Wildlifeof Sri Lanka
Indian Gerbil
Squirrels & Rodents
Photo: Hopeland · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Tatera indica
Basic stats
Diet
Grasses, leaves, roots and grain; insects and occasionally small mammals
Habitat
Sandy plains and grassland suitable for burrowing
Litter size
1-10, usually 5-6
Gestation period
21-30 days
Size
15-17cm body, tail about half body length
Weight
100-227g
The Indian gerbil is one of the largest gerbils, with a tail about half its body length, sparse-haired and tipped with a black tuft. It is nocturnal, does not move far from its burrows, and lives in loose communities with overlapping home ranges. It stores grain in the dry season and eats more arthropods, about 40% of its diet, in the wet months (Animal Diversity Web, for the species across its range, which includes Sri Lanka).
Breeding is year-round with peaks in February, July to August and November, and litters run from 1 to 10 young after a gestation of 21 to 30 days (Animal Diversity Web). Nationally Least Concern (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).
Quick answers
- What does the Indian Gerbil eat?
- Grasses, leaves, roots and grain; insects and occasionally small mammals
- What habitat does the Indian Gerbil live in?
- Sandy plains and grassland suitable for burrowing
- What is the litter size of the Indian Gerbil?
- 1-10, usually 5-6
- How long is the gestation period of the Indian Gerbil?
- 21-30 days
- How big is the Indian Gerbil?
- 15-17cm body, tail about half body length
- How much does the Indian Gerbil weigh?
- 100-227g