Jerboas eat plants that grow in the desert. Fresh green leaves are abundant immediately following the rains. Still, as the plants begin to dry out, these become increasingly scarce, and the jerboas resort to digging up the roots of the plants, which serve as reservoirs of water, to supplement their diet. Some species prey on beetles and other small insects as well as larger insects. A large proportion of the long-eared jerboa’s diet in Mongolia consists of insects, including those that fly, because they can detect the approach of their prey by using their hearing sense. The jerboa’s bounding gait allows it to travel long distances in search of food while consuming the least amount of energy possible.

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro...

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

Jerboas do not, in fact, consume any water. They obtain their water by extracting as much moisture from their food as they can. Jerboas have been observed to survive on dry seeds alone for up to three years in the laboratory. It is preferable for them to eat moist leaves and shoots whenever possible, but they can survive in dry conditions by reducing their water loss. 

Their urine is highly concentrated and acidic, which indicates that they are diabetic. While it is extremely hot during the summer months, some species enter a state of torpor and do not come out of their burrows at all. During the rest of the year, jerboas that live in hot desert environments feed primarily at night when it is more comfortable. Jerboas hibernate in the desert during the winter, subsisting solely on their fat reserves.

Animals and Insects

Jerboas are omnivores that subsist primarily on plant matter and insects as a source of nutrition. Certain species may consume more insects than others, but this is dependent on the amount of food available to them. Their diet also provides them with all of the hydration that they require in order to remain healthy and alive. The vast majority of jerboas will never, ever drink water in their lives.

Plants and Fruits

The jerboa’s range encompasses much of northern Africa, stretching from Asia to the west and southwest. When it comes to habitat, arid sandy environments such as the Gobi Desert, where temperatures can drop to near zero during the coldest months of the year, and the Sahara Desert, where temperatures can soar to more than 130 degrees Fahrenheit during the hottest months of the year, are frequently preferred. Plants, seeds, and insects are among the foods the jerboa eat while foraging, and the jerboa relies on its food to meet its water requirements. It is possible that it will never actually drink free water in its entire life.

ncG1vNJzZmijqaG8r7zOsJylpF6YvK571qGYrWWUpHqrsdGbppqrXZqutXs%3D