Gerbils Flashcards
What is the scientific name for a gerbil?
Meriones unguiculatus
Where do gerbils originate?
Deserts of Mongolia and China
What is the most common gerbil kept as a pet?
Mongolian gerbil
What is incomplete in the gerbil brain?
Circle of Willis
What is the Circle of Willis?
Main arterial blood supply to the base of the brain
What are gerbils mainly used for research in?
Seizures, stroke, radiation resistance, endocrine and epilepsy
Which glands are very large in the gerbil?
Adrenal glands
What are the 3 openings female gerbils have?
Anus, vagina and urinary papilla
How do gerbils mate? When do they find their mate?
Mate for life, find first mate at 8 weeks
When can gerbils first breed?
at 10-12 weeks
What is the estrus cycle of gerbils?
4-6 days
What is the gerbil gestation period?
24-26 days
When do gerbils wean?
20-30 days
What is the gerbil lifespan?
3-4 years
What are the predominant leukocytes in gerbils?
Lymphocytes
What is good amount of humidity for a gerbil?
Less than 50%
What is a good ambient temperature to house gerbils?
64-79 F
What is the protein amount needed in a gerbil diet?
16-22%
Where is blood drawn in a gerbil under anesthesia?
Jugular vein or lateral metatarsal vein
What is the max amount of blood you can draw from a gerbil?
1 ml
What are 2 diseases gerbils can get if housed with other rodents?
Salmonella ssp and Bordetella bronchiseptica
What is nasal dermatitis/sore nose in gerbils?
moist dermatitis on the nose, sometimes caused by Harderian gland secretion irritation or excessive burrowing. A secondary staphinfection can be present.
How do you treat nasal dermatitis in gerbils?
cleaning the face, topical ointment, clean cage and bedding
Which antibiotic is toxic to gerbils?
Streptomycin
Where is the sebaceous gland used for marking in gerbils?
On the ventral side
What is the most common color of gerbils?
Agouti
What is the lifespan of the gerbil RBC?
9-10 days
What is a unique reproductive trait of gerbils?
The male helps raise young
Are gerbils nocturnal or diurnal?
Diurnal
What supplement must be added to a gerbil’s diet?
Vitamin C
What is the name of the pinworm gerbils can get from rats/mice?
Syphacia
Aural Cholesteatoma in gerbils is what?
a mass of squamous epithelium in the middle ear due to chronic otitis.
Which antibiotic is not recommended for gerbils?
Streptomycin
What are signs of Chronic Interstitial Nephritis in gerbils?
Weight loss, PUPD
In gerbils, what 2 things are normal in order to conserve water?
Very dry feces and small amounts of concentrated urine
Orange-tan oval areas of alopecia on the ventral abdomen of gerbils are what?
Sebaceous glands that enlarge at puberty and involute when neutered
