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Thursday, April 7, 2011

Origin and way of life


The gerbil (Gerbil, Mongolian gerbil - Meriones unguiculatus) is a member of the burrowers (Cricetidae) and is related to the hamster. It originates from the steppes and semi-desert areas of Asia. There they live in family groups in self-dug underground tunnels and cave systems. These buildings usually have multiple outputs. This is made possible in case of danger to flight. The gerbil is a highly adapted to desert conditions animal with a very economical functioning water balance. It can store water in their fat cells produce little urine and feces very dry. Unlike many other desert dwellers, he is not a nocturnal animal. He spends only the hottest and coldest time of the day in its construction. His diet consists of grasses, roots and herbs. For winter grains stocks are created in the caves. With excitement and danger arises on the gerbil and drumming with their hind legs on the ground. He warns other family members. In addition to this fear behavior, it is also the "Begattungstrommeln" that something is faster and quieter. Physiological data

    
* Life expectancy: two years, six to eight years in captivity
    
* Body length including tail: 18 to 24 centimeters
    
* Body temperature: 37.4 to 39 degrees Celsius
    
* Respiratory rate: 70 to 120 breaths per minute
    
* Pulse rate: 260 to 600 beats per minute
    
* Body Weight: Males: 45 to 130 grams, females: 50 to 135 grams
    
* Maturity: 2.5 to three months
    
* Gestation: 23 to 26 days
    
* Litter size: five to eight young
    
* Separation from the mother: from the sixth week of life
Attitude as a pet
Gerbils are not suitable for individual housing. Alone animals kept under constant stress. Gerbils need a partner for mutual personal care, for playing and for joining cuddle while sleeping. If they are kept alone, they are often susceptible to disease and result in acts of compensation, such as grids biting off. The keeping of animals or female siblings and paired is therefore recommended. The male can be neutered to prevent unwanted offspring. Housing and cage device
The Animal Welfare Act requires group housing. A cage for at least 60 centimeters long, 30 centimeters wide and 40 inches high. Glass cages, at least 80 centimeters long, 50 centimeters wide and 50 centimeters high, so that an appropriate ventilation is provided. They are advantageous because they have more litter depth (minimum depth of the litter: 10 centimeters) possible. This allows the animals to meet her grave and design needs better. The site should be chosen so that the cage can not come to an accumulation of heat in direct sunlight. The humidity should be between 40 and 70 percent. Suitable for bedding shavings (torfmullhaltige animal litter is not recommended because of the strong dust and frequently encountered fungal infection). The animals expand their own litter by breaking offered gnawing material, such as cardboard, bark or hay and straw. Because of the grave need of gerbils, the bedding depth shall be at least six inches. As an option on all items of the cage made of wood, bark and board are well suited, because they serve as an employment opportunity. Gerbils are accustomed to divide their living area. Several levels in the cage are ideal. A stone, placed directly on the ground can serve as a lookout. Feeding
About one tablespoon of a mixture prepared food grains per day, juice, food such as apples, carrots, cucumbers, grasses, herbs and regular small amounts of protein food such as mealworms, cottage cheese or something hard-boiled egg. Demand for water is small, but it should nevertheless always fresh drinking water in a drinking bottle available. Care and cleaning
Will make you tame gerbils, you have to use their innate curiosity. It lures them with treats and let them climb extensively on the hands and sniff. Hectic movements they irritate. In order to catch them, they buy with their hands over the animal a sort of cave and wait until it calms down. Then close our hands and it can absorb. Also at the neck fold can take the gerbil good because then he falls into a rigid carrier. A gerbil we must never lift the tail. The skin over the caudal vertebrae breaks easily. A thorough cage cleaning with hot water is recommended every three to four weeks. For frequent cleaning of the animals is seen as a nuisance, since they must set up the cage afterwards. Not consumed food residues must be removed daily. The animals must be monitored daily in order to be able to perceive changes in time. At least conspicuous practical veterinarian or the veterinarian attention.

10 comments:

  1. awesome post! ii love gerbils. following =]

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  2. Cool information about gerbils! I used to have a hamster. Cool little pets :]

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  3. This is great. Gerbils are awesome!

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  4. interesting, good to know. gerbils are such strange creatures.

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  5. who would have thought that a gerbil would contain so much info? :)

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  6. i used to have a ferret too. i think theyre more fun =]

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  7. its nice to see some peoples interest in gerbils

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