Crossword Genius

Rib and leg cooked for pet (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

gerbil

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'pet' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both animals as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?

'rib and leg cooked' is the wordplay.
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'cooked' is an anagram indicator (letters cooked into a new form).
'rib' put after 'leg' is 'legrib'.
'legrib' is an anagram of 'GERBIL'.

'for' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for gerbil that I've seen before include "Burrowing mouse-like rodent" , "Leg plus rib of a mouse-like desert rodent" , "Burrower with a bushy tail" , "Mouse-like rodent (G not J)" , "Small burrowing rodent" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun.
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