There are many different kinds of gerbils globally—110 known species within 16 genera of gerbil, to be exact. They are all classed in the mammal subfamily Gerbillinae, previously known as the desert rats. These small creatures are primarily native to Africa, Asia, and India.
Nowadays, almost any pet shop that you enter will have gerbils on sale, except in California, where they are illegal to purchase or keep as a pet. Despite the dozens of different gerbil species spread across the world, only two are commonly kept as pets.
Other kinds of gerbils, the last three on our list, for example, might make great pets but are only found in their native lands.
Read on to find out which type of gerbil may be right for you!
The 5 Types of Gerbils
1. Mongolian Gerbils
The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is the most common gerbil that you will find in the pet shops. They are very typical in their overall appearance, with large, black eyes and a medium coat with a long, thin tail.
Mongolian gerbils are native to the Steppe region of Mongolia. They were brought for research to the USA by Dr. Victor Schwentker in 1954. They were quickly introduced into the pet industry and became immensely popular as a small mammal. They weren’t brought to the UK and the rest of Europe until the 1960s.
Since Mongolian gerbils are such a common pet now, they have been selectively bred to have various coat colors. In the wild, they only ever have golden agouti colors.
- Black
- Burmese
- Light red fox
- Schimmel
- Silver nutmeg
- Ivory cream
- Grey agouti
- Pink-eyed white
- Polar fox
- Red-eyed and dark-eyed honey
- Saffron
- Lilac
- Dove
- Sapphire
Mongolian gerbils are often kept in medium to large enclosures since they prefer to live in pairs or larger groups. They are exceptionally social animals but will typically like the company of gerbils from the same litter. An ideal group of Mongolian gerbils is the combination of two males and two females from the same litter. Be careful if you try to introduce them to another gerbil after reaching maturity since they are unlikely to accept a new pairing. Unless neutered, male and female gerbils, or mixed-sex groups, will breed rapidly. Neutering is rarely performed on gerbils due to the anesthesia risks in small mammals, so separate housing is important.
Towards humans, these gerbils are non-aggressive, quirky, and curious. They are also quite confident, making it easier to handle them soon after adoption and while managing them outside of their enclosure.
Mongolian gerbils typically reach a length between 4–6 inches long from the nose to the base of their tail. The tail is about ⅔ the length of their bodies. Their average lifespan is 3–5 years, although they can live longer if cared for properly.
2. Fat-Tailed Gerbils
Fat-tailed gerbils (Pachyuromys duprasi) are the only other gerbil common to find as a pet outside of their native lands. They are only just beginning to gain popularity in pet stores across North America and the European continent.
These gerbils are easy to tell apart from the Mongolian gerbils solely based on their tail width. They earned their name for good reason, growing a short tail that only reaches about 2 – 2.5 inches long but is club-shaped and very thick. Their tails are unique since this species of gerbil uses them to store fats inside. It functions as a good indicator of their health since a well-nourished fat-tailed gerbil has a nice, rounded tail.
Fat-tailed gerbils have not become popular enough to be selectively bred at this point. They only come in one natural coat type. They have soft, thick, and fluffy fur in a mottled yellow-gray pattern across the top and fades into white underneath. They grow up to 4 inches in length from the nose to the base of their tail and can live 4–7 years.
The fat-tailed gerbil is native to the desert regions in Northern Africa. They were discovered and documented for the first time in 1880 in Algeria by French zoologist Fernand Lataste.
Fat-tailed gerbils make a convenient pet to keep because although they are social, they are also quite happy to live alone. They are not aggressive and will rarely bite, adjusting quickly to being handled. They have earned a reputation as being one of the most docile species within the gerbil family.
3. Pallid Gerbils
Less is known about the pallid gerbil, great gerbil, and Shaw’s jird. They are not typically kept as pets except occasionally in their native countries. They are among some of the more commonly known gerbils and have found a place on our list.
Pallid gerbils, or Gerbillus perpallidus, hail from Egypt. They are very similar in size, shape, and coloring to the Mongolian gerbil but have shorter bodies and longer tails. They are covered in a thin layer of pale orange fur that fades into white across their midsection. They also have thinner coats than the Mongolian due to the hotter areas in which they live.
The pallid gerbil is easy to look after in a similar way to the Mongolian gerbil. The requirements to keep them fed, cleaned, and handled properly are very similar. On average, pallid gerbils will only live until they are about 5 years old if they receive proper treatment.
4. Great Gerbils
The great gerbil, or Rhombomys opimus, is one of the largest species in the gerbil subfamily, much as their name would suggest. They are not typically kept as pets anywhere in the world since they have a much more aggressive behavior than most others and have voracious appetites.
It doesn’t help that instead of the cute, mouse-like appearance typical to the Mongolian gerbil, the great gerbil is larger than most pet gerbils, reaching up to 16–20 cm in body length excluding the tail. There is also a rumor among the science community that great gerbils were responsible for the black death and not rats, as many thought at the time. However, this idea remains theoretical and is not widely accepted as a replacement for the well-established role of black rats and their fleas in spreading the plague during medieval outbreaks.
The great gerbil is native to parts of Central Asia. Communities have particular problems with them in Western China since they can hoard astonishing amounts of grain in their never-ending, destructive burrows.
5. Shaw’s Jirds
Lastly, to contrast the well-known and little-loved great gerbil, there is the Shaw’s jird. The Shaw’s jird, or Meriones shawi, is another larger gerbil species, but one that has managed to maintain the appearance of a cute, small pet. They have long tails covered in fine hair, contributing to their appealing appearance, similar to that of more familiar pet gerbils.
Shaw’s jird is common among the North African countries but is one of the least common pet gerbils you find in pet stores. They are not as friendly as the first three gerbils on the list, with females being aggressive with each other and very territorial. It is best to keep two male Shaw’s jirds together or a male and a female, although then they will breed unless they are neutered, which is rarely done.
The Shaw’s jird can have black or tan fur on top that fades into white underneath. They are typically very docile around humans and take handling quite well. They very rarely bite. In fact, these gerbils often become tamer than any other gerbil species once they become accustomed to their human counterparts.
Conclusion
While there are far more kinds of gerbils in the world, only a couple are actually kept as pets. We have went over those, as well as a few extra, so that you could learn more about them and even potentially bring one home!
Related Read:
- Do Gerbils Make Good Pets? What You Need to Know!
- Where to Buy a Gerbil? (Plus an Overview of the Best Places)
- How Much Does a Gerbil Cost? (Updated)
Featured Image Credit: auenleben, Pixabay
2 Responses
Going up to my front porch in Long Island, NY. I came across a little critter larger than a mouse. but not a rat. It was a pretty grey with a tuft of hair on the end of its long tail. Did one of my neighbors have an escaped pet? The closest thing I could find was a Mongolian Gerbil.
Oh no, hope the little critter is ok! Have you checked with your neighbours to make sure they haven’t had anything escape?