Shaw’s Jird Facts – Definitions and Glossary
Shaw’s Jirds are quite new as pets, but there is still plenty to know about them – so we have started a glossary to get things started for us all – and we will add more as we learn more ourselves – or something new develops.
They are in alphabetical order as best we can, but will be repeated throughout if they have lots of definitions or ways of being described – just to make sure you find what you are looking for.
Right, here goes…
A
the way of writing the dominant version of the Agouti gene – so far the only gene being expressed in Shaw’s Jirds
AA
the way of writing the dominant version of the Agouti gene is the only gene available as all Shaw’s Jirds out there are currently agouti. Also, as Shaw’s Jirds currently only have agouti pups it is unlikely there is anything else out there. However, the recessive form of the gene (a) will be recessive and so two animals both carrying this recessive version would need to be bred together to create a black Shaw’s. Seeing as there aren’t many Shaw’s about these days, the chances of this happening are slim – but until then we won’t know if it exists either way. So using the genetic nomenclature of A* (or A^ or A-) are all acceptable
A* (or A^ or A-)
the way of writing that you only know for sure that your Shaw’s has at least one agouti gene (making it agouti in colour as it is dominant on its own). The symbol after the A indicates that there may be an unidentified gene present that we do not yet know about
Agouti (Golden Agouti)
the color of a wild Shaw’s Jirds (and all our pet Shaw’s so far) – it has a golden brown ticked coat, with dark eyes and a white belly. It is the only expressed colour so far as no other colour mutations have yet been found (or reported) in Shaw’s
Agouti Gene
this gene is the gene which determines whether jirds and other wild rodents have a ticked coat and white belly as adults.
Argente
this color does not yet exist in known Shaw’s stock, but is one of the most likely ‘first’ colour mutations as seen in most rodents in the pet trade. It would give red eyes and a more ginger coat – but would keep the white tummy.
c
this would indicate a standard recessive version of the colorpoint gene. It represents the color ‘albino’ in many other rodent fancies, but this gene has yet to be identified or reported in Shaw’s stock
carries (i.e. carries a gene)
to carry a gene means that that specific gene is one of the two genes at a particular locus that each jird is ‘allowed’ to have – you may or may not know what this gene is. Often, when this is used to refer to the second or unused gene – it is often called a ‘hidden gene’
Clan (singular)
this is the name given to a group of two or more Shaw’s Jirds living together in the same cage or other set-up. A Shaw’s clan usually has a dominant female gerbil, her partner and then all the others (their younger offspring) fall into a sort of pecking order downwards. Clans are very loosely bonded, and they often disperse and need to live singly as adults
Clan (plural)
this is the name given sometimes to a whole collection of Shaw’s Jirds (or other rodents) held by a breeder (also sometimes called a kennel). Breeders are able to choose a Clan Name (a show or kennel name) that they can attach to their individual jirds names to show where they came from and to distinguish them in show circles – for example RodentZone Jolly Jim (where RodentZone is the clan name and Jolly Jim is the individual jirds name (where Jolly shows the line he was from and Jim is his pet name)) NB: you can follow any naming pattern you want – and you don’t need to be a registered breeder or regular show attendee to use them
Coat Color
coat color genes affect the color of the coat itself and in Mongolian gerbils are represented with the letters A C D E P and Uw). We don’t yet know the coat color genes available for Shaw’s Jirds, but we could assume either AA is it (ie the jird is agouti in colour and that is the only gene available) or we could assume they would follow the genes available in the Mongolian Gerbil and assume that they were all currently AACCDDEEPPUwUw.
Coat Type
coat type describes the effects that can be laid over the top of the coat color to give it a different appearance – including Rex-Haired or Wavy coats. Shaw’s Jirds do not yet have any reported coat types other than that of the current stock
Domestic Animal
this describes animals that have been bred over time from a wild animal into one that is more suited to living with humans. Many exotic pets, like Shaw’s Jirds, (still only found in their ‘wild’ color coat) are not to be confused with ‘exotic pets’ which are from different countries and have specific temperature/humidity/UV or other specialised requirements
Dominant
the word used to describe a version of a gene that always shows itself in the color or appearance of a Shaw’s Jird if it is present – like Agouti (A). You cannot carry a dominant gene – it can’t be ‘hidden’
Exotic Animals
this word is used to describe one of three things: 1) species of animals that have been pets for a long time but are still quite unusual in the world of mainstream pets (for example snakes and chipmunks); then 2) species of animals that haven’t been pets for very long and so are closer to their wild counterparts – like Shaw’s Jirds. As a result there is less know about their diets, behaviour and breeding as well as their medical care and other needs (for example King Jirds and Swamp Cavy); and 3) species of animals that have to have specialist care based on their original habitat and who usually can’t survive without it (for example tree frogs and salt-water fish). Some vets even call normal gerbils exotic pets…
Fancy
a word used to describe the love of a certain domestic animal to the point where people are breeding them for pets and for show. Shaw’s Jirds can be shown at standard gerbil shows and it is is in the very early stages of becoming a fancy.
First Generation
this is used to describe all the pups from two single parents – regardless of how many pups they have together. All their pups only have the genes given to them from these same parents. It is usually shown as F1, where the F stands for ‘filial’
Gene
the word used when describing the thing that will (or won’t) affect your jirds color, hair type (or anything else that makes your Shaw’s Jird a Shaw’s Jird) – like the ‘Agouti gene’ or the ‘Spotting gene’ (not yet reported)
Gene Pool
this describes the genes available within a collection of Shaw’s Jirds. It can mean just within your clan – the genes you can use over and over to create the best Shaw’s Jirds possible (like longer tails, browner eyes, more gingery fur); or it can mean all the genes in all the Shaw’s Jirds of the world
Genetic Nomenclature
this phrase is used to describe how a Shaw’s Jirds genes can be written down. It uses a system of uppercase and lowercase letters (one for each gene) as well as symbols to represent unknown or unproven genes
Genotype
this word describes the genes that are present in your Shaw’s Jirds whether you can see them or not (basically it is your genetic notation)
Gestation
this is the word used to describe the length of time mummy jird carries her pups – from fertilisation of the eggs (usually just after mating) to the time she gives birth. In Shaw’s this is around 25 days and a litter from 1-8 pups is the result although there are usually 3-4 pups in an average litter
Inbreeding
this term usually describes the action of indiscriminate breeding of close family members together – like mothers to sons and uncles to nieces, etc. It is usually looked on in a negative way in the fancy – as breeding with closely related individuals over and over again in a small population can ‘bring out’ or inflate the likelihood of negative traits. It can also be used carefully to bring out a favourable trait in a small population where it is known as Line Breeding which can be an essential tool when starting out with a relatively unusual pet like a Shaw’s Jird
Line Breeding
this term usually describes a concerted effect to breed in and increase the likelihood of a specific trait appearing in a population – for example; a longer tail, a new color or coat type, or to eliminate an undesirable gene from a small population. It is also used in founder populations, to make sure the species stays pure (ie there is no cross breeding of other similar subspecies). Line Breeding involves breeding close relatives together (known as a ‘line’) and is carefully planned and executed over a period of time for the safest results
Litter Size
this is the phrase used to describe the number of pups born at any one time – and in Shaw’s this is around a 3 pup average – but can be as many as 8 (from one source only?)
Meiosis
this describes the biological action of gene sorting and cell division. An egg or sperm cell has only half the information of a whole cell. This happens because you need two halves to make a whole new cell (a baby) Anyway, to get these half cells, a normal whole cell has to divide into two – but before it divides in half – it mixes up all the information inside and lays it out slightly differently. This re-shuffling process produces individuals and is the reason why you don’t look exactly that same as your cousins, children or your Auntie Doreen
Meriones shawi
the binomial name for the species ‘Shaw’s Jird’. Even though it is in the same genus as the Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculata) it is grouped within a seperate subspecies – pallasiomys – along with the Midday Jird and the Sundevall’s Jird
Morphological Features
this word describes the shape, size and structure of an organism. It can be different within the same species depending on what those different animals do (for example dog breeds are all morphologically different) but on a smaller scale if can mean something more simple like pet Shaw’s Jirds may have slightly smaller eyes than in the wild as they would most likely have been selectively bred over time to look more and more cute
Phenotype
this word describes the appearance of your Shaw’s Jirds from the outside. A phenotypic change in your Shaw’s Jirds would be if for example it was born with a great big head, or it had tiny feet
Piebalding
this describes the increasing amount of white fur on an animal, from one spot to a virtually white creature. Piebalding is not yet reported to be present in wild or domestic Shaw’s Jirds
Population
this describes the Shaw’s Jirds that are able to breed with each other as required. It could mean just your own clan, your clan plus neighbouring breeders, or your clan and your whole country. Basically, the population of a species, biologically speaking, is those individuals which can meet and produce more young
Racing Rat
this is the central European name for the jirds (well, it is used for most Meriones sp.), it is the literal translation, so you often hear of Shaw’s Jirds being refered to as ‘rats’ or ‘mice’ in translated web pages (Shaw’s are big in Germany and Czechia)
Rennratte
this is the German word for ‘racing rat’ and is used for most Meriones sp as it is the literal translation of it (although rennmaus – racing mouse – is also used: Persische Rennmaus (Persian Jird))
Selective Breeding
this word describes the process by humans or changing or controlling the appearance or health of an animal over time to improve, enhance or remove a feature or series of features that are either desirable or undesirable. For example; wild Shaw’s Jirds may have longer legs to help them escape from aerial predators – however pet Shaw’s Jirds don’t need to worry about that. So, over time, by selecting the healthiest Shaw’s Jirds with also happen to have the shortest legs, breeders can gradually reduce the ‘natural’ size of the feet by the accumulation of that effect. A more simple use of the term will be where breeders who want to show the Shaw’s Jirds with the fluffiest tail – so when selecting their breeding stock will only select those Shaw’s Jirds with the most fluffy tails to breed from in the first place. They will select against (not choose) Shaw’s Jirds with bald or short tails with the effect of increasing the chances of getting more and more fluffy tails in their litters
Shaw-Rennratte
this is the German name for Shaw’s Jirds (well, rennrat means ‘racing rats’ and is used for most Meriones sp as it is the literal translation of it) if you are searching for more info online (like us)
Ticked Coat
this phrase is used to describe the appearance of an agouti-based Shaw’s Jirds coat – and is created by the individual hairs being three different colors throughout its length. If you part a Shaw’s Jird’s fur, it will appear a different color underneath. You should see black tips, gingery middle and a greyish base
Very Friendly
the phrase used to describe most Shaw’s Jirds.