What's a Gerbil?

We went to the pet shop the other day cuz the kids wanted a pet. Being that we rent our house we couldn't get anything big, so we decided we were going to get a hamster. While we were at the pet store we saw the hamsters and were going to get one. In the aquarium right next to the hamsters there were these other little animals that kinda looked like a cross between a mouse and a hamster so we asked the pet store guy what they were. He said they were gerbils and were actually better for kids cuz they didn't bite as much. So we decided to get one. Within a couple of days we went back and got a second one cuz the first one just wanted to stay in it's little house all day. By the way, gerbils tails are twice as long as in the pic. The first day we had it I accidently pulled half it's tail off. I freaked out, but then found out that it naturally happens in the wild as a defense mechanism, it helps them get away. The fur and skin comes off and the remaining bone dries up and falls off within a few days. Fun, huh?

But the kids love their new pets, Jasmine and Stephanie.