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> From: GEORGES DONDAINE <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: big gerbil
> Date: 16 April 2001 17:25
>
> hi,
> One of my friends has seen a big gerbil in a pet store in France. This
> gerbil is 3 X as a monolian gerbil. The vendor in the pet shop don't know
> what is this... Perhaps a Shaw. But fhis gerbil is black!
> Somebody know what is this?
> Julian? Karin?
>
> ******************************
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> ******************************
There are no black Shaw's. Also Shaw's are rare in France. I am almost
certain it will be a degu. Degus are relatively common pets throughout
western Europe. These south American rodents are often mistaken for
gerbils, but are not related. They are not black but the colour of a very
dark nutmeg gerbil, so they could be mistaken for black. They are about
the size you describe and stand up on their hind legs just like gerbils do.
Sue
