Pachyuromys duprasi (Fat-tailed gerbil)

Origin: Northern Sahara. (Northwestern Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Algeria)
Length: about 10 cm (excluding 5 cm long tail)
Age: 3 to 5 years in captivity.
Fat-tailed gerbils are fun little rodents with a soft, fluffy coat. They are calm creatures that are easy to handle. They will not bite easily and will sit with you calmly. Since fat-tailed gerbils are solitary animals, they are fine to keep on their own, making them easy for people who don't want too many pets.

Grooming
Experience: none.
Feeding: There is special Gerbil feed. However, if this can't be found at a nearby pet store, regular rodent food is fine too.
And as an extra, animal proteins are very important (this can be done by means of mealworms, crickets, moths and other insects, simple dogs and cat food are also fine). Don't give too much of this, though.
Fruit and vegetables once or twice a week are also fine to do. Only do not give too much, because the gerbil cannot handle vegetables and fruit with too high a moisture content.
Branches and twigs are good supplements to the basic food. Especially in the winter. It contains a lot of vitamins and it is good for their teeth as they continue to grow throughout their life. However, only give them branches from fruit trees, willows, hazels, birches and maples.
Hay is also good for the fat-tailed gerbil. Both for food, because it contains a lot of fiber, and as nesting material.
Water bowl: Not required
Water bottle: Yes
Change water: Every day

Food:
There should be a sturdy food bowl in the cage. Make sure that the animals cannot throw too much bedding into the feed while digging. For example, put it a little higher in the loft on a plateau. You can hang a bottle with a metal nipple for the water. A drinking bowl can also be placed in place of the bottle.
Water: If you do place a water bowl, make sure it is high. Otherwise, they will cover it with bedding while digging.

Cleaning:
A thorough cleaning once every two weeks is often sufficient. This is because the gerbils produce little urine. It is nice for the animals if you change half of the bedding every other week. This way, the familiar scent does not suddenly disappear.
Make sure that you remove the leftovers every day (especially the fresh products, such as vegetables and fruit) so that it does not go moldy.
It makes a difference if you regularly remove any wet and dirty bedding from the loft.
You should change the sand bath every few days.

Handling:
The gerbil must be handled to clean the coop. Of course this must be done properly, so that everything is done safely. First, make sure you have washed your hands. Fat-tailed gerbils can react aggressively when they smell other animals or food. Just be careful not to wash your hands with scented soap. The animals are very sensitive to odors and can then bite.
Fat-tailed gerbils are easy to tame and easy to handle. It is important that you do not pick up the animal by the tail. This can easily be damaged.
A gerbil can be picked up by walking it on its hand or scooping it up by hand. You can also run it in a box. Do not pick up the animal unexpectedly from above.
Once on the hand, the animal remains quietly.

Housin
Minimum enclosure size for 1 Gerbil: 80 x 40 x 40cm.
temperature: between 24 and 28 degrees.
Hours of light: 12 hours.
Ground cover: a 20 cm thick layer of rodent bedding. This can be hemp, flax or other dust-free sawdust. It can be helpful to mix it with hay or straw as this will help maintain the dug halls. (Note: Do not use coniferous or cedar shavings as rodents are often allergic to them and can cause respiratory problems.)

Design:
In the loft you can place different pipes made of stone or cardboard. The animals can use these as a corridor or as a shelter. Also make sure there are shelters or stone pots in the loft. Make sure that everything does not sag when the gerbil starts digging.
Gerbils also need a sand bath to keep themselves clean. You can use a sturdy bowl of chinchilla sand for this. Preferably set this bowl a little higher (just like the food and water bowl) so that it cannot throw it full with sawdust.
Just make sure there is a gradual incline / gangway to the platform, as gerbils are not very fond of climbing and jumping.
Toys, cardboard and tubes ensure that your gerbil has something to do and is not bored. Do not use plastic. This can be gnawed and if they swallow it they can be injured.
You can also offer an exercise wheel. Make sure that it is closed (without spokes) and that the stand is on the closed side of the wheel. The wheel should also not be too small. 16 cm is a size that is recommended.

Behaviour
Lifestyle: Twilight active. But can adapt to be day active.

Character:
Fat-tailed gerbils are calm animals. If you have the animal on hand, it will not show much interest in the environment and make few attempts to escape. They are not as curious as the Mongolian hamster, but rather exhibit similar behavior to the Syrian hamster.
Fat-tailed gerbils spend a lot of time grooming and washing the face. They also love to run around or take a sand bath.
Points of attention:
Fat-tailed gerbils are solitary animals. This means that they prefer to sit alone. So if you do have a group of animals, you must keep a close eye on whether the animals do not fight (too often) and that there are no injuries. If this does happen, separate the animals as soon as possible.

Cost and Purchase
Legislation: No permits are required for the fat-tailed gerbil.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for the accommodation, the lighting / heat lamp, the water bottle, food bowl and decoration. This can cost several hundred euros. The real amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: By fixed costs we mean the costs for the feed. This is a few tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Unexpected costs may be added, such as the costs of the veterinarian should the animal become ill.