Fat-tailed+gerbil

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// Scientific name // Pachyuromys duprasi Order: Rodentia

=**__Husbandry Information__**=

Housing Requirements

 * Possibility of aggression between individuals. Be prepared to house them separately

Notes on Enrichment & Training


=__Programmatic Information__=

Tips on Handling

 * On facility reported having issues handling them. They would bite and sometimes jump out of hand.

Potential Messaging


=__Acquisition Information__=

=__Comments from the Rating System__=

=__Natural History Information__=

Range and Habitat

 * =====Widespread distribution in northern Africa, encompassing parts of Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco, northern Mali, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt.=====
 * Found in deserts and semi-deserts with a solid, non-sandy, substrate.

Physical Description

 * General Description: a stocky, short-legged rodent, with no clear necks and very sharp snouts.
 * Size: head/body length, 3.75”- 5”; tail, 1.5”-2.5”. Weight averages 1.28 oz.
 * The main color of their fur varies between gray and tan with dorsal hairs sometimes tipped with black. The color of their fur varies with subspecies in different ranges.
 * Pelage: long and fluffy.
 * Eyes: black, large and oval shaped.
 * Ears: pink, short, small (0.5”), sparsely haired and positioned low on the head.
 * Feet: long rear feet are partially furred for protection from the hot desert sand. The palms and soles are partly haired.
 * Claws: well developed and long; used for digging.
 * Dentition: comprised of upper incisors, which are grooved on the anterior surface, and 4 molars in the upper and lower jaws.

Threats and Conservation Status

 * Least concern

=__Did you know…__= >
 * When resources are plentiful, their tails swell up from fat storage, which it utilized during times of scarce resources. Must like a camel uses its hump.

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=__Contributors and Citations__=

//When adding a new page, remember to add tags!//
 * //Activity Schedule: diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular//
 * //Continent of Origin//
 * //Diet Requirements: carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, etc.//
 * //General Habitat/Biome: deserts, forests, mountains, etc.//