Five-toed Jerboa (scientific name: Allactaga sibirica) is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and various regions of mainland China, including Heilongjiang, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Hebei.
It mainly inhabits grasslands and semi-deserts. The type locality of this species is near Hulun Lake in Mongolia.
Five-toed Jerboa is the largest species in the family Dipodidae, with adults reaching over 120mm in length. It has large ears that can fold forward to the nose. The head is round with large eyes. The hind limbs are 3-4 times longer than the forelimbs, and the hind feet have 5 toes. The tips of the first and fifth toes do not reach the base of the middle 3 toes. The tail is about 1.5 times the body length and has a tuft of black and white long hairs at the tip.
Chinese name: 五趾跳鼠
Latin name: Allactaga sibirica
Also known as: Siberian Five-toed Jerboa, jumping hare, donkey jump, hard jumper
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Dipodidae
Distribution: Northern regions of China
English name: Mongolian five-toed jerboa
Host: Crops, grass, vegetables, etc.
Natural enemies: Cats, owls, snakes, etc.
It is the largest species in the Jerboa family. It has long ears, which are longer than the total length of the skull. The hind legs are 3-4 times longer than the forelimbs, and the length of the hindfoot is 72-76 millimeters. The hindfoot has 5 toes, with the tip of the first and fifth toes not reaching the base of the middle 3 toes. The base of the tail is long, averaging longer than the body length, and the tail end has a tuft of hair. The dorsal fur color is noticeably darker, dark gray-brown, due to the prominent black hair tips. The ventral surface of the body is pure white. The dorsal surface of the fore and hind feet has short white hair. The base of the tail is the same color as the dorsal surface of the body, and the tail end has black and white alternating flat hair tufts. The skull is slim and the cranium is wide and prominent, without obvious ridges. The zygomatic arch is slender and weak, wider at the posterior part, with vertical branches extending from the posterior part of the infraorbital foramen to the vicinity of the ribs. The palate is very long, extending beyond the upper premolar, reaching the anterior level of the first upper molar. The auditory bulla is relatively small and not particularly inflated. The upper incisors are strongly tilted forward, with no grooves on the labial surface. The first upper premolar is relatively large and columnar. The chewing surface of the first and second upper molars is more complex. The lower premolar is missing, and there are 3 molars, the first of which is larger and gradually decreases towards the posterior. It inhabits the feather-grass and moss grasslands at the foot of mountains with an altitude of 2500 meters, as well as hilly areas. It feeds on green parts and seeds of plants, as well as insects. It also hibernates. It is distributed in Qinghai, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, and Xinjiang in China. Qinghai is the subspecies in North China (A.s.annulata).
Loved by small pet enthusiasts for rearing, the body and back hair of the Five-toed Jerboa are grayish-brown, while the abdomen and inner sides of the limbs are pure white. The snout is slender, and the interparietal bone is large and wide, without obvious protuberances. The upper incisors are smooth and ungrooved, with a single cylindrical premolar and elongated roots in the lower incisors.
1. Excessive Teeth Length
Long-term consumption of soft food can cause the teeth to grow excessively due to the lack of normal grinding. Overgrown teeth can harm the inside of the mouth and affect food intake. It can also lead to gum decay and rhinitis. This will cause the teeth to gradually loosen and fall out. After one side of the teeth falls out, the other side will require regular trimming surgeries due to the lack of normal grinding. Early diagnosis can lead to early treatment.
2. Injuries Caused by Fighting
Jerboas have the habit of attacking the weaker ones in the group. Although they may appear healthy, the ones that have already suffered from serious illnesses will be attacked by healthy jerboas. If the corpses of the attacked jerboas are dissected, it will be found that they had already been seriously ill. In addition, weaker jerboas are also more likely to be attacked. If jerboas are found fighting, each one should be confined in a cage. The injured area should be treated with antibiotics to prevent wound infection; larger wounds should be sutured through surgery. Due to the possibility of cannibalism, weaker jerboas should be isolated as early as possible.
3. Hypocalcemia
Female jerboas during pregnancy and postpartum are prone to this condition. It is characterized by a decrease in blood calcium concentration, which causes symptoms such as spasms, paralysis, and motor disorders. If calcium supplements are not injected in a timely manner, there is a risk of death. Calcium supplements can be added to the diet of pregnant and lactating female jerboas as a preventive measure. In addition, sunbathing is also important.
4. Rickets
Jerboas, like humans, can also suffer from rickets. In addition to continuous calcium and active vitamin D supplementation, sunbathing is also essential. Artificial sun lamps have a good effect, but improper wavelengths of ultraviolet rays can cause severe burns. Therefore, it is best to inquire in detail at the hospital before use.
5. Urinary Tract Infection
Infection of the urinary tract can cause urinary tract infection. Male jerboas may have difficulty urinating due to swollen penis, and will cry out in pain due to the pain caused during urination. If these symptoms are found, immediate urine testing should be conducted and appropriate antibiotics should be used for treatment.
6. Fractures
When jerboas are playing indoors, they may suffer fractures due to improper jumping. For simple fractures, as long as the instructions of the hospital are followed, surgery is not necessary and the symptoms can be relieved. Jerboas are not tolerant to anesthesia, so it is best to avoid surgery. However, if the spinal bone is injured, the prognosis may not be good.
7. Mange
It is a skin disease caused by mites that live on the skin, commonly known as mange. The main clinical symptoms are: red and swollen skin, especially severe on the limbs, toes, and neck and ear areas; hair loss and the formation of yellow-white scabbed skin; itching and restlessness, often seen scratching and rubbing against the cage. The diagnostic method is to scrape the scabbed skin with slight bleeding at the junction of the affected skin and healthy skin, place it in a glass container, soak it in a 10% potassium hydroxide solution for 3-5 minutes, and examine it under a microscope. If mites are present, yellowish-brown adult mites, larvae with three pairs of legs, and translucent grayish-white oval-shaped mite eggs can be seen. The prevention and treatment of this disease is to apply 5% hexythiazox emulsion to the affected area, formulate a 0.1% ointment (mixing 100 grams of vaseline with 0.1 mL of 50% hexythiazox emulsion), or apply 2% necessitate cream to the affected area until recovery.
Five-toed Jerboa mainly feeds on plant-based food. In early spring, their diet consists mainly of seeds, as well as some grass roots, and they also prey on some beetles. In summer, they mainly feed on wild green plants, and sometimes they also steal young seedlings and fruits and vegetables from farmland, or sneak into pigsties to steal food.
Five-toed Jerboa also cleans its fur and takes baths. Five-toed Jerboa is naturally afraid of water and is resistant to bathing. It is not necessary for the caretaker to bathe the jerboa frequently, but when the fur of the Five-toed Jerboa is dirty, the caretaker should clean it in a timely manner. The caretaker can use a towel dipped in warm water to gently wipe the jerboa and remove the dirt on its body. If it is necessary to bathe the Five-toed Jerboa, it is best to do it when the weather is warm, and after bathing, use a hairdryer to thoroughly dry its fur to prevent the jerboa from catching a cold.
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