Gerbils Flashcards
(31 cards)
Describe the taxonomy of gerbils
Order: rodentia
Suborder: myomorpha
Family: cricetidae
Sub-family- gerbillnae
Genera: meriones
Species: meriones unguiculatus (mongolian gerbil_
- the one that is in commercial trade
What are the other names for meriones unguiculatus?
Desert or sand rats or jirds
- they are native to arid regions of Mongolia, NE china and western Machuria
-live in deserts, steppes, grasslands, and bush country (everything except deep forest)
Describe the history of the mongolian gerbil
-all captive animals today were derived from 20 breeding pairs captured in mongolia in 1935 and taken to japan, 11 breeding pairs were brought to the US in 1954
-breeding has produced a lot of color variations
-they were used as an animal model for filariasis (bloodworms)
-illegal in some areas of the Us including california (potential to be invasive)
T/F: females are usually larger than male gerbils
False- the other way around
What is the lifespan of gerbils?
3-4 years (aka longer than hamsters)
Describe the size of gerbils in relation to rats and mice
Smaller than a rat, larger than a mouse
What is the urine volume of gerbils?
3-4 mL/day- very small compared to other rodents
-dont make a mess of substrates compared to other rodents and drink less water
Describe the basic anatomy and physiology of gerbils
-hair on the back and sides is darker than the underbelly
-long furred tail with a tuft of hair at the tup
-prominent incisors that grow continuously
-small cheek pouches that are not extrudable
T/F: gerbils contain harderian glands, similar to rats and mice
True-produce red tears
Why do gerbils groom themselves more when producing porphyrin from the harderian glands?
The porphyrin is very irritating to their skin
- can be found in other areas other than the eyes due to grooming behavior
- what to do: reduce stress in environment, wash area (water, not saline), dry up with q tip or cornbread meal
What is unique about the adrenal glands of gerbils?
They are very large
T/F: the mid ventral abdominal sebaceous glands is only active in males
False- active in both sexes but the male gland is typically larger than the female counterpart
- used to mark territory and pups
Describe the behavior of gerbils
-gregarious, active burrowers
-active in both the day and night (peak), not crepuscular
-adapt to a wide range of temperatures (most commonly kept at room temp)
-do not hibernate or estivate
-generally docile, but can bite
-foot stomping is a sign of aggression or excitement (warning that they may bite)
-monogamous pairing/breeding
T/F: anogenital distance is greater in male gerbils than female gerbils
True
Describe the normal reproduction of gerbils
-one pair inguinal nipples and one pair thoracic nipples on females
-estrous cycle 4-6 days
-post partum estrus 18 hours after delivery of pups
-gestation w/o lactation is 24-26 days, with lactation is 26-48 days (as a result of delayed implantation)
-average 7 litters/year with 3-7 pups per litter (very prolific if sexes are not separated)
T/F: having just 1 gerbil is okay
True
- do well alone, do better with enrichment like running balls
Describe the neonatal development of gerbils
-born hairless with eyes and ears sealed
-ears open on day 5
-hair appears on day 6
-incisors erupt on day 12-14
-eyes open on days 16-17
- weaning at 20-26 days
- sexual maturity at 9-18 weeks
Describe the nutrition of gerbils
-granivorous and omnivorous
-try to avoid total seed based diets as they are low in calcium
-feed typical balanced rodent chow, but good to add variety of fruits/veggies
-food and water should be ad libitum
What is the ideal housing for gerbils?
-escape free containers, cages, etc
-bedding- wood chips and corn cob is good (no colors, odors, glittering)
-need to satisfy burrowing instinct (boxes, tubes)
-temperature of 72 optimal
-use sipper tube waterers (something they cant knock over). Be sure to change water on a weekly basis
Describe how you physically restrain gerbils
-grip scruff of neck (not as hard as hamster) and hold base of tail
-do not hold animal with back towards floor and do not hold by the tail alone as this may result in a degloving injury
Where can you collect blood from a gerbil? What are some common bloodwork differences?
-lateral saphenous (can take 0.7-0.8 mL)
-retroorbital sinus- can be traumatic
-toe nail clip not recommended
-cardiac puncture not recommended
BW differences: lipid and cholesterol commonly higher than in other species, very short RBC lifespan (9-10 days)
What the other name for nasal dermatitis and what causes it?
-sorenose
-stress induced, can be from irritation from porphyrin secretion on nose and face
-often a secondary bacterial infection with staph aureus (in most cases- but culture is still appropriate)
-results in moist dermatitis on face and on the inside of the forepaws
What is the treatment for nasal dermatitis in gerbils?
-remove stressors
-clean face daily with water
-dry with soft cotton swab or cornmeal
-topical therapy (triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment BID- less toxic than other ointments if ingested)
Describe tyzzers disease in gerbils
-caused by clostridium piliforme (gram negative spore forming bacterium)
-carried subclinically in the intestinal tract
-causes poor coat conditions, weight loss, anorexia, diarrhea and/or sudden death
-high mortality, especially postpartum in young and recently weaned animals (high stress times)
-spread through fecal oral route
-no recommended treatment- can try tetracycline
-supportive care with nutrition, temp, humidity
-avoid stress
-prevent by frequent cage cleaning, reduced densities, optimal temp and humidity
-pathogen is also zoonotic to humans
