? 0.05-0.13 kg ### How long does Gerbil live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Gerbil move? 20 km/h ### What does Gerbil eat? Gerbils munch on plants and seeds, but will sometimes snack on insects too! ### Where is Gerbil usually found? Indoor tanks or cages with deep bedding for digging. ### How does Gerbil hunt? Foraging ## Watch - [Play video: Gerbil](https://www.snappit.app/videos/gerbil) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=i7c_QfOm0pE) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Gerbil: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gerbil)