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."
North African gerbil clear division between the dorsal and ventral colours. The legs and feet are white and the soles of the feet are bare. The tail is about 40% of the length of the head-and-body, and is bicoloured, golden-brown above and white below. The tip of the tail forms a pencil, a tuft of longer hair. The North African gerbil is found in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia, and possibly Chad and Mauritania. Its habitat varies across its range, but in general it favours habitats with rocks and vegetation rather than sand. The North African gerbil lives in a