Georgie, Gerard, Ginny

Most species are active at night and feed on seeds, grasses, nuts, insects, and roots. They drink little water.

Gerbil is the common name for small, burrowing rodents that have soft, sand-coloured fur, a mouse-like face, and strong hind legs that enable them to leap about like animals such as jerboas and kangaroo rats.

Sometimes called sand rats or desert rats, these small mammals are found in the dry, sandy areas and grasslands of western Asia and Africa.

Colonies usually live together in a tunnel that varies from a single short burrow to multiple intersecting tunnels. The animals plug the entrance of the tunnel with earth to retain moisture.

Gerbils, although classified as in the Cricetidae family, as slightly different from rats, are nevertheless likely to have spread from a much bigger Superfamily (1326 species) Muridae.

The Mongolian gerbil became a popular pet after it was introduced as a laboratory animal as it is clean, active, and friendly.