Jerboa - description, habitat, lifestyle

Jerboa is a miniature animal that has a completely bizarre appearance. From the outside, it seems that his body consists of parts of the bodies of different animals, but, despite this, he perfectly adapted to the harsh environmental conditions, and can easily feel himself even in places where it is difficult to survive, for example, in arid deserts . It belongs to the Dipodinae family, or “jumping rodents,” which includes several different genera.

Jerboa description

The jerboa has a mouse-shaped or rat-like head and body, it also has a sensitive mustache like a cat, eyes are large enough, similar to the eyes of an owl, ears like a squirrel, hind legs like a kangaroo. The forelegs are like dogs, and have a long, sometimes fur-coated, characteristic tail.

1. The length of the animal is from 5 to 15 cm, depending on the species. The average weight of jerboa is from 50 to 140 grams.
2. Head. The skull is very similar to a mouse. The nose of this small animal is strong and adapted for climbing holes. The eyes are usually large enough, adapted for night activity. The ears are also large and protected by short, coarse hair. If we talk about teeth, then he has curved chisel-shaped incisors, as well as strong molars, which are necessary for jerboa to eat hard plants of arid lands. It is also worth noting the rather long and sensual mustache, which is necessary to control the environment in burrows or on the surface of the earth at night.
3. Body: the mouse-like shape of the body, covered with soft fur, the color of the coat is dark sand, under the limbs and belly, the coat has a lighter shade.
4. Limbs. The hind legs are 4 times longer than the front, designed for a fairly powerful load. With the help of these paws, the jerboa is able to jump up to one and a half meters in height and up to 3 meters in length. Four (in Asian jerboa) or three (in African species) fingers are spread on the paws. The front legs of the animal are quite small in size. They act as hands, as they are designed for digging pits and holes, and can also carry food.
5. Tail. As a rule, the tail is longer than the head and body. Used to maintain balance while standing.
6. The jerboa has a very well-developed sense of smell and hearing. Vision is rather weak.

Habitat and diet

Jerboa is found in desert and steppe habitats in which there is vegetation. These are nocturnal rodents that live alone and spend most of their daylight hours in relatively small minks (about 40 cm in depth). These holes are clearly visible in the light sand and contain well-defined nesting chambers. The main component of jerboa nutrition is plants. They can also consume seeds, but if they are not very hard. Some species of animals feed on bugs and other insects they encounter. Unlike gerbils, jerboas do not store their food.

Behavior

If you watch the jerboa in motion, then you can take it for a mini-kangaroo. These animals are able to jump a distance of 10-13 cm at every step. However, if the jerboa is in danger, then it can become more energetic by jumping up to 3 meters in length and up to one and a half meters in height. This means that jerboas can reach speeds of up to 25 km / h when predators chase them. They can move from side to side in a zigzag fashion to confuse their enemies. Almost any predator is a danger to jerboas, especially foxes, owls and snakes.

Jerboa survive in the desert, hiding in burrows.Living underground, they manage to hide from the heat and from the cold in the deserts. Burrows are usually found near vegetation, but during the rainy season, tunnels are dug near hills or embankments where they can escape from flood waters. During hot summers in African deserts, animals seal the entrance to the hole with earth jams to prevent heat from entering. Asian jerboas in winter also close the entrances to burrows to prevent the ingress of cold. Such burrows are usually quite deep - they can reach 3-4 meters in depth.

These small animals have the ability to quickly dig up the soil. They use their short front legs to dig holes. Also during this process, their large hind legs work. Powerful limbs are necessary for the animal to push the dug out soil. Many species of rodents are very well adapted for living in sandy deserts. Jerboas have special folds of skin that are used to prevent sand from getting into your nose. They also have special hairs in the ears, which also prevent the penetration of sand.

Life cycle

Jerboas belong to the polygynous species. Mating usually occurs shortly after waking from hibernation. Females can bring offspring twice a year, usually in the summer. Usually from 2 to 6 cubs are born. Pregnancy time is from 25 to 35 days. In fact, little is known about the parental relationships of these small animals. Like most mammals, females care for their cubs, at least until they stop feeding on milk.

The jerboa pup develops rather slowly. Usually they are born hairless. The hind legs do not grow until they are 2 months old. They are also unable to jump until they are 3 months old. Jerboa become sexually mature after 3.5 months. The average lifespan of these animals in the wild is up to 6 years.

The dangers

In fact, jerboa has a very uncertain future. This small animal constantly encounters quite dangerous predators, especially those that go hunting at night. These include owls, snakes, foxes, jackals and even domestic cats. However, the greatest threat to them is the possible loss of habitat, and this can happen through a person’s fault.

Some of the species of jerboa, for example, dwarf five-fingered (Cardiocranius paradoxus) and dwarf thick-tailed (Salpingotus crassicauda), are now threatened with extinction. And species such as long-eared (Euchoreutes naso) and Egyptian (Jaculus jaculus) jerboas are already listed in the Red Book, since they are under threat of extinction.

Jerboa at home

Over the past few years, jerboas have become very popular as pets, but they need care and attention. They are difficult to tame and not very easy to care for, since they are nocturnal. Therefore, these animals are by no means suitable as playmates for children. Depending on the type of jerboa, it must be determined in a single or group housing. For family or group housing, it is important that the animals have enough free space. Since jerboas can jump long distances, they cannot be kept in restricted cages. An aviary of at least 3 meters in length must be available. A jerboa cannot be settled outdoors if the climate is cool enough.

1. Conditions of detention. In order for the animal to feel comfortable, under it you need to create an aviary with a size of at least 3x2 meters. There should be a place in this dwelling in which the jerboa could dig a hole for itself. So that the animal was not limited in movement, it is necessary to allocate for it a large amount of free space in the apartment.It is necessary to ensure that the animal does not bite the furniture and cable. The jerboa will not stop in front of the wallpaper. Potted plants should be kept out of the reach of rodents, as they like to use potted soil for digging. If you plan to keep the jerboa in the terrarium, then you need to cover the glass walls with leaves and branches.
2. Food. Jerboas feed on roots and other parts of plants, as well as insects. In captivity, they should receive hay and grain, as well as fresh vegetables. Fruits are recommended to be given in limited quantities due to their fructose content. Despite the fact that jerboas can live without water, it is still important that animals always have fresh water. So that the animals do not have a deficit of motor activity due to the fact that they do not need to get food, it is recommended to lay out food around the entire perimeter of the aviary. This will help mimic the activity of a rodent in the wild.
3. Features of care. In the wild, jerboas often become numb to save energy. In critical conditions, this helps them maintain their body temperature at an optimal level. So, if suddenly the animal falls into a stupor - do not worry. Since this animal is very sensitive to coolness, its housing can be provided with additional heat, for example, install a special heater in the corner of the cage.

Interesting Facts

1. According to research, the proportion between the legs and body of jerboas exceeds the proportion of the legs and body of a kangaroo.
2. Although random jumps are good for avoiding predators and probably for finding hidden random food resources, they are not very energy efficient, because in order to make them, you need to spend a large amount of energy.
3. Long-eared jerboa was first captured in the wild in 2007 during the expedition of the Zoological Society of London in the Gobi. Its ears make up two thirds of the length of the body. This rodent has one of the largest ratios between ears and body in the animal kingdom.

Video: jerboa (Dipodidae)