[racinghamster]

The term Mongolian gerbil derives from the species we keep as pets. I`m sure there are other species of gerbil which are also related to jirds and kangaroo rats! It`s amazing how some of our best loves furries come from arid areas and extremely cold areas, while some tolerate high temperatures by staying below the ground during the day!

Gerbils are great little characters but they can find trouble because of their nodey natures! Jirds are bigger and lovely creatures, but I never owned any even though I would have loved some. These days I would only keep gerbils if I could section off a large area of a room and make a large floored sectional housing with Perspex. Glass tanks are the safest housing, but tanks never seem large enough for me to house gerbils in. They just don`t feel large enough. Although a four foot long glass aquarium would do as long as the gerbils were also given plenty of running about during playtimes! x