Which was the winner?

[GerbilUK]

Hi, as I mentioned on my other thread, one of my male pairs have been fighting and I have had to split them up.

My question is - one of them (black one) was sitting upstairs in the topper in the food bowl when I found them. The other (white one) was downstairs in the tank bedding. I had seen the black one sitting alone upstairs before that day but didn't realise.

My husband thinks the black one won the fight because he then took control of the food source. I think the white one won and wouldn't let the black one back in the nest.

Any ideas or is it impossible to tell?

Thanks

[betty]

With most of my female declans (the ones I see coming that is), the 'loser' is usually the one out of the nest. Some of mine will just sit up on any ledge to watch over the other ones incase they come a-chasing. Is your food bowl the only flat surface in the topper (noone wants to sit it out for hours on thin wire)?

I haven't yet had any males declan so don't know if it would be the same, but that's my female experience, but the 'guarding the food bowl' thought is an interesting one....

It'll be interesting to see what others have experienced.

[GerbilUK]

Well I would agree with you that the food bowl is the comfiest place to sit if you have just been ousted from your nest! However I have actually seen the pair of them sleeping up there sometimes, either lying side by side or one lying on top. I suppose it might have been to keep cool or maybe to be near the females next door in case they decided to visit!

So maybe it's not that uncomfortable for them.

I'm none the wiser really! They are currently split up, one in the tank they shared and one in a temporary storage bin type tank. I swap them round every couple of days so that they can interact with the female next door and stop them getting too lonely
I've had no luck finding any young pups do far, but I will keep trying.