Behavior
Fat-tailed gerbils are sociable animals, and sometimes live in colonies, but can also live solitary (alone). In the wild fat-tailed gerbils become active at dusk. In captivity fat-tailed gerbils seem to be diurnal. This gerbil species is active for some very short periods in between longer periods of sleep, and they are very deep sleepers. They sometimes go into a state similar to hibernation, but not true hibernation. Fat-tailed gerbils are very docile and almost never bite. People say even that wild fat-tailed gerbils that are trapped can even be handled right away without being bitten. They seem to lack the curiosity of the Mongolian gerbil, and behave more like a Syrian hamster than a gerbil. Fat-tailed gerbils spend a lot of time grooming their fur and washing their face. They like to dig a lot and take sand baths. They also enjoy running on exercise wheels.
When they fight,they shriek loudly and bite each other's tails. The mating ritual of the fat-tailed gerbil may also be confused with fighting.
Male fat-tailed gerbils, like most other rodents, have scent glands on their stomach and engage in marking their territory by stretching out and rubbing their bellies on the ground and furnishings. Their scent markings don’t seem to be discernible to people and there is no noticeable odour from their cage like with hamsters or mice.
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