Introducing a new female to another female

I'd do some extensive research on the split cage method. If you have any questions after reading about it, please feel free to ask us. The key to making this work will be patience. You may have to have the two females in a split cage for weeks or months before they are ready.

-Matt

There are a number of different ways to set up the tank, so go through them and find one that works for you.

There's a thread with instructions here: gerbilforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=baifaq&action=display&thread=12094

Also read:
www.egerbil.com/splittank.html

Use google to find more, and read through some of the threads here for more information. Then ask any questions you still have ;D

There is no harm in letting two gerbils see each other in seperate cages for a week or so before beginning the split cage process.

I've also found that gerbils that have been on their own for a period of time are often more friendly to the idea of a new gerbil. Being on their own makes them a bit lonely, I imagine and so they might be more open to the idea of accepting another gerbil.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

-Matt

So it will be okay if I switch them back and forth from each others tank? I picked up a new female two days ago, her name is Sandy. I made a make shift barrier today with two things of wire mesh a couple centimeters apart. I made it so i can take it in and out so sandy can have her full tank at all times. I moved suzie over to sandys tank and two things happened, Sandy started to gnaw on the metal mesh and suzie climbed the barrier in a flash and i grabbed her and put her back in her own tank. I think its going to be a long slow process. How often should I put them together and for how long? Is it okay to put them together in an open area to observe and remove at first danger or will they attack?

alright, so i have them in different tanks until i can get a bigger tank to split and they can have other things to do because a small tank split will freak them out. Is it a good idea to pass they're dust bath bowl back and forth?

I don't see the need to split them between tanks before the split is in place? Splits already cause a certain amount of stress and the constant moving back and forth will only upset them further. It wont benefit them in any way as when you start the split they will be in a totally new environment anyway. Can i also add that you are best to remove any toys, food bowls etc. These can be easily scent marked and "claimed" by either gerbil and can make the introduction more troublesome. Just put in a water bottle for each, sprinkle their food in the substrate and only give them easily destroyed materials like toilet paper, toilet roll tubes, hay, paper bedding etc. I have done so many gerbil introductions now, and practically have one on the go all the time! Also i have found that you need to be swapping sides at least 3 times a day for further success. I have only ever failed at an intro once and it was due to an overly aggressive male gerbil that just refused to accept his potential friend

Yes 10 gallons is too small for an intro. Its pretty small for one gerbil, let alone two. I've had success at least 25 plus times with female to female introductions. This ranges in ages from weeks old, to 3 years old, but i am really experienced in doing these so find them more straighforward than most.
Once they are in the split, do not remove them and do not clean them out. If they are in it for longer than suspected you can add some substrate to what you have to freshen it a little but thats it.
Johanne has linked to two different sources of how to do split tanks in her post and there is another one here gerbilsociety.com/indysrascals/gerbil-bonding/ which is a step by step guide.