Mongolian gerbil Mongolian gerbil Meriones unguiculatus, the Mongolian gerbil or Mongolian jird, is a small rodent belonging to the subfamily Gerbillinae. It is the most widely known species of the gerbil subfamily, and is the most commonly kept as a small house pet or experimental animal. Under those conditions, it is known as the domesticated gerbil. Like the Syrian or golden hamster, it was first brought to the United States in 1954 by Dr. Victor Schwentker for use in scientific research. Forty-four pairs were caught in Mongolia and brought to England. They were described as having "squirrel colors... with long furry tails."
Anderson's gerbil usually occupy sandy dunes of deserts. The gerbil species has even been found in some solidified coastal dunes. This fact leads to say that the Anderson's gerbil is primarily found in sandy dunes along coastal regions of its distribution range. This animal can be found inland and tends to live in sandy areas of valleys or very dry areas along with being found living on mountainsides. The distribution of the Anderson's gerbil has been noted to be in coastal plains of North Africa and in the Middle East. In these countries, the animal ranges from Tunisia and northern Libya to