Cheesman’s gerbil is a solitary, nocturnal rodent (1) (7). Gerbil species are unable to survive in extremely hot conditions, and tend to live in burrows underground during the day in order to keep cool. The entrance to the burrow is usually blocked to reduce water loss, and the gerbil uses its tail to flick sand over the burrow entrance to conceal it (8).
Cheesman’s gerbil avoids the oppressive heat of the desert sun by foraging at night. It is a gramnivorous species, meaning that it primarily feeds on grasses and seeds, although it may be omnivorous depending on the resources available (1). This species has been observed foraging on the edge of sabkha (flat, salty coastal plains) (9).
At night, grasses and seeds are permeated with dew, and gerbils will take these food items back to their burrows to improve the humidity. As an adaptation to living in tough, dry desert conditions, the digestive system of gerbils is efficient at extracting water from food. The amount of water lost in the faeces is minimal, and only a few drops of concentrated urine are produced (8).
A further adaptation to living in the desert is the presence of hair on the soles of the Cheesman’s gerbil’s feet, which enables it to run easily across sand (7). This species is known to make considerable leaps (5), and the long tail is used to help with balance (8).
Cheesman’s gerbil is predated upon by nocturnal species such as the Arabian red fox (Vulpes vulpes arabica) and Rüppell’s sand fox (Vulpes rüppelli sabea) (10). Gerbil species have developed several adaptations which enable them to avoid predation, such as the long tail which can be used as a decoy to distract predators. Gerbils, particularly those living in open desert habitats, have a large middle ear, which allows these small rodents to hear low frequency sounds, such as the beating of an incoming owl’s wings (8).
Little is known about the breeding biology of Cheesman’s gerbil, although in the Arabian Peninsula the breeding season is thought to be relatively long. The female Cheesman’s gerbil gives birth to up to eight young per litter (1) (6).