Gerbil help needed

[nsweezie]

Hello!
I'm hoping someone on the board can help me with my gerbils.
I've had many gerbils over the years, I just love them!
Right now, I have 2 sisters, Chablis and Merlot. They have been together since birth and are now about a year old. Chablis has always been the dominant gerbil, and today she attacked her sister, and really hurt Merlot. Merlot had a huge gash on her cheek, and a torn ear (she is now on antibiotics from the vet). I moved Merlot into a separate cage, as I don't want any further attacks.
I know gerbils prefer to live together, but I don't feel I can put these two back together.
I've never had a gerbil 'turn' like this, especially after a year. We have 2 other cages with 2 gerbils in each of them and they get along very well.
Does anyone have any advice? Are there gerbils that just prefer to be alone, even though gerbils are social animals?
Louise

[RockyRoad]

Oh no! I`ve had to break up a gerbil fight before, and I can sympathize with you! My situation was different, though, because both of the gerbils I had were males and were already older before they were introduced. But, for months I slowly allowed them supervised visits and playtimes, and they were always fine and got along great. Then, one day, my gerbil Murphy attacked the other, Mack. I, a bit tactlessly, broke up the fight and ended up getting Murphy into his cage, but not before he had drawn blood a few times. I never tried again, because I felt like it was stressing them too much, and they both lived full and happy lives alone, with separate playtimes. Murphy never bit me again and they were both happier by themselves, as they had been. My situation was different, because I was dealing with males that had not grown up together, but I can sympathize at how stressful it is for not only you but the animals as well.

Now, for your situation, that is sad that after such a time together that one attacked the other. The fight to me sounds like it could have been a dominance thing. Or, could she have been in heat? I could see that being a reason that she would attack like that. I looked it up online, since I really am not strongly knowledgeable in gerbils, and I found this. It`s not the same situation, but there is some good advice there. Granted, I hope someone else can have more advice for you, and I wish you and your gerbies well!

[cali]

a few questions:

-how big is their cage?

-what type of cage is it?

-how deep is their bedding?

-what do they have for activitys in their cage?


all these things are possable factores for the fight, so I need to know these so I can get a better idea.

[nsweezie]

Thanks for the help!
The cage is what is called a 'gerbilarium', which is quite deep so they can burrow and dig. It's a large cage, about 2feet long and maybe a foot wide.
The bedding is about 9 inches deep or so, and they have a wooden house to sleep in, as well as various wooden toys to play with and chew.
I think that perhaps it is a dominance thing. I've usually had male gerbils in the past and never had a problem, but after doing a bit of looking on the internet, it seems that females can be more agressive at times.
Louise

[cali]

ok, I would agree it is most likley dominece, females can be like that. dominant females really need to be paired with submissive ones. I have several dominant females, and I never ever house them together because they can get very nasty. I would reccomend getting them each a new friend, but you will need to study the issue and find friends that are calm and docile.

you COULD try to split tank them back together, but there is a good chance you will go through this again if you go that rout.

[nsweezie]

Thanks for the advice- I'm going to take it!
It was lucky that I was in the room when the fight kicked off, I'd hate it for the girls to get back together and then possible kill each other fighting when I am at work.
I've done the split cage thing before, but only with male gerbils, and have had a lot of success, I assume that the same idea applies with females. Will keep you posted!
Louise

[Miss Z]

I think it's best to keep the gerbils apart. I used to have three female gerbils in a cage together, and whilst we were away and they were in the care of someone else, Ebony turned on Nightshade and gave her quite bad wounds on her tail and back. We separated Nightshade from her sisters and at first were concerned that she would get lonely, but she never looked back. In fact, I would say she is much happier on her own, as before she was quite a quiet gerbil. Since having her own space, she's really come out of her shell and is now very friendly and inquisitive.

At the opposite end of the scale, Ebony too is now on her own since she lost her sister and cage-mate, Twilight, a few months ago. We were afraid she would pine for her, as they were quite close. Yet Ebony also seems to have adapted well to living alone. She too changed personalities, starting as a fiesty and jumpy girl who is now a lot gentler and takes to handling much more willingly. With enough attention and love, I don't think your gerbil will have any problem adapting to living on her own. I hope her wounds heal well!

[cali]

miss Z, in you case I think a major factor was that you had 3 females together. this is fine for males, but you should never house more then 2 females together. there are exeptions of coarse, I once had a cage with 5 females together and they were totally fine, but that was an exeption to the rule. I house my females very carefully according to temperments and age.

the right temperment is key here, when you choose a cagemate for a dominant or aggressive female, you want a larger cagemate who is calm and good at giving calming signals. you know how some dogs just get along with all dogs, no matter what aggression problems they have? its because they know how to use their body language to diffuse the situation, as opposed to getting mad back, or getting scared, and just aggravating the issue. its the same with Gerbils, some Gerbils are simpley very good ad readng other Gerbils, and diffusing situations. these gerbils make GREAT companions for dominant or aggressive gerbils.

[Miss Z]

miss Z, in you case I think a major factor was that you had 3 females together. this is fine for males, but you should never house more then 2 females together.

Yeah, we didn't plan on getting three together, but as they were all the last remaining in the litter, we didn't want to leave one alone. Seeing as they got on very well to begin with, we thought we'd be lucky with them. I think maybe the change of environment probably triggered the behaviour as they'd never been outside of my brother's room before.

What you said about a good companion for a dominant gerbil was interesting, because that was Twilight completely. She was larger and placid. Nightshade, I suppose, was just quite flighty and prepared to let Ebony bully her.

Still, I think my gerbils are very happy to live on their own now.