Meriones unguiculatus (Mongolian gerbil)

Origin: Sandy steppes of Mongolia
Head-fuselage Length: 11-13cm (excluding 9.5-10.5cm tail)
Age: 3 to 5 years
The Mongolian gerbil is by far the most well-known gerbil species and is most often kept as a companion animal. The gerbil is a smart and friendly rodent that lives in family groups. Therefore, never keep gerbils alone. Gerbils are not really stuffed animals, but their active behavior presents an interesting spectacle to the eye. Gerbils are also very fond of digging, so please do them a favor with a thick layer of bedding.

Grooming
Experience: None
Feeding: As a basic meal, choose a complete food that is specifically made for gerbils or several small rodents including gerbils (see packaging), 7 to 15 grams per animal per day of this food is enough
Water bowl: Not required. Water bottle: Yes
Change water: 3 times a week (change water bowl at the same time if you have one)

Nutrition
A sturdy food bowl (for example made of stone) must be placed in the cage. Gerbils naturally eat plant foods, such as seeds, grains and other parts of plants, but sometimes also small animals such as insects. It is best to provide your gerbil with nutrition as stated under "Feeding". Some gerbils have a tendency to get fat and develop obesity / greed. Therefore, be careful with the weight of the gerbils. A healthy adult Mongolian gerbil weighs around 100 grams.

Water
If you are going to place a water bowl in the accommodation to replace a water bottle, it is important to change this water every day and make the layer of water no higher than 2 cm. It also wants to prevent faeces from falling into the water, so it is important to change the water every day.

Cleaning
A hygienic living environment is important to keep your gerbil healthy. In order to achieve this, the accommodation will have to be cleaned regularly. Cleaning once a week is regular enough (not always removing the entire bedding).

Handling
To change the habitat of a gerbil, the animal will have to be handled. This must of course be done properly so that both the gerbil and you are safe. Approach the creature carefully and make sure your hands are washed as well. Never lift the gerbil by its tail. This allows the skin of the tail to peel off, after which the underlying tail dies. The tail will also stop growing. Always scoop the animals gently with both hands or lift them into a container. During handling, keep the gerbil as close as possible above a surface (such as a table) so that it cannot fall far down if that happens. Avoid unnecessary stress for the bugs by handling them as little as possible. However, some specimens can become very tame. When you get used to handling a gerbil from a few weeks old, this will also cause less stress or possible problems. Be aware that young animals may have a tendency to jump off your hand in a panic.

Housing
Minimum size of enclosure for 2 gerbils: 100x50x50 cm (for each additional animal you calculate about 20 to 25% more area)
Temperature: 18-30C
Hours of light: 12 hours (need no bulb or artificial light above)
Ground cover: Dust-free wood fiber or wood shavings (not from coniferous wood) mixed with hay and / or straw

Design
Gerbils are real group animals, so it is important to house them with their own kind. A suitable housing area for one gerbil is described above. It is best to cover the bottom of the enclosure with a thick layer of at least 25 cm, no less than 40 cm, so that the animals also have the opportunity to dig. A large glass container in which this thick bottom layer fits (for example an aquarium or terrarium) is a good basis. Stays with bars are unsuitable as a base. Plastic containers are also unsuitable, as gerbils gnaw through them quite easily. There must also be at least 30 cm of space above the ground so that the gerbil can stand upright (some more space would be better, as an alternating layout can be created).
Always have a lid made of fine-mesh, square aviary mesh, as gerbils can jump very well. Do not use an aluminum plate with holes of more than 0.5 cm in diameter, as this will allow the gerbils to dig their teeth into the edges and gnaw through them quickly. Earth or sand is not very suitable as ground cover, because it can be cold or damp and is also very heavy. It is better to make the bottom of a thick layer of dust-free wood fiber or wood shavings mixed with hay and / or straw (this provides extra strength and gerbils also eat the hay).

Gerbils like to exercise. That is why a spacious running wheel that has a dense bottom surface and completely without bars is a nice enrichment for them. The diameter of this wheel must be at least 30 cm. Give the gerbils plenty of suitable branches from willows or fruit trees and provide hay and / or straw, as they really like straw and this keeps them busy. Also give the gerbils the option to take a sand bath. You can do this by placing a sturdy container of chinchilla sand in the enclosure (does not always have to be in the enclosure, but leave it in the enclosure for at least 3 days spread over the week).

Behaviour
Lifestyle: Active during the day, at dusk and at night

Character
Gerbils are sociable and active animals that build self-made dens and corridors in the wild to protect themselves from both the heat and the cold. They make sounds (beeps) to communicate with each other to mark their territory and recognize group members. Grooming each other's fur reinforces the group feeling in Mongolian gerbils. They regularly alternate between sleep and activity, are curious and gnaw at anything and everything

Points of attention
Mongolian gerbils are real group animals and will therefore have to be housed with at least one other congener to maintain the health of the animals.

Costs and Purchase
Legislation: Legally, no transfer papers are required to own a Gerbil.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for the accommodation, lighting, water bottle, water bowl and decoration. All together this can cost a few hundred euros. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the costs for the feed, this is a few tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Costs have been incurred if your animal accidentally falls ill.