Wild gerbils live in colonies in underground burrows. You may wish to provide a small wood, cardboard, or ceramic box in which the gerbil can build its nest. Bighorn Sheep can last for weeks on end without a direct water source, but instead get water from the barrel cactus. Physical features. There are over 100 species of gerbils that differ in size, color and type of habitat. less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rainfall create some of the harshest living condition in the biosphere called hot desert. They split open the cactus with their curved horns and eat the watery insides. They are adapted to the life in arid and desert areas. Gerbils are relatively small and easily injured if dropped. How Is A Gerbil Adapted To The Desert? Their coloration in the wild is usually light brown, which blends in well with the desert surroundings and makes them less visible to birds of prey. They dig large, extensive burrow systems under the ground to hide from the heat and cold. ... as the gravel harms their feet… Gerbils also inhabit woodland savannas and mountain slopes. The tail is furred to provide additional protection against the cold and they even have fur between their toes. Mammals as a group are not well adapted to desert life because they excrete urea, which involves the loss of much water. Gerbil is a mammal that belongs to the group of burrowing rodents. All gerbils have long hind feet and fairly large ears and eyes, but there is variation among other characteristics. Knowing more about the biology and behaviour of gerbils can help you to These burrows have many exits, but can go deep underground where the cold and snow can’t reach. Body form varies from stout and compact to slender and gracile. There are a few color variations in domesticated gerbils, but in the wild all gerbils and jirds are pale shades of brown. They live in burrows to hide from the cold and open landscape. Gerbils are excellent burrowers - they do it so much that even captive gerbils need to burrow in order to fill this deep evolutionary need. Repetitive corner digging can be minimized by providing tunnels while gerbils are in their … and are naturally adapted to desert environments in Africa, India and Asia (2). The steppe is similar to a desert: it has little water, almost no trees, and little life. This coloration gives them camouflage in their arid environment, making them less likely to be detected by predators. ... Camel feces are consumed by insects and gerbils (desert rats) (which recover this way a part of the water). Care should be taken not to introduce new smells suddenly into the tank, because the tank is considered by the gerbils to be their territory. The Tien Shan mountain range and the Takla Makan Desert. Intense solar radiation, lashing winds, and little moisture i.e. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Gerbils may also benefit from regular sand or dust baths as described for chinchillas (see Providing a Home for a Chinchilla : Dust Baths); rolling in the sand is a way for these desert … In these areas the temperatures reach extremes. Gerbils are monogamous. A cactus has very long roots to absorb water very quickly and spikes to stop animals from eating it. The black-footed also lives in dry environments. Gerbils have much less odor than other rodents, such as rats and mice. Gerbils have had to adapt to these temperature variations. Gerbils have several physical adaptations that help them avoid predators. Adaptation to desert life; nocturnal to avoid the heat of the day, large eyes for nocturnal activity, large hind feet for hopping long distances, hair soles on feet to insulate feet from hot sand, and burrowing. Survival Adaptations: Unlike most mammals, Desert Bighorn Sheep's body temperature can safely fluctuate a few degrees without harmful consequences. When kept as pets, gerbils are often held many feet above the ground. The Takla Makan is flanked by high mountain ranges: the Tien Shan to the north, the Kunlun Mountains to the south, and the Pamirs to the west. However, in the wild, this is not a natural position, which means that gerbils are not adapted to handle long falls. Although gerbils are adapted to the desert, they require water to be supplied at all times to be safe and healthy. ... Desert Gerbils have hairy soles on their feet which allow them excellent traction on sand. For example in the Karakum Desert (Central Asia), … They live on grains and grass roots, which are the most ubiquitous food there. Their life span is … A Gerbil is a small mammal of the order Rodentia.Once known simply as "desert rats", the gerbil subfamily includes about 110 species of African, Indian, and Asian rodents, including sand rats and jirds, all of which are adapted to arid habitats.Most are primarily diurnal (though some, including the common household pet, do exhibit crepuscular omnivorous. A cactus is adapted to living in the desert because it has no leaves and a small surface area so it reduces the water loss and a thick stem to store water in a drought. They live in a desolate, dry grassland called the steppe. The sand cat lives in areas of sandy desert. Gerbils have adapted to this environment well. Gerbils are active and appreciate a running or exercise wheel. Gerbils are native to India, Asia and Africa.