What is a jerbal?

Answer 1

It's an uncommon alternate spelling for gerbil (pronounced JERR-bill), which is a family of various kinds of mouse-like rodents native to the Middle East and Central Asia.

The most common type kept as a pet is the Mongolian gerbil. It resembles a somewhat large and more stubby mouse, but is distinct because of its shorter nose and fur-covered tail. They weigh about 50 gm on average, and are about 20 cm long, half body and half tail. They are highly colonial animals and live in groups in underground burrows.

Gerbils are very curious and easy to tame. Some experiments have shown them to be among the most intelligent members of the rodent family. As a result they have become very popular as pets. They also tend to be very resistant to diseases but those illnesses that do afflict them are similar to human diseases, so they also serve as research animals in the pharmaceutical industry.