At a glance the quick version
Coat and looks how to spot one
Soft desert fur with a long, plumed tail
A neat, big-eared jird with long back feet whose soles are bare, which helps it grip rock. Its signature feature is a well-furred tail held up like a plume, with long hairs that fan out for a feathery look and a white tip at the end. Pale rings around the eyes give it a wide-eyed face.12
Personality what they are like
A lively, social jird that likes to live in a group, sleeping in a huddle and grooming companions. It is a night owl, most active from late evening until early morning, and spends its waking hours exploring, climbing and storing food.2
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Very active at night. Being a natural rock climber, it benefits from height and climbing structures as well as space to explore and dig.2
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Keeps its coat tidy through its own and mutual grooming. Its food-caching habit means stored food should be checked and refreshed regularly.2
Home where they are happiest
Wild animals shelter under rocks and boulders in very dry, rocky terrain where yearly rainfall is often below 100 mm. A dry, escape-proof enclosure with rocks or branches to climb and hiding places to retreat to mirrors this natural setting.12
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Omnivorous: in the wild it eats seeds, herbs, parts of small shrubs and insects, and it stores food for later.2
Company who they like around
Prefers group living; wild animals sleep huddled together and groom one another. Communicates mostly without sound, using foot thumping and scent marks from a belly gland.2
The story where it all began
The species was scientifically described by Oldfield Thomas in 1892 and is the only member of its genus, Sekeetamys. It is a desert specialist of the Middle East and north-east Africa, and its range in Israel is reported to be spreading northwards.1
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
It is the only species in the genus Sekeetamys.1
- 2
Its resting metabolic rate is only about half (47%) of what would be expected for its size, an energy-saving adaptation to desert life.2
- 3
Instead of calling out, it warns others by thumping its feet and marks territory with scent from a gland on its belly.2
- 4
The bare soles of its long hind feet give it good grip on smooth rock.3
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Wild species assessed as Least Concern with a stable population trend1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Bushy-tailed Jird. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Sand bathevery 3 days
- Spot cleanevery 3 days
- Deep cleanevery month
- Chew toys refreshevery 2 weeks
- Vet check-upevery year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- Bushy-tailed jird - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for names, range, coat, weight, history, IUCN
- Animal Diversity Web - Sekeetamys calurus animaldiversity.orgused for size, weight, lifespan, behaviour, diet, social, fun facts
- en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.