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W hat Are Gerbils? Origins and Natural Habitat Gerbils are small, intelligent rodents that belong to the subfamily Gerbillinae. While they are often grouped together with hamsters and mice in pet stores, gerbils are biologically and behaviorally distinct animals with unique needs and characteristics. In the wild, gerbils are desert and semi-desert dwellers, perfectly adapted to survive in harsh environments where food and water can be scarce. Most pet gerbils today descend from the Mongolian gerbil, a species native to the grasslands, steppes, and arid regions of Mongolia, northern China, and parts of Russia. These environments are characterized by extreme temperature changes-hot days, cold nights, and long dry seasons. To survive, gerbils evolved remarkable physical and behavioral adaptations that still influence how they live in captivity. In their natural habitat, gerbils live underground in complex burrow systems. These burrows serve many purposes: protection from predators, insulation from temperature extremes, food storage, and social interaction. A single burrow system may include sleeping chambers, food caches, nursery areas for pups, and emergency exits. This instinct to dig and tunnel is deeply ingrained and explains why captive gerbils have an intense need for deep bedding and enrichment

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