Where Are Mongolian Gerbils From, What are they like in the wild, and What is Its History as a companion animal?
In the wild, gerbils are found in the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. They live in hot deserts and semi-deserts in these countries. Their habitat is dry, but it can get very cold which is why gerbils conserve moisture by producing little sweat and urine. They have evolved to conserve heat by sporting a stocky build and have no exposed skin; even their tail and ears have hair. Wild Mongolian Gerbils live in large family groups, usually consisting of up to 15 gerbils. Like most animal family groups, only one female and one male mate. They live in underground burrows that consist of chambers for nesting and food storage, much like ants. In the wild, they eat a lot of seeds, roots, and insects. Mongolian gerbils (also known as the Clawed Jird) were first found in Eastern Mongolia in 1867. Some were captured, and were successfully bred in Japan, in the 1930’s. In 1954, they were imported to the USA and to the UK in 1964.
