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Post by lovebug6413 on Feb 26, 2015 11:48:28 GMT -8
So Ive noticed my noticed my boy Koji seems to be picking "fights" with my other two. He will be digging through the bedding and redecorating then will just randomly go up to one of the others and first check out their mouth, stand up nudge them over and what looking like to be grabbing, pushing, maybe biting? at their side and belly and whatnot. The other two don't seem to mind too much, just either do the same or push him away and carryon their business. They don't squeak or squeal out in pain, at least not that Ive heard. Ive tried to get to him to leave them alone, but he just goes up to which one he wasn't bothering before. Koji will stop after a minute or two and just carry on digging or napping. This seems to happen more when I scatter seeds for them to find than any other time. Is he nosy and greedy looking for food or is he fighting and bullying the others? If so what can I or should I be doing about this behavior. They are relatively new pets to me/my home but I've been noticing since I've gotten them and would like to take care of any negative behavior asap if possible. Thank you! UPDATE: I ended up catching a quick video of the three of them going at it, sometimes its a bit more, but this is the general idea. Ive been reading up on playing fighting and other behaviors and this is what it seems like to me, but I want to be sure. Ive read about chasing and once in awhile they will follow the other, but it doesn't seem like the aggressive "chase to kill/fight" that has been described. Any opinions?  |
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Post by betty on Feb 26, 2015 12:10:28 GMT -8
I'm not 100% sure but it sound more like seeking reassurance than agression.
Normally, in a dominance situation, the one picking the fight will wound the other ones back and tail. 2 of a similar status might fight face to face but it would escalate into a ball fight I would imagine.
Have you got a video? Were all 3 got together or have you split them together?
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Post by lovebug6413 on Feb 26, 2015 12:17:58 GMT -8
I don't have a video but will keep an eye out and try to get one, They were all three together, from the same littler. They are two months old and I adopted them from the shelter, where they were kept in a 10 gallon tank, I moved them into a 20 gallon tank so I don't know if the new tank is making them anxious. I found a link on another post and after reading it sound more like wrestling or boxing, but I am still looking for a bit of reassurance.
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Post by betty on Feb 27, 2015 0:42:17 GMT -8
Interesting.
It is a little short but I would say that it doesn't look aggressive as yet due to their age and the fact that the Agouti one (in the tunnel) just pushes at their faces and then hops over then and goes on the wheel.
What I would say is to maybe make that (and any other coloured tunnels) wider. Also don't butt these things up to an edge - have them as a run through only.
Sometimes when you introduce new gerbils to a new home or other gerbils, the least confident one will sort of 'hide' in the tunnel with only their face sticking out, and they try to stop the others coming in - mainly to prevent themselves being scent marked or chased by the others. Sometimes it is ok to have a hider and they eventually build up the confidence to come out. I get it a lot.
Only if you start to see chasing after the tunnel face-off would I be worried. For now I would just see how it goes.
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Post by lovebug6413 on Feb 27, 2015 7:24:36 GMT -8
Thanks for the feedback, the more I look at it the more it does look social, I just want to be sure. Its sometimes a bit quicker and with more pushing than the video shows but thats the basic idea and it only ever lats a minute or two the most. Im going to keep on eye on them to see is it escalates and give the cage a rearrange when I clean the tank tomorrow it make more open space
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Post by vexorg on Mar 12, 2015 4:49:04 GMT -8
Just play fighting, as a general rule there will be blood if it's a real fight. We find these kind of fights normally turn into a cleaning fight where one will give up and get groomed.
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Post by MoonstoneGerbils on Mar 12, 2015 5:55:18 GMT -8
looks like some playing around and dominance assertion. They're still quite young so they have a lot of things to work out in a trio. It looks like the agouti is the dominant (though it could be the black). the white is definitely on the bottom of the pecking order.
Nothing to be worried about there.
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