Abstract: Objective To establish the method for urine collection, detect and analyses the urine biochemical and electrolyte index of Meriones meridianus in Xinjiang area, and compare the index with SD rats. Methods Wild Meriones meridianus was reared in the laboratory for three months, to adapt to the laboratory artificial rearing conditions. The urine of selected 40 Meriones meridianus and 40 clean grade SD rats was collected using simple urine collection cage to analyze urine biochemical parameters and electrolyte index. Results The amount of urine of Meriones meridianus and 1.5 months aged SD rat in 24h was 3-3.5 mL and 8-10 mL respectively. The urine of Meriones meridianus and SD rat’s was yellow, transparent, odor of ammonia by visual observation. The pH of Meriones meridianus’s urine was 7.80 ±0.40, urine specific gravity was 1.011 ± 0.005. The pH of SD rats’s urine was 7.12±0.03, urine specific gravity was 1.018±0.003. The results of biochemical test showed that the most of Meriones meridianus and SD rats are negative, but there were individual animal samples with different degrees of positive. All urine electrolytes showed no significant difference between the negative index of Meriones meridianus (P>0.05), the urine electrolytes showed no significant difference between male and female (P>0.05). Conclusions The results provided basic biological information and research on Meriones meridianus as experimental animal.

Key words: Meriones meridianus, Urine, Biochemical detection, Electrolyte, Urine collecting cage