Small rodents with powerful hind legs, long tails, and large eyes, native to Africa and Asia and popular as pets.
From Arabic 'jarbu' via French, the term entered English in the 20th century as these animals became popular laboratory subjects and household pets.
Gerbils became super popular as pets in the 1950s because they're cleaner than mice, don't smell as bad, and are way more entertaining to watch—they literally jump like tiny kangaroos!
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