Mongolian gerbils are small rodents. Without the tail they reach the length of 3-6 inch. The hairy tail is long 2-3 inch. Forelegs are much shorter. Other typical feature is that the upper incisors have narrow groove on their anterior surface. Mongolian gerbils have a long hairy tail which ends with a fascicle. The original coloration is agouti. Dorsal hairs are with gray, ash-colored base, a central yellow stripe and black end. Tummy and paws are beige or white. Nails are dark brown or black. The lower parts of the feet are also hairy, with the exception of a small spot. Their skin should have velvet brilliance. The oil-gland located in the abdomen, releases oils that make the skin so soft. Both sexes have this cancer called Harderian gland. They can spread their smell to various sites or to each another by rubbing. This way they scatter a substance which contains pheromones.

Due to the fact that gerbils have become pets for some time already incurred many different colors. There are many different colors of their hair and sometimes their bellies are the same color as the back, as are the black gerbils .At present there are many colors - black, dark-eyed honey-colored, "dove", dark gray, mottled, Siamese, silver-gold etc. The  newest one is blue.

Mongolian gerbils have a body temperature of 37.4-39.0 degrees, their heart rate is 260-600 beats per minute. And the respiratory frequency is 70-120 times per minute.

The average lifespan is 3 years, maximum 5