YAY!!!!!!
3 OF THE EGGS UNDER ONE OF MY BROODY HENS HATCHED!! THE CHICKS R JUST THE CUTEST LITTLE THINGS!! THEY LOVE TO SNUGGLE UNDER MY HAND ^_^ AND THE MOM DOSENT EVEN MIND BUT THERE JUST SOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE!! THERE CUTE AND U CANT RESIST THERE FLUFFY CUTENESS!!
Yeah, chicks are cute :9
there black and white and i cant resist there fluffy cuteness 
Post some pictures of them so we can have a look.
ill go take some pics right now i just hope my mom dosent see me on my other computer
im not supposed to be on the computer and i cant find the camera 
i found the camera case but not the camera and i made a big mistake setting the camera case in front of my gerbils cage cause he started to chew on it O.O
i found the camera case but not the camera and i made a big mistake setting the camera case in front of my gerbils cage cause he started to chew on it O.O
im not supposed ot be on the comp cause i didnt finish....my school work
Now, that is the most amusing thing of the year. Godley not knowing what a gerbil is.
EDIT: Ah, the famous "not finishing school work" thing. It sucks balls. Well, maybe you should go finish them then.
EDIT: Ah, the famous "not finishing school work" thing. It sucks balls. Well, maybe you should go finish them then.
a gerbil is a rodent with a long tail and comes in many colors its smaller than a hamster and dosent get as fat as a hamster too
my school work will take forever to finish...i got really behind (im homeschooled btw) i like didnt do my school work for a month so now i have to do it in the summer
There, I changed it Godley, happy now? Also, in Finland we call it "gerbiili" so I assumed it was called "gerbile".
i was attempting to make a d-mod but my moms like "do your schoolwork!!"
Tell her you done it already.
BTW what are the consequences if you dont do your schoolwork?
BTW what are the consequences if you dont do your schoolwork?
telling my mom i did my schoolwork wont do a thing shed just go on my computer and see if i did it o.o and if i dont do my schoolwork.....i dont know sometimes she dose nothing or she just yells at me =/
WTF, how old's your mom lol? She seems to be very "old style"
Also, Godley, homework is not for losers. It's for those who want to survive better as adults than you.
Also, Godley, homework is not for losers. It's for those who want to survive better as adults than you.
my mom is 45 i think O.o i always forget my mom forgets too XD
Survive better than me?
there was an entrance test conducted in the univ where i have got admission. there were 40 seats and 5000 applicants. guess what i got through.
there was an entrance test conducted in the univ where i have got admission. there were 40 seats and 5000 applicants. guess what i got through.
Just tell her that you're not gonna do the homework now. Promise to do them later. MAYBE that will save you from the evil homework for a few hours 
EDIT: Whatever, Godley. It doesn't matter, you still don't seem to do good.
EDIT: Whatever, Godley. It doesn't matter, you still don't seem to do good.
Pretend to be sick.
say that a friend of urs just died(skull)
tell ur mom that u r talking and offering condolences to his mother
say that a friend of urs just died(skull)
tell ur mom that u r talking and offering condolences to his mother
Well, use the tactics that adults use on children aswell: Ingore her.
i was sick the other day (for real) but i still had to do my school work -_- what dose condolences mean?
even if i do ignore her she just starts to yell O_O
my mom would just ask how i knew he died...she wouldnt fall for that...
Lock her outside your house. Now, if THAT doesn't work, pick up a clawsword from the nearest weapon store.
Yeah, but the problem is that it costs 20000 gold pieces
locking her outside he house wouldnt work she could just walk over to the wawa thats 1 minuet away where my bro works and ask my bro for the house keys....funny idea tho xD
Build a small house, move all your electronics there and lock the door. Hint: the house must not have windows.
ya then ill be like one of those internet addicts and live on caffinated drinks
@ skull
it will be cheaper to buy a flame boy than to build a house
it will be cheaper to buy a flame boy than to build a house
But you just wanted to be one, a while ago!
EDIT: Godley, it would be cheaper. Cut some trees from your neighbour (illegally) build the house. And then move all your electronics there. The cost would probably be only something like 20 dollars (including all the tools)
EDIT: Godley, it would be cheaper. Cut some trees from your neighbour (illegally) build the house. And then move all your electronics there. The cost would probably be only something like 20 dollars (including all the tools)
instead of building a house i could just empty the shed and live in that!
her mom would probably figure that out
if you hide the flame bow behind you, she would never know
if you hide the flame bow behind you, she would never know
wow another person who dosent know what a gerbil is
Well, Godley is right. Flame bow would be cheaper. If her mom would find out about the other thing, Bornfree would pay with her life.
I'm Swedish, what do you expect of me? To know the whole English dictionary? *SOB*
A Gerbil is a small mammal of the order Rodentia. Once known simply as "desert rats", the gerbil subfamily includes about 110 species of African, Indian, and Asian rodents, including sand rats and jirds, all of which are adapted to arid habitats. Most are primarily diurnal [1] (though some, including the common household pet, do exhibit crepuscular behavior), and almost all are omnivorous.
The word "gerbil" is a diminutive form of "jerboa", though the jerboas are an unrelated group of rodents occupying a similar ecological niche.
One Mongolian species, Meriones unguiculatus, also known as the Clawed Jird, is a gentle and hardy animal that has become a popular pet. It was first brought to the United States in 1954 by Dr. Victor Schwentker for use in research.[2]
Gerbils are typically between six and twelve inches (150 to 300 mm) long, including the tail which makes up approximately one half of their total length. One species however, the Great Gerbil, or Rhombomys opimus, originally native to Turkmenistan, can grow to more than 16 inches (400 mm) in length. The average adult gerbil weighs approximately 2 1/2 ounces. As of August 19, 2003, officials in western China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region began releasing eagles to combat the damage they say the great gerbils have done to eleven million acres (46,000 km²) of grassland.
The word "gerbil" is a diminutive form of "jerboa", though the jerboas are an unrelated group of rodents occupying a similar ecological niche.
One Mongolian species, Meriones unguiculatus, also known as the Clawed Jird, is a gentle and hardy animal that has become a popular pet. It was first brought to the United States in 1954 by Dr. Victor Schwentker for use in research.[2]
Gerbils are typically between six and twelve inches (150 to 300 mm) long, including the tail which makes up approximately one half of their total length. One species however, the Great Gerbil, or Rhombomys opimus, originally native to Turkmenistan, can grow to more than 16 inches (400 mm) in length. The average adult gerbil weighs approximately 2 1/2 ounces. As of August 19, 2003, officials in western China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region began releasing eagles to combat the damage they say the great gerbils have done to eleven million acres (46,000 km²) of grassland.
Ah, Marpro, don't feel bad. We all know you're just a simple swedish boy.
i didnt copy the WHOLE page.....just the top section
Yeah Godley, didn't you notice that it still continued like this:
Gerbils as pets
Gerbils were first introduced to the pet industry in 1964. These were the Mongolia gerbils. Their value as pets was soon appreciated and they are now found in pet shops all over the UK and USA. Due to the threat they pose to indigenous ecosystems and existing agricultural operations, it is illegal to purchase, import, or keep a gerbil as a pet in the U.S. state of California.[3]
Life in the desert
The typical Mongolian gerbil is a desert species, and lives underground in a network of tunnels, which include chambers with families. Adults move away and meet others from other chambers, extend the network, create their own chamber, and breed. Gerbils come up for food and water; there is no evidence of hoarding food, but gerbils will eat a lot of fatty foods in one sitting, suggesting supplies in the form of fat reserves rather than food storage. Gerbils do not hibernate and are diurnal. Their long tails help them to balance when they stand up on their hind legs.
Gerbil movement is more like hopping than running, and their large back feet are furry on the bottom to protect them from the heat of the sand. Gerbils are fast but overly inquisitive. In their natural environment, they are mostly insectivores, and additionally gain moisture from desert plants that store water in them. A gerbil has fur all over its body, including the tail, as this prevents it from getting sunburned.
Behavior
A young gerbil sitting by the food bowl to eat This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008)
General gerbil behavior
Normal gerbil behavior includes jumping, climbing, chewing, and digging. The digging motions are very common: the gerbil moves its arms rapidly.
They are curious and not easily startled. They love to burrow and hide.
Gerbils are social animals, and prefer to live in groups. Often very large groups live well together, as long as the living environment is big enough; otherwise, the gerbils may become frustrated and attack one another. Groups of females are much more quarrelsome than groups of males, but if fighting occurs among males it is usually much more vicious. Males will very rarely attack females.
Habits
Gerbils are not naturally aggressive creatures; much like hamsters, they would rather nibble a potential source of food and only fully bite when threatened. Gerbils do not make noises often, although some gerbils can squeal when scared. To communicate with other members of the species they 'thump' repeatedly using their back legs. This is often seen when a gerbil is frightened to warn other gerbils of the danger.
Food
Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts are favorites of most gerbils, though they have individual preferences and too many sunflower seeds may result in illness. They also enjoy fruits and vegetables such as carrots or apple and even fruit peels such as that from a banana. In fact, gerbils will eat almost anything: dog biscuits and chews; rat food; rabbit food; guinea pig food; oats; and various "special" treats from pet shops. Most weeds dubbed as safe for grazing animals like rabbits or guinea pigs can be eaten by gerbils as well. Pet gerbils will especially enjoy live crickets, grasshoppers, and locusts as food, tearing the insect apart and eating the juicy insides.
Avoid lettuces, as the nitrates can prevent oxygenation of the blood,[4] and citrus fruits. Sugary treats are bad for gerbils; they rot the teeth and the sugar is hard for a gerbil to digest. Lastly, do not feed your gerbils food with high water content, such as celery or watermelon, as the water will cause the gerbil to have the runs, or "wet-tail" as it is commonly known.
Drink
Although gerbils can go without water for a few days, provided they have plenty of moist food, they will always take water if it is available.
Cleansing
Gerbils do not need water to get clean — what cleans them is a sand bath. When taking gerbils out for exercise, a small basin of cool sand will be much appreciated, and true to instinct, a gerbil will roll over in the sand. The effect is instantaneous — their fur becomes much smoother and shinier.
Gerbil social behavior
Gerbils often have what looks like boxing matches; this is most common amongst young gerbils (gerbil "pups"). These are gentle play fights which usually end in the winner pinning down the loser and grooming it. However, if a pair of gerbils are fighting closely in a ball shape, with both gerbils biting deeply and drawing blood, careful but swift intervention is in order by the pet owner, using a jar or oven mitts to avoid getting bitten.
Gerbils like to sleep in a group, often on top of each other. Sometimes they will absentmindedly groom each other when half asleep. Gerbils have a form of purring called "bruxing" which they do when they are being groomed or while they enjoy being stroked in the hand by their owner.
Squeaks can occasionally be heard from them, and a squeak is usually an indication of annoyance. When another gerbil steps on another without thinking, it will give a squeak, or when a gerbil tries to steal another's food, it will turn with a squeak, and when a male tries to mate an unsuspecting female, she may well turn around sharply to face him and squeak at him. Gerbil pups will squeak more often when very young, sometimes when feeding or if they have strayed from the nest.
Gerbils will raise their hackles and arch their backs to show aggression, often turned to the side and leaning against the other gerbil's body. Usually this is a warning that a fight is about to occur, and if this behavior is observed it is wise to quickly intervene.
Gerbils will also alert each other to danger by thumping on their hind legs, usually triple thumps repeated in a steady sequence. Gerbils will also thump when sexually excited. Younger gerbils are more likely to start thumping than older ones.
Fighting
Gerbils, when fighting, may chase each other around frantically, amid small screams of protest by the victim. This is usually a case of bullying by one gerbil. If the feeling is mutual, the gerbils will stare each other down, pounce on one another and clamp their teeth around each other's neck, faces, or such in an attempt to draw blood. Gerbils can injure each other seriously in this way. Gerbil fighting is very loud and may last a long time. Gerbils often fight on their hind legs swiping at their opponent with their forepaws. Gerbils fighting will usually be on top of each other, rolling over and over rapidly. If gerbils are left to resolve the dispute, they will most likely fight to the death. A lead up to a fight can include chasing, persistent sniffing and following, and one gerbil forcing another to stay in a single area. A defeated gerbil will often be quiet for some time and remain in a single area. They will very likely stay away from their attacker for some time unless they attack it again. If the fight turns into a chase, the gerbil chasing will most likely try to bite the legs and tail of the opponent.
Mating
Gerbils will mate for several hours, in frequent short bursts followed by short chases where the female allows the male to catch her. Once he catches her, the female will squeak and make flick motions to get the male off her. Males will not attack females except in rare circumstances which may also include them having been separated from their original mates, or widowed. A female may attack a male, but usually he is more than a match for her.
Raising young
Baby stages
When first born, gerbil babies are blind, deaf, hairless, and helpless. They drink their mother's milk. The young squeak softly when feeding and being picked up. Eventually they grow bigger, and within a week, they will begin to show skin pigment, indicating their possible fur color and markings. Soon after this, a thin downy fur will grow on them, and they will begin to make their fast yet unsteady way out of the nest when the bed is disturbed. This survival technique helps the babies get out of harm's way in case of a territory invasion.
The fur will grow thicker and longer, and by three weeks some of them may have one of their eyes open. Around this point, they begin to be weaned, eating food and not relying so much on milk. At this point, it would help to provide a soft food like an oat and milk mixture for them. The gerbils will become more active and their tails will lengthen and give them more balance so they can stand upright. When fully weaned and beginning to play fight with one another, they will soon be ready to move away, if required.
A mother will often be stern with how quickly the babies are weaned if she is expecting a new litter. A less fertile mother may let her litter suckle for longer. Older mothers often do not have as good a milk supply, and need plentiful water available to replenish it.
A litter will be of about 4-8 gerbils on average, although losses due to runts, defects and infanticide, or occasional, unexplainable persecution from other gerbils sometimes make the eventual litter one or two short.
Reproducing
The most common ways of checking the sex of a young gerbil are: 1) Turning the gerbil over and checking the gap size between the genital organs of the gerbil. Female gerbils have a small gap between the two areas, while males have a much larger gap. 2) Although not always clear in childhood and adolescence, male gerbils have a fur covered bulge at the base of their tails, on their underside. This is their scrotal pouch. Females have smooth, round back ends.
Males are generally larger than females in adulthood, in length, height, and width. A gerbil can also be sexed by looking at its underside when it is a blind, deaf baby. There will be either a thick line in the middle of the stomach (the scent marker) if it is a male, or eight dots (four on the left side, four on the right) (soon to be teats) if it is a female. I have found that the best time & way of sexing baby gerbils is to wait until they are around a week to a week & a half old, (sometime before they get hair) the females will have tiny dents above the thigh area where the males do not. These dents are indeed teats. I've noticed the males also have these dents, but they lack the ones above the thighs.
Reasons for popularity
There are several reasons for the popularity of gerbils as household pets. The animals are typically non-aggressive, and they rarely bite unprovoked or without stress. They are small and easy to handle, since they are sociable creatures that enjoy the company of humans and other gerbils.[5][6] Gerbils also have adapted their kidneys to produce a minimum of waste to conserve body fluids which makes them very clean with little odor.
The pets are incredibly industrious and will explore new environments, and they will build, construct, and enjoy elaborate networks of tunnels if given an environment that allows for it. This is easily observable as gerbils are active during all hours of the day, as opposed to the more nocturnal rodent pets. They can "recycle" everyday paper-based items, such as cardboard products like toilet paper tubes and brown paper bags, into toys and nesting material, chewing the material into small bits. If the chewed material is allowed to accumulate to a depth of 4-6 inches deep, they will tunnel through it.
Health concerns
Teeth problems
Misalignment of incisors due to injury or malnutrition may result in overgrowth, which can cause injury to the roof of the mouth. Symptoms include a dropped or loss of appetite, drooling, weight loss, or foul breath.[7]
Trauma
Common injuries are caused by gerbils being dropped or falling, usually while inside of a "run-about ball", which can cause broken limbs or a fractured spine (for which there is no cure).[7][8]
Neglect
A common problem for all small rodents is neglect, which can cause the gerbils to not receive adequate food and water, causing serious health concerns, including dehydration, starvation, stomach ulcers, eating of bedding material, and cannibalism.[7]
Diarrhea
Diarrhea can occur, usually caused by a virulent strain of E. coli or Salmonella, which is most common among weaning gerbils (3-6 weeks). Symptoms include lethargy, thinness, increased irritability, hunched posture, fluid or bloody diarrhea, and a wet, soiled anal area and tail. It is treatable with antibiotics, yet the gerbil may remain a carrier of the germ and spread it to other uninfected gerbils. For this reason, a gerbil that has had diarrhea should not be chosen to breed with.
Epilepsy
Between 20 percent and 50 percent of all pet gerbils have the seizure disorder epilepsy.[9] The seizures are caused by fright, handling, or a new environment. The attacks can be mild to severe but do not typically appear to have any long-term effects, except for rare cases where death results from very severe seizures.[10]
Tumors
Tumors, both benign and malignant, are fairly common in pet gerbils, and are most common in females over the age of 2. Usually, the tumors involve the ovaries, causing an extended abdomen, or the skin cancer, with tumors most often developing around the ears, feet, mid-abdomen, and base of the tail, appearing as a lump or abscess.[10] The scent gland (positioned on the abdomen) should be checked regularly, a veterinarian can operate on the lump where possible. [11]
Tail sloughing
Gerbils can lose their tails due to improper handling, being attacked by another animal, or getting their tail stuck. The first sign is a loss of fur from the tip of the tail, then, the skinless tail dies off and sloughs, with the stump usually healing without complications.[10]
Tyzzer's disease
The most common infectious disease in gerbils is Tyzzer's disease, which is often caused by either stress or bacteria, and produces symptoms such as ruffled fur, lethargy, hunched posture, poor appetite, diarrhoea, and often death. It quickly spreads between gerbils in close contact.[10]
Deafness and inner ear problems
A problem with the inner ear can be spotted by a gerbil leaning to one side quite obviously. The fluids in the ears affect balance. However, this does not appear to affect the gerbils too much, which have an aptitude of just getting on with things, and getting used to their conditions. Gerbils with "extreme white spotting" colouring are suseptable to deafness, this is thought to be due to the lack of pigmentation in and around the ear. [12]
Extremes of temperature
As desert animals, it is easy to make the mistake that as gerbils are used to bitter cold in the night and boiling heat in the day, they can be left in direct sunlight or in subzero temperatures. This can cause damage to a gerbil. The reason they survive in the desert is because they take frequent shelter in their tunnels. Many gerbils living together and plenty of bedding helps gerbils stay warm. In heat, they will trample their bedding flat. Heat can make gerbils noticeably lethargic, so the choice of shade is important. They do sweat when very hot, and become thirsty more often than usual.
Respiratory problems
A dirty, feces and pee invested environment for a gerbil can be a problem. Ammonia will build up, and gerbils may have trouble breathing. In the wild, gerbils will dig more burrows when their current one is filthy, but in cages this cannot happen. Symptoms of a respiratory infection may include exhaustion, apathy, and a strange clicking or wheezing noise. One way to help solve this problem is to give the gerbil antibiotics. Luckily, in the wild, this does not happen to gerbils.
Birth defects
Gerbils are quite hardy, and it is rare for them to get sick. Seizures are common. Direct inbreeding may produce blind or deaf young with short life expectancies, and missing limbs.
Swimming
Due to their small limbs, they suffer from an inability to swim well.
Captive-bred gerbil colors
A Burmese colored gerbil
A male and female fat-tailed gerbil (Pachyuromys duprasi)There are many color varieties of gerbil available in pet shops today, generally the result of years of selective breeding.
There are over 20 different coat colors in the Mongolian gerbil, which has been captive-bred the longest.[13]
Another species of gerbil has also been recently introduced to the pet industry: the Fat-tailed Gerbil, or duprasi. They’re smaller than the common Mongolian gerbils and have long soft coats and a short, fat tail, appearing more like a hamster. There is a variation on the normal duprasi coat which is more gray in color, which may be a mutation, or it may be the result of hybrids between the Egyptian and Algerian subspecies of duprasi.[14][15]
White spotting has been reported in not only the Mongolian Gerbil, but also the Pallid Gerbil[16] and possibly Sundervall's Jird.[17]
A long-haired mutation, a grey agouti or chinchilla mutation, white spotting, and possibly a dilute mutation have also appeared in Shaw's Jirds,[18] and white spotting and a dilute mutation have shown up in Bushy-tailed Jirds.[19]
When attempting to choose the color of the gerbil, dominant genes and recessive genes must be taken into account, the most common agouti (brown) color being the dominant color.
References
^ [1]
^ Schwentker, V. "The Gerbil. A new laboratory animal." Ill Vet 6: 5-9, 1963.
^ See 14 Cal. Code Regs. § 671(c)(2)(J). The prohibition imposed by the California Fish and Game Commission also applies to all other members of order Rodentia, except for "domesticated races" of rats, mice, golden hamsters, guinea pigs, and chinchillas.
^ Anastasi, Donna; Complete Care Made Easy-Gerbils: The Complete Guide to Gerbil Care. Irvine, Bowtie Press 2005
^ Behaviour. The Gerbil Information Page. Ed. Karin van Veen. Nov. 2001. Dutch Gerbil Study Group. Gerbil Genetics Group.
^ Gerbil Care Handbook. The American Gerbil Society.
^ a b c Hamsters - Medical Concerns
^ Gerbil FAQ
^ Gerbil Care
^ a b c d Michigan Humane Society: Veterinary Care
^ http://www.egerbil.com/gerbil_scent_gland_surgery
^ http://www.egerbil.com/extremespot.html
^ Anastasi, Donna. Gerbils: The Complete Guide to Gerbil Care. Irvine: Bowtie Press, 2005.
^ "Fat-Tailed Gerbil (Duprasi)." The Gerbil Information Page. Ed. Karin van Veen. Nov. 2001. Dutch Gerbil Study Group. Gerbil Genetics Group. <http://www.gerbil-info.com/html/otherduprasiuk.htm>.
^ "Pachyuromys duprasis — Fat Tailed Gerbil."e-Gerbil. Ed. Eddie Cope. 2006. <http://www.egerbil.com/duprasi.html>.
^ "The Pallid Gerbil — Gerbillus perpallidus."e-Gerbil. Ed. Eddie Cope. 2006. <http://www.egerbil.com/pallid.html>.
^ "Gerbil Genetics."NGS Frontpage. Ed. Julian Barker. 30 Nov. 2004. The National Gerbil Society.<http://www.gerbils.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gerbils/genetics.htm#Mutations>
^ "Care and management of Shaw's Jirds — Meriones shawi."e-Gerbil. Ed. Eddie Cope. 2006. <http://www.egerbil.com/shawsjird.html>.
^ "Sekeetamys calurus — Bushy Tailed Jirds."e-Gerbil. Ed. Eddie Cope. 2006. <http://www.egerbil.com/bushy.html>.
Resources
McKenna, M. C. and S. K. Bell. 1997. Classification of Mammals above the Species Level. Columbia University Press, New York.
Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 1993. Family Muridae. Pp. 501–755 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.
Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, London.
Pavlinov, I. Ya., Yu. A. Dubrovskiy, O. L. Rossolimo, E. G. Potapova. 1990. Gerbils of the world. Nauka, Moscow.
http://www.research.usf.edu/cm/CMDC/C111_Normative_Biology_Diseases_Gerbils_7_03.pdf
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gerbils
The UK's National Gerbil Society
The Gerbils.com - Everything about the gerbil
eGerbil- For everything gerbil!
American Gerbil Society
Gerbils as pets
Gerbils were first introduced to the pet industry in 1964. These were the Mongolia gerbils. Their value as pets was soon appreciated and they are now found in pet shops all over the UK and USA. Due to the threat they pose to indigenous ecosystems and existing agricultural operations, it is illegal to purchase, import, or keep a gerbil as a pet in the U.S. state of California.[3]
Life in the desert
The typical Mongolian gerbil is a desert species, and lives underground in a network of tunnels, which include chambers with families. Adults move away and meet others from other chambers, extend the network, create their own chamber, and breed. Gerbils come up for food and water; there is no evidence of hoarding food, but gerbils will eat a lot of fatty foods in one sitting, suggesting supplies in the form of fat reserves rather than food storage. Gerbils do not hibernate and are diurnal. Their long tails help them to balance when they stand up on their hind legs.
Gerbil movement is more like hopping than running, and their large back feet are furry on the bottom to protect them from the heat of the sand. Gerbils are fast but overly inquisitive. In their natural environment, they are mostly insectivores, and additionally gain moisture from desert plants that store water in them. A gerbil has fur all over its body, including the tail, as this prevents it from getting sunburned.
Behavior
A young gerbil sitting by the food bowl to eat This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008)
General gerbil behavior
Normal gerbil behavior includes jumping, climbing, chewing, and digging. The digging motions are very common: the gerbil moves its arms rapidly.
They are curious and not easily startled. They love to burrow and hide.
Gerbils are social animals, and prefer to live in groups. Often very large groups live well together, as long as the living environment is big enough; otherwise, the gerbils may become frustrated and attack one another. Groups of females are much more quarrelsome than groups of males, but if fighting occurs among males it is usually much more vicious. Males will very rarely attack females.
Habits
Gerbils are not naturally aggressive creatures; much like hamsters, they would rather nibble a potential source of food and only fully bite when threatened. Gerbils do not make noises often, although some gerbils can squeal when scared. To communicate with other members of the species they 'thump' repeatedly using their back legs. This is often seen when a gerbil is frightened to warn other gerbils of the danger.
Food
Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts are favorites of most gerbils, though they have individual preferences and too many sunflower seeds may result in illness. They also enjoy fruits and vegetables such as carrots or apple and even fruit peels such as that from a banana. In fact, gerbils will eat almost anything: dog biscuits and chews; rat food; rabbit food; guinea pig food; oats; and various "special" treats from pet shops. Most weeds dubbed as safe for grazing animals like rabbits or guinea pigs can be eaten by gerbils as well. Pet gerbils will especially enjoy live crickets, grasshoppers, and locusts as food, tearing the insect apart and eating the juicy insides.
Avoid lettuces, as the nitrates can prevent oxygenation of the blood,[4] and citrus fruits. Sugary treats are bad for gerbils; they rot the teeth and the sugar is hard for a gerbil to digest. Lastly, do not feed your gerbils food with high water content, such as celery or watermelon, as the water will cause the gerbil to have the runs, or "wet-tail" as it is commonly known.
Drink
Although gerbils can go without water for a few days, provided they have plenty of moist food, they will always take water if it is available.
Cleansing
Gerbils do not need water to get clean — what cleans them is a sand bath. When taking gerbils out for exercise, a small basin of cool sand will be much appreciated, and true to instinct, a gerbil will roll over in the sand. The effect is instantaneous — their fur becomes much smoother and shinier.
Gerbil social behavior
Gerbils often have what looks like boxing matches; this is most common amongst young gerbils (gerbil "pups"). These are gentle play fights which usually end in the winner pinning down the loser and grooming it. However, if a pair of gerbils are fighting closely in a ball shape, with both gerbils biting deeply and drawing blood, careful but swift intervention is in order by the pet owner, using a jar or oven mitts to avoid getting bitten.
Gerbils like to sleep in a group, often on top of each other. Sometimes they will absentmindedly groom each other when half asleep. Gerbils have a form of purring called "bruxing" which they do when they are being groomed or while they enjoy being stroked in the hand by their owner.
Squeaks can occasionally be heard from them, and a squeak is usually an indication of annoyance. When another gerbil steps on another without thinking, it will give a squeak, or when a gerbil tries to steal another's food, it will turn with a squeak, and when a male tries to mate an unsuspecting female, she may well turn around sharply to face him and squeak at him. Gerbil pups will squeak more often when very young, sometimes when feeding or if they have strayed from the nest.
Gerbils will raise their hackles and arch their backs to show aggression, often turned to the side and leaning against the other gerbil's body. Usually this is a warning that a fight is about to occur, and if this behavior is observed it is wise to quickly intervene.
Gerbils will also alert each other to danger by thumping on their hind legs, usually triple thumps repeated in a steady sequence. Gerbils will also thump when sexually excited. Younger gerbils are more likely to start thumping than older ones.
Fighting
Gerbils, when fighting, may chase each other around frantically, amid small screams of protest by the victim. This is usually a case of bullying by one gerbil. If the feeling is mutual, the gerbils will stare each other down, pounce on one another and clamp their teeth around each other's neck, faces, or such in an attempt to draw blood. Gerbils can injure each other seriously in this way. Gerbil fighting is very loud and may last a long time. Gerbils often fight on their hind legs swiping at their opponent with their forepaws. Gerbils fighting will usually be on top of each other, rolling over and over rapidly. If gerbils are left to resolve the dispute, they will most likely fight to the death. A lead up to a fight can include chasing, persistent sniffing and following, and one gerbil forcing another to stay in a single area. A defeated gerbil will often be quiet for some time and remain in a single area. They will very likely stay away from their attacker for some time unless they attack it again. If the fight turns into a chase, the gerbil chasing will most likely try to bite the legs and tail of the opponent.
Mating
Gerbils will mate for several hours, in frequent short bursts followed by short chases where the female allows the male to catch her. Once he catches her, the female will squeak and make flick motions to get the male off her. Males will not attack females except in rare circumstances which may also include them having been separated from their original mates, or widowed. A female may attack a male, but usually he is more than a match for her.
Raising young
Baby stages
When first born, gerbil babies are blind, deaf, hairless, and helpless. They drink their mother's milk. The young squeak softly when feeding and being picked up. Eventually they grow bigger, and within a week, they will begin to show skin pigment, indicating their possible fur color and markings. Soon after this, a thin downy fur will grow on them, and they will begin to make their fast yet unsteady way out of the nest when the bed is disturbed. This survival technique helps the babies get out of harm's way in case of a territory invasion.
The fur will grow thicker and longer, and by three weeks some of them may have one of their eyes open. Around this point, they begin to be weaned, eating food and not relying so much on milk. At this point, it would help to provide a soft food like an oat and milk mixture for them. The gerbils will become more active and their tails will lengthen and give them more balance so they can stand upright. When fully weaned and beginning to play fight with one another, they will soon be ready to move away, if required.
A mother will often be stern with how quickly the babies are weaned if she is expecting a new litter. A less fertile mother may let her litter suckle for longer. Older mothers often do not have as good a milk supply, and need plentiful water available to replenish it.
A litter will be of about 4-8 gerbils on average, although losses due to runts, defects and infanticide, or occasional, unexplainable persecution from other gerbils sometimes make the eventual litter one or two short.
Reproducing
The most common ways of checking the sex of a young gerbil are: 1) Turning the gerbil over and checking the gap size between the genital organs of the gerbil. Female gerbils have a small gap between the two areas, while males have a much larger gap. 2) Although not always clear in childhood and adolescence, male gerbils have a fur covered bulge at the base of their tails, on their underside. This is their scrotal pouch. Females have smooth, round back ends.
Males are generally larger than females in adulthood, in length, height, and width. A gerbil can also be sexed by looking at its underside when it is a blind, deaf baby. There will be either a thick line in the middle of the stomach (the scent marker) if it is a male, or eight dots (four on the left side, four on the right) (soon to be teats) if it is a female. I have found that the best time & way of sexing baby gerbils is to wait until they are around a week to a week & a half old, (sometime before they get hair) the females will have tiny dents above the thigh area where the males do not. These dents are indeed teats. I've noticed the males also have these dents, but they lack the ones above the thighs.
Reasons for popularity
There are several reasons for the popularity of gerbils as household pets. The animals are typically non-aggressive, and they rarely bite unprovoked or without stress. They are small and easy to handle, since they are sociable creatures that enjoy the company of humans and other gerbils.[5][6] Gerbils also have adapted their kidneys to produce a minimum of waste to conserve body fluids which makes them very clean with little odor.
The pets are incredibly industrious and will explore new environments, and they will build, construct, and enjoy elaborate networks of tunnels if given an environment that allows for it. This is easily observable as gerbils are active during all hours of the day, as opposed to the more nocturnal rodent pets. They can "recycle" everyday paper-based items, such as cardboard products like toilet paper tubes and brown paper bags, into toys and nesting material, chewing the material into small bits. If the chewed material is allowed to accumulate to a depth of 4-6 inches deep, they will tunnel through it.
Health concerns
Teeth problems
Misalignment of incisors due to injury or malnutrition may result in overgrowth, which can cause injury to the roof of the mouth. Symptoms include a dropped or loss of appetite, drooling, weight loss, or foul breath.[7]
Trauma
Common injuries are caused by gerbils being dropped or falling, usually while inside of a "run-about ball", which can cause broken limbs or a fractured spine (for which there is no cure).[7][8]
Neglect
A common problem for all small rodents is neglect, which can cause the gerbils to not receive adequate food and water, causing serious health concerns, including dehydration, starvation, stomach ulcers, eating of bedding material, and cannibalism.[7]
Diarrhea
Diarrhea can occur, usually caused by a virulent strain of E. coli or Salmonella, which is most common among weaning gerbils (3-6 weeks). Symptoms include lethargy, thinness, increased irritability, hunched posture, fluid or bloody diarrhea, and a wet, soiled anal area and tail. It is treatable with antibiotics, yet the gerbil may remain a carrier of the germ and spread it to other uninfected gerbils. For this reason, a gerbil that has had diarrhea should not be chosen to breed with.
Epilepsy
Between 20 percent and 50 percent of all pet gerbils have the seizure disorder epilepsy.[9] The seizures are caused by fright, handling, or a new environment. The attacks can be mild to severe but do not typically appear to have any long-term effects, except for rare cases where death results from very severe seizures.[10]
Tumors
Tumors, both benign and malignant, are fairly common in pet gerbils, and are most common in females over the age of 2. Usually, the tumors involve the ovaries, causing an extended abdomen, or the skin cancer, with tumors most often developing around the ears, feet, mid-abdomen, and base of the tail, appearing as a lump or abscess.[10] The scent gland (positioned on the abdomen) should be checked regularly, a veterinarian can operate on the lump where possible. [11]
Tail sloughing
Gerbils can lose their tails due to improper handling, being attacked by another animal, or getting their tail stuck. The first sign is a loss of fur from the tip of the tail, then, the skinless tail dies off and sloughs, with the stump usually healing without complications.[10]
Tyzzer's disease
The most common infectious disease in gerbils is Tyzzer's disease, which is often caused by either stress or bacteria, and produces symptoms such as ruffled fur, lethargy, hunched posture, poor appetite, diarrhoea, and often death. It quickly spreads between gerbils in close contact.[10]
Deafness and inner ear problems
A problem with the inner ear can be spotted by a gerbil leaning to one side quite obviously. The fluids in the ears affect balance. However, this does not appear to affect the gerbils too much, which have an aptitude of just getting on with things, and getting used to their conditions. Gerbils with "extreme white spotting" colouring are suseptable to deafness, this is thought to be due to the lack of pigmentation in and around the ear. [12]
Extremes of temperature
As desert animals, it is easy to make the mistake that as gerbils are used to bitter cold in the night and boiling heat in the day, they can be left in direct sunlight or in subzero temperatures. This can cause damage to a gerbil. The reason they survive in the desert is because they take frequent shelter in their tunnels. Many gerbils living together and plenty of bedding helps gerbils stay warm. In heat, they will trample their bedding flat. Heat can make gerbils noticeably lethargic, so the choice of shade is important. They do sweat when very hot, and become thirsty more often than usual.
Respiratory problems
A dirty, feces and pee invested environment for a gerbil can be a problem. Ammonia will build up, and gerbils may have trouble breathing. In the wild, gerbils will dig more burrows when their current one is filthy, but in cages this cannot happen. Symptoms of a respiratory infection may include exhaustion, apathy, and a strange clicking or wheezing noise. One way to help solve this problem is to give the gerbil antibiotics. Luckily, in the wild, this does not happen to gerbils.
Birth defects
Gerbils are quite hardy, and it is rare for them to get sick. Seizures are common. Direct inbreeding may produce blind or deaf young with short life expectancies, and missing limbs.
Swimming
Due to their small limbs, they suffer from an inability to swim well.
Captive-bred gerbil colors
A Burmese colored gerbil
A male and female fat-tailed gerbil (Pachyuromys duprasi)There are many color varieties of gerbil available in pet shops today, generally the result of years of selective breeding.
There are over 20 different coat colors in the Mongolian gerbil, which has been captive-bred the longest.[13]
Another species of gerbil has also been recently introduced to the pet industry: the Fat-tailed Gerbil, or duprasi. They’re smaller than the common Mongolian gerbils and have long soft coats and a short, fat tail, appearing more like a hamster. There is a variation on the normal duprasi coat which is more gray in color, which may be a mutation, or it may be the result of hybrids between the Egyptian and Algerian subspecies of duprasi.[14][15]
White spotting has been reported in not only the Mongolian Gerbil, but also the Pallid Gerbil[16] and possibly Sundervall's Jird.[17]
A long-haired mutation, a grey agouti or chinchilla mutation, white spotting, and possibly a dilute mutation have also appeared in Shaw's Jirds,[18] and white spotting and a dilute mutation have shown up in Bushy-tailed Jirds.[19]
When attempting to choose the color of the gerbil, dominant genes and recessive genes must be taken into account, the most common agouti (brown) color being the dominant color.
References
^ [1]
^ Schwentker, V. "The Gerbil. A new laboratory animal." Ill Vet 6: 5-9, 1963.
^ See 14 Cal. Code Regs. § 671(c)(2)(J). The prohibition imposed by the California Fish and Game Commission also applies to all other members of order Rodentia, except for "domesticated races" of rats, mice, golden hamsters, guinea pigs, and chinchillas.
^ Anastasi, Donna; Complete Care Made Easy-Gerbils: The Complete Guide to Gerbil Care. Irvine, Bowtie Press 2005
^ Behaviour. The Gerbil Information Page. Ed. Karin van Veen. Nov. 2001. Dutch Gerbil Study Group. Gerbil Genetics Group.
^ Gerbil Care Handbook. The American Gerbil Society.
^ a b c Hamsters - Medical Concerns
^ Gerbil FAQ
^ Gerbil Care
^ a b c d Michigan Humane Society: Veterinary Care
^ http://www.egerbil.com/gerbil_scent_gland_surgery
^ http://www.egerbil.com/extremespot.html
^ Anastasi, Donna. Gerbils: The Complete Guide to Gerbil Care. Irvine: Bowtie Press, 2005.
^ "Fat-Tailed Gerbil (Duprasi)." The Gerbil Information Page. Ed. Karin van Veen. Nov. 2001. Dutch Gerbil Study Group. Gerbil Genetics Group. <http://www.gerbil-info.com/html/otherduprasiuk.htm>.
^ "Pachyuromys duprasis — Fat Tailed Gerbil."e-Gerbil. Ed. Eddie Cope. 2006. <http://www.egerbil.com/duprasi.html>.
^ "The Pallid Gerbil — Gerbillus perpallidus."e-Gerbil. Ed. Eddie Cope. 2006. <http://www.egerbil.com/pallid.html>.
^ "Gerbil Genetics."NGS Frontpage. Ed. Julian Barker. 30 Nov. 2004. The National Gerbil Society.<http://www.gerbils.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gerbils/genetics.htm#Mutations>
^ "Care and management of Shaw's Jirds — Meriones shawi."e-Gerbil. Ed. Eddie Cope. 2006. <http://www.egerbil.com/shawsjird.html>.
^ "Sekeetamys calurus — Bushy Tailed Jirds."e-Gerbil. Ed. Eddie Cope. 2006. <http://www.egerbil.com/bushy.html>.
Resources
McKenna, M. C. and S. K. Bell. 1997. Classification of Mammals above the Species Level. Columbia University Press, New York.
Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 1993. Family Muridae. Pp. 501–755 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.
Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, London.
Pavlinov, I. Ya., Yu. A. Dubrovskiy, O. L. Rossolimo, E. G. Potapova. 1990. Gerbils of the world. Nauka, Moscow.
http://www.research.usf.edu/cm/CMDC/C111_Normative_Biology_Diseases_Gerbils_7_03.pdf
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gerbils
The UK's National Gerbil Society
The Gerbils.com - Everything about the gerbil
eGerbil- For everything gerbil!
American Gerbil Society
Ah, Marpro, don't feel bad. We all know you're just a simple swedish boy
I'll hunt you down and make a trophy of your head... CALL ME SIMPLE BOY, YEAH?!
EDIT: quite unnecessary to copy all that, don't you think?
I'll hunt you down and make a trophy of your head... CALL ME SIMPLE BOY, YEAH?!
EDIT: quite unnecessary to copy all that, don't you think?
Oh ferk!
Well, my super post ownz ya!
EDIT: Hey, Marpro, don't blame me! I just had to make sure, that you understood what a gerbil was
Well, my super post ownz ya!
EDIT: Hey, Marpro, don't blame me! I just had to make sure, that you understood what a gerbil was
my bro is scared of my gerbil and i dont know why......go ahead guess how old my brother is
Heh, my grandmom's old cat was scared of my rat pet.
haha i would thing the rat would be scared of the cat not the other way around but i really dont know why my bro is scared of my gerbil...he doesnt bite.....hard
but i really dont know why my bro is scared of my gerbil...he doesnt bite.....hard 
WOW! Over 60 posts in like an hour and a half. Is that a record?
I didn't know what a gerbil is either, that is untill I looked it up.
I didn't know what a gerbil is either, that is untill I looked it up.
after all you are our youngest member
you are the future of this site
you are the future of this site
i hope no one younger comes on cause i like being the youngest on here O:< xD
Make a donation to Wikipedia and give the gift of knowledge!
Internet meme
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.
It needs additional references or sources for verification. Tagged since September 2008.
Its lead section requires expansion. Tagged since September 2008.
The Hampster Dance, a widely distributed Internet meme of the late 1990s.
The term Internet meme (pronounced /mi:m/, meem) is a phrase used to describe a catchphrase or concept that spreads quickly from person to person via the Internet, much like an inside joke.[1] The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although this concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.
Contents [hide]
1 Description
2 Types and uses
2.1 Self-promotion
2.2 Inadvertent celebrity
2.3 Urban rumors and hoaxes
2.4 Advertising and marketing
2.5 Image editing
2.6 References to pop culture
3 See also
4 References
5 Further reading
6 External links
[edit]Description
At its most basic, an Internet meme is simply the propagation of a digital file or hyperlink from one person to others using methods available through the Internet (for example, email, blogs, social networking sites, instant messaging, etc). The content often consists of a saying or joke, a rumor, an altered or original image, a complete website, a video clip or animation, or an offbeat news story, among many other possibilities. An Internet meme may stay the same or may evolve over time, by chance or through commentary, imitations, and parody versions, or even by collecting news accounts about itself. Internet memes have a tendency to evolve and spread extremely quickly, sometimes going in and out of popularity in just days. They are spread organically, voluntarily, and peer to peer, rather than by compulsion, predetermined path, or completely automated means.[2]
The term may refer to the content that spreads from user to user, the idea behind the content, or the phenomenon of its spread. Internet memes have been seen as a form of art.[3] There exist websites that collect and popularize Internet memes as well as sites devoted to the spread of specific Internet memes. The term is generally not applied to content or web services that are seen as legitimate, useful, and non-faddish, or that spread through organized publishing and distribution channels. Thus, serious news stories, videogames, web services, songs by established musical groups, or the like are usually not called Internet memes.[citation needed]
[edit]Types and uses
[edit]Self-promotion
One common form of Internet meme is created when a person, company, product, musical group, or the like is promoted on the Internet for its pop culture value. Vanity sites, for example, are among the first recognized Internet memes.[2]
[edit]Inadvertent celebrity
Often, a person or company becomes infamous (or indeed famous) by virtue of an embarrassing video, e-mail, or other act.[citation needed]
[edit]Urban rumors and hoaxes
Many Internet memes are urban legends, fraud schemes, slander or false news stories that are either planted deliberately to become an Internet meme, evolve by mistake or rumor, or that jump from an offline source to the Internet. It is common to create fake "for sale" listings on sites such as Craigslist or eBay for no other reason than to amuse people.[1] Web sites such as snopes.com collect lists of such hoaxes or offer services by which users can fact-check popular claims they find on the Internet in order to determine their source and whether or not they are true. Sites like Urban Dictionary and Snopes collect user-generated information about rumors, neologisms, and other popular culture phenomena, many of which could be considered Internet memes.
[edit]Advertising and marketing
Public relations, advertising, and marketing professionals have embraced Internet memes as a form of viral marketing to create marketing "buzz" for their product or service. Internet memes are seen as cost-effective, and because of their (sometimes self-conscious) faddishness, a way to create an image of cleverness or trendiness. Marketers, for example, use Internet memes to create interest in films that would otherwise not generate positive publicity among critics. The film Snakes on a Plane generated much publicity from this method.[4] Political operatives use Internet memes to shape opinion. Used in the context of public relations, the term would be more of an advertising buzzword than a proper Internet meme, although there is still an implication that the interest in the content is for purposes of trivia, ephemera, or frivolity rather than straightforward advertising and news.[citation needed]
[edit]Image editing
Main article: Image macro
Perhaps the most popular Internet memes are made by editing images (pictures, drawings, portraits, etc.) because of the ease that editing an image implies; these kind of Internet memes acquire a broad significance rapidly because they can be shared easily over the Internet. These images usually depict a same original image edited or modified in several ways. For example, some accessories may be added, colors or dimensions changed or the background/foreground replaced. Also, an existing image may be turned into a parody of a motivational poster using various websites, which gives a picture a background, title and brief description without needing to open up image editing software. Another trend is to create a totally new image or version of the original concept. Many of these images originate from sites such as heavily-frequented internet forums.
[edit]References to pop culture
Often internet memes will include references to current items of pop culture, such as popular movies, celebrities or news. Some examples of this are the Chuck Norris facts or the "Sparta!" meme, quoting (or 'referencing') popular lines from the movie 300, especially in places where they don't make sense. Some common lines quoted are:
"This is blasphemy. This is madness!"
"Madness?... This is SPARTAAAAA!!"
Sometimes, but not always, accompanied by images from the film, most commonly depicting one figure kicking another into a large black pit (such as a picture similar to common yellow-black warning signs: a stick-person kicking another into a pit with the warning "CAUTION: This is Sparta!" on the top and bottom).[5] Another common variation of the Sparta meme involves that of editing images by superimposing Leonidas' face over someone else's, and then add an image macro caption using lines from the film.[6] In 2008, there was even a Facebook group set up to encourage students to insert "This is Sparta" into their Advanced Placement tests.[7]
Another example of a pop culture reference meme is the insertion of the name "Leeroy Jenkins" accompanying an ill-advised charge, following the staged events that occurred in World of Warcraft during a routine raid gone horribly wrong after the actions of "Jenkins". This meme and its typical usage prior to a catastrophic strategic failure has become popular enough to appear on the prime-time NBC comedy series My Name Is Earl. In the show's 2008 Halloween episode, Randy Hickey charges into a fight with an angry mob with the battle cry, "Leeroy Jenkins!"[8] The battle-cry also appeared in CBS' Moonlight when Logan Griffen (played by David Blue) screamed "Leeroy Jenkins!" while running in front of an escaping van.[9] The earliest Leeroy Jenkins reference on television was a hint in a Jeopardy question.[10]
[edit]See also
Forum spam
List of Internet phenomena
Meme - A unit of cultural information that propagates from one mind to another as a theoretical unit of cultural evolution and diffusion
ROFLCon - A convention of the people central to the memes and their fans.
Encyclopedia Dramatica - A comic encyclopedia including a series of articles on internet memes
YTMND
Rickroll — A bait and switch link to Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up"
Keyboard Cat
Lolcat
Anonymous — a collective of anonymous individuals on the internet, known for creating many popular internet phenomena
Milk and Cereal
Bloody GIR
b3ta
Typoglycemia
4chan
Bad Day
[edit]References
^ a b Karen Schubert (July, 2003). "Bazaar goes bizarre". USA Today. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ a b Karl Hodge (August 10, 2000). "It's all in the memes". the Guardian. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ Xeni Jardin. "Digital Art: It's All About L.A.". Wired Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ David Carr. "Hollywood bypassing critics and print as digital gets hotter". New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ Primate Brow Flash - This is Sparta
^ Web page containing a gallery of photomanipulated images involving the Sparta meme
^ This is Sparta! — Facebook prank or political statement? - Examiner.com
^ My Name Is Earl - 10-31-2008
^ [1]
^ [2]
[edit]Further reading
Gerson, Jen. "Meme's the word." Toronto Star Tuesday, August 22, 2006. LIFE, page C01.
[edit]External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Internet memes
Gary Marshall, The Internet and Memetics - academic article about Internet and memes
Know Your Meme
Categories: Internet memes | Neologisms | Spamming | Words coined in the 1990s
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Internet meme
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.
It needs additional references or sources for verification. Tagged since September 2008.
Its lead section requires expansion. Tagged since September 2008.
The Hampster Dance, a widely distributed Internet meme of the late 1990s.
The term Internet meme (pronounced /mi:m/, meem) is a phrase used to describe a catchphrase or concept that spreads quickly from person to person via the Internet, much like an inside joke.[1] The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although this concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.
Contents [hide]
1 Description
2 Types and uses
2.1 Self-promotion
2.2 Inadvertent celebrity
2.3 Urban rumors and hoaxes
2.4 Advertising and marketing
2.5 Image editing
2.6 References to pop culture
3 See also
4 References
5 Further reading
6 External links
[edit]Description
At its most basic, an Internet meme is simply the propagation of a digital file or hyperlink from one person to others using methods available through the Internet (for example, email, blogs, social networking sites, instant messaging, etc). The content often consists of a saying or joke, a rumor, an altered or original image, a complete website, a video clip or animation, or an offbeat news story, among many other possibilities. An Internet meme may stay the same or may evolve over time, by chance or through commentary, imitations, and parody versions, or even by collecting news accounts about itself. Internet memes have a tendency to evolve and spread extremely quickly, sometimes going in and out of popularity in just days. They are spread organically, voluntarily, and peer to peer, rather than by compulsion, predetermined path, or completely automated means.[2]
The term may refer to the content that spreads from user to user, the idea behind the content, or the phenomenon of its spread. Internet memes have been seen as a form of art.[3] There exist websites that collect and popularize Internet memes as well as sites devoted to the spread of specific Internet memes. The term is generally not applied to content or web services that are seen as legitimate, useful, and non-faddish, or that spread through organized publishing and distribution channels. Thus, serious news stories, videogames, web services, songs by established musical groups, or the like are usually not called Internet memes.[citation needed]
[edit]Types and uses
[edit]Self-promotion
One common form of Internet meme is created when a person, company, product, musical group, or the like is promoted on the Internet for its pop culture value. Vanity sites, for example, are among the first recognized Internet memes.[2]
[edit]Inadvertent celebrity
Often, a person or company becomes infamous (or indeed famous) by virtue of an embarrassing video, e-mail, or other act.[citation needed]
[edit]Urban rumors and hoaxes
Many Internet memes are urban legends, fraud schemes, slander or false news stories that are either planted deliberately to become an Internet meme, evolve by mistake or rumor, or that jump from an offline source to the Internet. It is common to create fake "for sale" listings on sites such as Craigslist or eBay for no other reason than to amuse people.[1] Web sites such as snopes.com collect lists of such hoaxes or offer services by which users can fact-check popular claims they find on the Internet in order to determine their source and whether or not they are true. Sites like Urban Dictionary and Snopes collect user-generated information about rumors, neologisms, and other popular culture phenomena, many of which could be considered Internet memes.
[edit]Advertising and marketing
Public relations, advertising, and marketing professionals have embraced Internet memes as a form of viral marketing to create marketing "buzz" for their product or service. Internet memes are seen as cost-effective, and because of their (sometimes self-conscious) faddishness, a way to create an image of cleverness or trendiness. Marketers, for example, use Internet memes to create interest in films that would otherwise not generate positive publicity among critics. The film Snakes on a Plane generated much publicity from this method.[4] Political operatives use Internet memes to shape opinion. Used in the context of public relations, the term would be more of an advertising buzzword than a proper Internet meme, although there is still an implication that the interest in the content is for purposes of trivia, ephemera, or frivolity rather than straightforward advertising and news.[citation needed]
[edit]Image editing
Main article: Image macro
Perhaps the most popular Internet memes are made by editing images (pictures, drawings, portraits, etc.) because of the ease that editing an image implies; these kind of Internet memes acquire a broad significance rapidly because they can be shared easily over the Internet. These images usually depict a same original image edited or modified in several ways. For example, some accessories may be added, colors or dimensions changed or the background/foreground replaced. Also, an existing image may be turned into a parody of a motivational poster using various websites, which gives a picture a background, title and brief description without needing to open up image editing software. Another trend is to create a totally new image or version of the original concept. Many of these images originate from sites such as heavily-frequented internet forums.
[edit]References to pop culture
Often internet memes will include references to current items of pop culture, such as popular movies, celebrities or news. Some examples of this are the Chuck Norris facts or the "Sparta!" meme, quoting (or 'referencing') popular lines from the movie 300, especially in places where they don't make sense. Some common lines quoted are:
"This is blasphemy. This is madness!"
"Madness?... This is SPARTAAAAA!!"
Sometimes, but not always, accompanied by images from the film, most commonly depicting one figure kicking another into a large black pit (such as a picture similar to common yellow-black warning signs: a stick-person kicking another into a pit with the warning "CAUTION: This is Sparta!" on the top and bottom).[5] Another common variation of the Sparta meme involves that of editing images by superimposing Leonidas' face over someone else's, and then add an image macro caption using lines from the film.[6] In 2008, there was even a Facebook group set up to encourage students to insert "This is Sparta" into their Advanced Placement tests.[7]
Another example of a pop culture reference meme is the insertion of the name "Leeroy Jenkins" accompanying an ill-advised charge, following the staged events that occurred in World of Warcraft during a routine raid gone horribly wrong after the actions of "Jenkins". This meme and its typical usage prior to a catastrophic strategic failure has become popular enough to appear on the prime-time NBC comedy series My Name Is Earl. In the show's 2008 Halloween episode, Randy Hickey charges into a fight with an angry mob with the battle cry, "Leeroy Jenkins!"[8] The battle-cry also appeared in CBS' Moonlight when Logan Griffen (played by David Blue) screamed "Leeroy Jenkins!" while running in front of an escaping van.[9] The earliest Leeroy Jenkins reference on television was a hint in a Jeopardy question.[10]
[edit]See also
Forum spam
List of Internet phenomena
Meme - A unit of cultural information that propagates from one mind to another as a theoretical unit of cultural evolution and diffusion
ROFLCon - A convention of the people central to the memes and their fans.
Encyclopedia Dramatica - A comic encyclopedia including a series of articles on internet memes
YTMND
Rickroll — A bait and switch link to Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up"
Keyboard Cat
Lolcat
Anonymous — a collective of anonymous individuals on the internet, known for creating many popular internet phenomena
Milk and Cereal
Bloody GIR
b3ta
Typoglycemia
4chan
Bad Day
[edit]References
^ a b Karen Schubert (July, 2003). "Bazaar goes bizarre". USA Today. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ a b Karl Hodge (August 10, 2000). "It's all in the memes". the Guardian. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ Xeni Jardin. "Digital Art: It's All About L.A.". Wired Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ David Carr. "Hollywood bypassing critics and print as digital gets hotter". New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ Primate Brow Flash - This is Sparta
^ Web page containing a gallery of photomanipulated images involving the Sparta meme
^ This is Sparta! — Facebook prank or political statement? - Examiner.com
^ My Name Is Earl - 10-31-2008
^ [1]
^ [2]
[edit]Further reading
Gerson, Jen. "Meme's the word." Toronto Star Tuesday, August 22, 2006. LIFE, page C01.
[edit]External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Internet memes
Gary Marshall, The Internet and Memetics - academic article about Internet and memes
Know Your Meme
Categories: Internet memes | Neologisms | Spamming | Words coined in the 1990s
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This has gotta be a record. 75 posts in 2 hours. 
If it is a record, then it will be a record.
And it will be broken one day. And THAT will become a record.
Simple, isn't it?
And it will be broken one day. And THAT will become a record.
Simple, isn't it?
for the homework thing, all you need are buttloads of coffee, and the homework.
I see a lot of text, but no pictures 
Agree, this has to be a record.
"What the hell is a gerbil?" - marpro
I say the same. Never ever heard of that word. But now I know what it is. (I think)
"What the hell is a gerbil?" - marpro
I say the same. Never ever heard of that word. But now I know what it is. (I think)
Gerbil is the name of one of her chicks.
i like scaring guinea pigs, i avoid hamsters, and i love gerbils. they leave 'presents' for perople to find!
gerbil is not the name of one of my chicks, its my gerbil xD
this thread nao about giant cocks:
http://www.manbottle.com/pictures/man_with_a_very_big_cock.jpg
http://www.manbottle.com/pictures/man_with_a_very_big_cock.jpg
That is certainly a big cock. The biggest I have ever seen at least.
over here,we all know what gerbils ahhh. there ahhh a nahhhmber of jokes about fabulouss "utilizing" gerbils, if you catch my drift. However, it's illegal to have pet gerbils in Australia. I haven't tried the fabulous adult store.
2 more chicks have hatched in the past few days WOOOOOOOOOOOO
@ Patrunjelu - vermin, my friend, vermin.
@bornfree: are you going to name them?
phhhfff....A huge thread abbout animals
well some are named there names are : blanco(blanco means white) cuatro(cuatro means four) adventure and the other 2 need names
And the biggest one should ofcourse be King Daniel
Nelson and Seth
Duck NO.1 and Duck NO.2
Draco and Matilda!
@godley: U counted the number of posts?!?
@godley: U counted the number of posts?!?
It shows the post count next to the thread name in the main forum list, so he saw the 99 and decided "OMGZ I WANTZ 100z0rs"
Hahaha, Chris and Joyce That would be something.... Then at least nobody can deny I'm a REAL chick
That would be something.... Then at least nobody can deny I'm a REAL chick I just don't get you people! You accused me of having two accs because of quick posting! But look at the middle of this thread! There's many more posts than in my thread in less then 2 mins. Why would you accuse me if you won't accuse everyone posting in this thread? Are noobs supposed to be treated this way?! Whataver the reason, I cant stand this crap! I'm leaving for about whatever amount of time I want to be gone!
ease up, skorn! everyone's a little edgy around newbies because there have been in the past people with double (or in some cases on other forums/gaming websites, triple) accounts.
Than why me? Why not the other newb who care less about the rules??
i don't know why, some people don't realize how much they're hurting a person my doing mean or cruel things to them. (not saying people here are mean and cruel, you should see what goes on in the Newgrounds forums!)
I don't know why, but Krisknox's post made me laugh out loud.
The reason the posts here are posted so fast is because of a lot of people were online at the same time. Now, I haven't seen you and themuffinman online even once at the same time and still you manage to post so fast.
The reason the posts here are posted so fast is because of a lot of people were online at the same time. Now, I haven't seen you and themuffinman online even once at the same time and still you manage to post so fast.
Skull realizes my inadvertent attempt at humor, i think... I guess it's the way i think that oftentimes makes people ask me what the hell i'm talking about. (and yes i realize this is completely and utterly off of the off-topic topic) That was fun to say!)
