Zootechny of laboratory gerbils

For the maintenance of laboratory gerbils, which are a valuable test system in preclinical studies, it is necessary to pay attention to such zootechnical parameters as the conditions of their placement, taking into account the parameters of the microclimate, feeding rations appropriate to their needs, as well as options for providing environmental enrichment. An important process in the maintenance of this type of animal is the selection and provision of a suitable enrichment environment in order to reduce their stress and anxiety levels. In order to maintain the number of available gerbils or increase it, it is necessary to take into account their reproductive indicators, as well as species characteristics when composing parental pairs. To carry out a traditional analysis of the scientific literature on the zootechny of laboratory gerbils. The search for publications was performed in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The review included searchable publications as of September 11, 2023. In this review, the main aspects of keeping gerbils were identified, namely: optimal floor area, frequency of cell replacement, as well as features of proper animal capture, optimal microclimate conditions (permissible temperature, humidity, ventilation and lighting conditions), types of environmental enrichment, feeding and watering of animals depending on their age and physiological conditions, as well as reproductive indicators of gerbils, including features of the selection of parental pairs. When analyzing the literature data, the main recommendations on the maintenance of gerbils were collected, taking into account all zootechnical needs for their placement and reproduction.