Desperately want them to get on!

[charliesaurus]

So since December I became the owner of four gerbil babies. Frøjya, Persephone, Nepthys and Sahara. All sisters from the same litter, I build their tank from half a birdcage, and half a fishtank! (See below - right).

Not long after that, I got my baby Phoenix - the reason why, was Phoenix was all alone in the pet shop. I couldn't let her be alone, so I just had to bring her home and attempt to introduce her. The introductions weren't really working with the group - so I brought over Frøjya. Those two get along fine, but now I really want them all to get along so I can purchase a nice big fish tank to put a wire mesh lid on... But it just doesn't look very promising. I've kept the two cages by each other - and Phoenix and Frøjya chew the bars simultaneously as Sahara, Persephone and Nepthys do too! So they can smell each other (I tried to re-create a 'split-cage' method with what I had..)

Anyway I give it a go, putting them all on my floor to see how they get on - and it just breaks out in them chasing each other, and Phoenix gets so panicked she runs and jumps for the hills. I don't want to put her through that... but is it causing her damage? They don't get into the "ball of death" but - I'm worried it's going to start. 




Phoenix and Frøjya.


Sahara, Nepthys and Persephone. (Left to right)

[betty]

Well if you want the easy answer it would be to leave them as a 2 and a 3 as they are already matched up and all seem very happy. And it is usually advised that you can't mix groups of gerbils to others - unless they are under 12 weeks - (although I wouldn't do it unless they were all under 8 weeks). The other exception is a pair of very young pups to a single older gerbil.

However, there are people on here who are trying to split cage groups of all sizes, so there is some advice out there if you think you can't possibly keep them as 2 groups.

There are possible downsides of course to this including the gerbils you currently have together could start declanning: so Phoenix and Frøjya could fight for example, and of course they could all fight and you end up with 2 pairs and a single gerbil like I did - although my 5 girls were already together from pups in the first place (a better set up than you are proposing) and at 6 months old they all violently declanned with no obvious warning, leaving 3 of the 5 physically injured and one (in my opinion) mentally distraught as hundreds of grey hairs on her face and neck appeared within a few weeks of the fighting.

Please do some thorough research on previous threads of this type of Split Cage Set Up as I wouldn't want you to rush this and get it wrong. The Split Cage method needs to be followed exactly - skipping bits just makes it less likely to work. Let us know your thoughts after you have read other threads.

[charliesaurus]

Thankyou Betty - I don't think I want to push the boundaries... but I would love for them to have a better and bigger home. x

[crittercrazy]

I understand wanting to have them all in the same tank- but I'm afraid its really not a good idea to try introductions like that. I've never heard of one of them working, and its really risky for the gerbils.

[vexorg]

It's a difficult call. They may settle or they may fight, Even if one out a set is out of the cage for a short while, when they are put back in then there's the usual chasing and checking to see if they are a friend or stranger. I don't think you are at the fight stage, more like the "who are you?" stage

You have a few short moments before the ball fighting, when they both push and arch their backs up.

I wouldn;t say it was a clear no based on your description. You need a smaller area for them to meet in and not run away. Or small area with cage/bars between them.

[sinthiav]

What about getting a very long tank and splitting it semi-permanently? Allow them to live in the two sections for as long as they want to. Forever if necessary.
If one day they were to form a single clan then remove the divider. Perhaps use two separate tank toppers. Maybe if the divider were plexiglass and the area where they can see and smell each other were in the toppers you would reduce the risk of this violent declanning. A plexi glass divider would allow you to switch to mesh as another interim step.
The idea is to get them used to each other in the food and play area and have separate nests for a time. Then remove the divider so their nests are together more. The only thing that might be difficult is the switching back and forth part of the split.
I hope someone who is more experienced will comment on this idea. I would also like to hear their thoughts on whether a simpler tank would be easier or if distractions would make it easier. Perhaps an simpler tank would be faster but more likely to fail. I suspect if it worked it would take a tremendous amount of patience and more time then other types of introductions.
Good luck in any event.

[sinthiav]

What about getting a very long tank and splitting it semi-permanently? Allow them to live in the two sections for as long as they want to. Forever if necessary.
If one day they were to form a single clan then remove the divider. Perhaps use two separate tank toppers. Maybe if the divider were plexiglass and the area where they can see and smell each other were in the toppers you would reduce the risk of this violent declanning. A plexi glass divider would allow you to switch to mesh as another interim step.
The idea is to get them used to each other in the food and play area and have separate nests for a time. Then remove the divider so their nests are together more. The only thing that might be difficult is the switching back and forth part of the split.
I hope someone who is more experienced will comment on this idea. I would also like to hear their thoughts on whether a simpler tank would be easier or if distractions would make it easier. Perhaps an simpler tank would be faster but more likely to fail. I suspect if it worked it would take a tremendous amount of patience and more time then other types of introductions.
Good luck in any event.