Jerboa

With the appearance of a tiny kangaroo, the Jerboas are among the most adorable species of
rodents. Jerboas have large ears, large eyes, long tails and long feet resembling the large feet
of a kangaroo, allowing them to jump relatively far for their small size. Jerboas are typically
between two and six inches long, but their tails can be twice as long as their bodies.
Jerboas are found naturally in Asia and Northern Africa where they live in burrows dug in
sandy desert areas. They spend most of the hot daytime in their burrows to escape the heat
but emerge at dusk and during the night to search for food.
Interestingly, Jerboas never drink water. They stay hydrated from the water inherently found
in the plants and insects they consume.
Many animals higher up the food chain like to hunt Jerboas, including cats, jackals, owls and
even snakes. The Jerboa's only defense against these larger, stronger hunters is to run and
jump away, making them a relatively easy prey.
Jerboa are illegal to own as pets as they fail to thrive in captivity and can also be carriers of a
disease known as monkeypox. Like the more commonly known smallpox, monkeypox is
dangerous to humans. As such, the United States Centers for Disease Control prohibit Jerboa
from entering the country along with all other African rodents.
Jerboas prefer to live alone and only seek others of their kind during mating season. A female
Jerboa can have between two and six pups each litter. Jerboa pups take about 11-14 weeks to
mature to adults which is considered long for rodents due to their short lifespan. Most Jerboas
can expect to live 2-3 years on average.