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