Who doesn't wish to share his or her home with a cage full of "Furry Mongolian Friends" aka gerbils? Author Susan Anastasi certain does! She describes these irresistible critters as quiet, clean, friendly, curious, active, and easy-to-please. If you have pet gerbils, or are thinking of making gerbils a pet for you or your children, Anastasi provides you with information on: *Purchasing a healthy gerbil from a pet shop, hobby breeder, or shelter *Introducing the gerbil to the home *Housing and feeding *Taming and handling the pet gerbil *Health considerations and potential household hazards *Breeding and raising the young *Exhibiting gerbils at shows *And more! She offers detailed information on keeping gerbils healthy through smart preventative care, including handling broken limbs and head injury; teeth, tail, and ear problems; dehydration; diarrhea; heat stroke; hypothermia; mites, and more. You get expert advice on breeding and raising pups (baby gerbils), including planning a litter, setting up a breeding tank, mating, caring for the pregnant mom, birthing, fostering, growth cycles, weaning, and handling pups *Ideas for games, art projects, photographing, and training gerbils to do fun tricks. Clearly bitten by the gerbil bug, the author provides basic natural history about gerbils, their origins on the Mongolian range, and an overview of their behaviors. The discussion on housing covers the selection of the ideal enclosure, basic housing setup, accessories, safety, and a guide to cleaning the tank. The chapter "Taming and Handling Your Gerbils" offers a step-by-step socialization process to acclimate the gerbil to its new handler and surroundings plus instructions for handling the gerbil and discouraging nipping. Color photographs. Glossary of terms and index included. Used Book in Good Condition