Fat-Tailed Gerbil
By Robert Hudson
Fat-tailed Gerbil aka Duprasi, Pachyuromys duprasi, comes from the northern portion of the desert west of the Nile Delta in Egypt. It is also found in Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria. (Barker, 2003; Helmy and Osborn, 1980)
The tail stores water and fat for the fat-tailed gerbil in the same way a camel uses its hump.
Fat-tailed gerbils have a cuddly coat that is fluffy, thick and soft. They have fairly large, oval-shaped eyes and pink ears.
Fat-tailed gerbils are the most easy going of rodents in their habitat. When captured, these animals rarely bite or even try and run away, but with their own kind they can be aggressive and like the more common gerbil have been known to cannibalize their own young.
https://i.imgur.com/5xCaB4Y.mp4The body of an adult is approximately 3 to 4 inches in length with a tail of about 2 inches. Duprasi should be housed in a 10 gallon (or larger) aquarium with a secured heavy screen top . Bedding material should be wood shavings of any kind of wood other than cedar and should be one inch thick or more. These little guys love to play and run around and crawl through tunnels like PVC pipe. They also love exercise wheels.
Fat-tailed gerbils- They Look Handsome!
Fat-tailed gerbils are meticulous groomers. They spend lots of time grooming their fur and washing their faces. Twice a week place a small container of sand in the cage. This keeps their coats clean and fluffy.
These little balls of fluff live up to five years in captivity.
