When did gerbils become pets?

Gerbils became popular pets in the US around the late 1950s and were imported to the United Kingdom in 1964, where they became popular pets too. They are now found in pet shops throughout the UK and the US.

What is the history of gerbils?

The first known mention of gerbils came in 1866, by Father Armand David, who sent “yellow rats” to the Museum of Natural History in Paris, from northern China. In 1954 they were brought to the USA for use in research by Dr. Victor Schwentker, after which they were introduced to the pet industry.

What has been discovered in gerbils?

Amongst his many discoveries was indeed the Giant Panda. In 1867 he sent specimens of the Mongolian Gerbil to Europe and this may be when the first gerbils were kept as pets in Europe.

Is it OK to have a gerbil as a pet?

Gerbils are not nocturnal like a lot of other rodents so they have sleep and wake cycles all day. This is great if you have kids as they will be able to see them play and they will be able to interact with them. You definitely need to give them a wheel as gerbils are very active creatures.

Why do gerbils not drink as much as other rodents?

Gerbils don’t drink as much as other rodents do because they originate from a dry environment. This means that they don’t have that typical rodent smell. They also don’t create as much waste as other rodents, so cleaning their cage is so much easier and doesn’t have to be done as often. You might not even have to do this for 2 weeks at a time.

How long do wild gerbils usually live for?

Some wild Gerbils live for about a couple of years. But for most pet Gerbils that live with us in our houses, these tend to live for more than 3 years. Explicitly speaking, most of the pet Gerbils are expected from 3 to 5 years.

What’s the difference between a hamster and a gerbil?

The most common pet hamsters range from dwarfs at 2 to 4 inches long (about 1.5 ounces) to the Syrian hamster averaging 5 to 7 inches long and weighing 4 to 8 ounces. Both hamsters and gerbils come in a variety of colors. Hamsters can have short or long hair ranging in color, texture and pattern.