#AtoZChallenge – Gerbil

Gerbils are small rodents that usually grow to between 6 and 12 inches long (including their tail).

They were first introduced to the pet industry in 1964 but you can’t buy, import or keep a gerbil as a pet in California.

gerbil
By A.Popov (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Recently, studies show that it was the gerbil which spread the Black Death, not the black rat as originally suspected and blamed.

 

5 thoughts on “#AtoZChallenge – Gerbil”

  1. They’re kind of cute, but I wouldn’t want one for a pet. I’ve often wondered why I think bunny rabbits are cute, but mice and gerbils not so much. I’m weird, I guess.
    Great picture. I didn’t know about the Black Death.

  2. I didn’t know any of that! Thanks for including the link about the plague gerbils. When I was a kid in the 70s, I remember seeing gerbils in pet stores. But come to think of it, I don’t remember seeing any, or hearing about them as pets in the last few years.

  3. I look at them and think “glorified rats” so I am not surprised about the black death but that is something new I did not know about

  4. I didn’t know anything about the plague gerbils until seeing it in the news earlier this year. I’ve not been in a pet store (other than pet supply shop) to buy anything other than pill pockets to stick my dog’s Glucosamine capsules in. Hmm… might have to visit a place like Pet Smart just to do some investigating.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.