沙鼠属（学名Meriones）是沙鼠中的一类，常被人们当成宠物饲养。这类生物分布于北非到蒙古之间。

沙鼠属之下有17个物种，并可分为4个亚属。

Meriones is a rodent genus that includes the gerbil most commonly kept as a pet, Meriones unguiculatus. The genus contains most animals referred to as jirds, but members of the genera Sekeetamys, Brachiones, and sometimes Pachyuromys are also known as jirds. The distribution of Meriones ranges from northern Africa to Mongolia. Meriones jirds tend to inhabit arid regions including clay desert, sandy desert, and steppe, but are also in slightly wetter regions, and are an agricultural pest.