The specialist keepers association

Allactaga allactaga
bullata, bobrinskii, elater, euphratica, firouzi, hotsoni, major nataliae, severtzovi, sibirica -- Five-toed Jerboa

The Jerboas are small jumping rodents, mouse like in appearance, long back legs with tufted tails. They can jump long distances using their powerful hind legs - jumps measured can easily come in at 3 metres per leap! This is an activity used to outrun/out distance predatory attack.

This/these species are nocturnal. At the hottest times of the day, they are sheltering in the cool. They live in deserts and other dry areas, notably in Africa and Asia.

The species Jerboa is an omnivore, meaning that they eat both animals and plants. They will eat plant materials, seeds, insects [culture feeds]. Although water is obtained from the plant material and seeds that they consume, and although they do not need to drink water, both my species of Greater Egyptian Jerboa and Lesser Egyptian jerboa have water bottles present which they do in fact use.

Jerboas usually have 2-3 litters per year and they can easily give birth to 2-5 young.

I have found that for success with the Lesser Egyptian Jerboa and Greater Egyptian Jerboa species: Jaculus jaculus & Jaculus orientalis the best results are achieved with them being housed in glass tanks measuring between 24" long minimum to 30" long maximum for the former and between 36" long to 48" long for the latter. They can of course be kept in much larger habitats, but l have found this to be more than adequate.

Using shavings although many keepers use sand, l prefer the former as it still enables you to lift this size tank around without losing the bottom . I personally fill the tank to a depth of 5/7" pending the species of shavings and add a good quality hay.

I place into the tank a rather basic layout for interior, which comprises half roof tiles, which form triangular dens in which they can nest, a few small branches, a couple of smooth surfaced rocks and that is basically it.

A water bottle is placed in for drinking, which as already written they do drink from on a regular basis.

Feeding comprises, a small bowl of mixed seeds, the best l find success from is a good quality mixed canary mixture which can usually comprise up to fifteen different seeds, but l also add to this about 20% of basic rabbit mixture, and my Jerboas enjoy small kibble pieces of cat biscuit.

I have found they will readily tuck into small crickets, locusts and mealworms. I also supplement this mixture with some of the following vegetables and plant materials on alternative timetables:

Thinly sliced carrot, kale, cabbage, Swede, turnip, chickweed, dandelion, groundsel, Ribwort plantain, if you know your weeds, then you will find that they will take most readily, if not just leave their feeding to safe vegetables.

I keep my two species in a heated room which at its hottest, usually achieved at around midday is at about 29 degrees C, and the heating is switched off at around 6pm, to which point the room gradually loses heat and reduces to a warm night during summer due to retention or during winter it remains fixed at about 3-5 degree C.

In so far as basic husbandry goes, these two species are by far the easiest to maintain and in my eyes the most enjoyable.