Tails (and handling)

In the gerbil, the skin over the tail is fragile and can be injured if the animal is held by the tail, especially from the midpoint to the distal tip. The skin can split around the tail and may slough off distally, leaving the tail vertebrae exposed (degloved). This is known as "tail slip".

For the purpose of catching the animal in its cage, a gerbil may be pinned by grasping the base of the tail, where this type of injury is less likely. To pick up the animal, it is preferable to scruff the animal or scoop it up in your hand or in a container. By doing so, the tail does not bear the weight of the animal and risk an injury.