Post by NotYouHahaha on Aug 6, 2015 12:16:05 GMT -8
Hey everyone!
Heres a quick version of the questions for those who don't have much time on their hands :
Can you introduce a gerbil that had declanned from his siblings very early on to another gerbil? How do you travel with a gerbil? And how can I get my account accepted so I can be a member?
Heres the background with the more specific questions :
I bought Jerry (short for Geronimo hehe) a gerbil, from a pet store a couple weeks ago. He had been there for a while, had fought with his siblings and had to be separated from them (he has a kink in his tail- possibly genetic, possibly from the fights) (Also don't know if it was him that initiated the fight or his brother) and had bit a few employees. They said he was a lot more "feisty" than the others. No one wanted him. I had been keeping an eye on him for a couple months and it looked like his health was deteriorating in there, so decided to save him. They kept trying to show me the ones in the back, as though Jerry was unadoptable.. They let me put my hand in the tank with him - he didn't bite me (which surprised the employee) but retreated to a corner and carefully watched. They didn't know his age but guessed between 4 and 6 months. I gave him a day or two to adjust to his new home and have been working on gaining his trust every day since then. I have since realized that he is not aggressive, but is scared, especially of hands. Dogs don't scare him, but hands do. He's become a lot more tame and hasn't bitten me once. He has made HUGE steps at improvement! Now he comes and sniffs my hand every time, will jump up on it, and seems eager for play time in the bath tub (Still doesn't like to be picked up..its like he turns into a wild jumping kangaroo when I try to scoop him up hehe but thats a work in progress lol) He seems perfectly happy being the only gerbil, but it makes me sad that he doesn't have a buddy. Especially since classes will be starting up again soon, and I want him to have a buddy for when I'm not there to entertain him. So this leads to the first question... Is it okay that he is alone? I'm thinking about adopting another gerbil and trying the split cage method. Have any of you had experience introducing another gerbil to a gerbil that had declanned at such a young age? Are there certain personalities that seem to get along best with scared troublemakers? If I do adopt another gerbil to be his buddy... Do you suggest waiting a couple weeks so that the new guy can get used to me and become more tame as well? Or should I put him in the split cage right away? (Also... after I bought him, they put his brother on display. Has anyone had luck reintroducing siblings after they declanned? They had them in little five gallon tanks, could it have just been a space issue? I feel bad for his brother now, but don't want them to wind up killing each other)
Second question: I am spending the summer at my sister's home, and bought Jerry at the pet store near her house. I will be driving about 8 hours to get back home next week. Jerry will be coming with me, but I have never traveled with a gerbil before. He's currently in a ten gallon tank (best I could do on such short notice ) and has a smaller travel carrier as well. Do you have any tips on traveling? Should I get window covers to prevent the suns heat from being magnified in his tank? Should I take him inside with me at every rest stop? (Have you had any problems taking your gerbil into a gas station? Or been told pets aren't allowed?) Does the water bottle and wheel need to be taken out while on the road? Ive heard about putting an apple slice or carrot in there for water- but would I have to change that out every couple hours? Would think it would get brown and nasty
Also, is there any particular way to be approved by an admin to join this forum? I tried to join about five years ago when I had two females. But my account was never accepted? Tried again a couple weeks ago, but still nothing? Does anyone have any tips on joining? It feels strange, like I've been creepin on everyones posts for five years now
Heres a quick version of the questions for those who don't have much time on their hands :
Can you introduce a gerbil that had declanned from his siblings very early on to another gerbil? How do you travel with a gerbil? And how can I get my account accepted so I can be a member?
Heres the background with the more specific questions :
I bought Jerry (short for Geronimo hehe) a gerbil, from a pet store a couple weeks ago. He had been there for a while, had fought with his siblings and had to be separated from them (he has a kink in his tail- possibly genetic, possibly from the fights) (Also don't know if it was him that initiated the fight or his brother) and had bit a few employees. They said he was a lot more "feisty" than the others. No one wanted him. I had been keeping an eye on him for a couple months and it looked like his health was deteriorating in there, so decided to save him. They kept trying to show me the ones in the back, as though Jerry was unadoptable.. They let me put my hand in the tank with him - he didn't bite me (which surprised the employee) but retreated to a corner and carefully watched. They didn't know his age but guessed between 4 and 6 months. I gave him a day or two to adjust to his new home and have been working on gaining his trust every day since then. I have since realized that he is not aggressive, but is scared, especially of hands. Dogs don't scare him, but hands do. He's become a lot more tame and hasn't bitten me once. He has made HUGE steps at improvement! Now he comes and sniffs my hand every time, will jump up on it, and seems eager for play time in the bath tub (Still doesn't like to be picked up..its like he turns into a wild jumping kangaroo when I try to scoop him up hehe but thats a work in progress lol) He seems perfectly happy being the only gerbil, but it makes me sad that he doesn't have a buddy. Especially since classes will be starting up again soon, and I want him to have a buddy for when I'm not there to entertain him. So this leads to the first question... Is it okay that he is alone? I'm thinking about adopting another gerbil and trying the split cage method. Have any of you had experience introducing another gerbil to a gerbil that had declanned at such a young age? Are there certain personalities that seem to get along best with scared troublemakers? If I do adopt another gerbil to be his buddy... Do you suggest waiting a couple weeks so that the new guy can get used to me and become more tame as well? Or should I put him in the split cage right away? (Also... after I bought him, they put his brother on display. Has anyone had luck reintroducing siblings after they declanned? They had them in little five gallon tanks, could it have just been a space issue? I feel bad for his brother now, but don't want them to wind up killing each other)
Second question: I am spending the summer at my sister's home, and bought Jerry at the pet store near her house. I will be driving about 8 hours to get back home next week. Jerry will be coming with me, but I have never traveled with a gerbil before. He's currently in a ten gallon tank (best I could do on such short notice ) and has a smaller travel carrier as well. Do you have any tips on traveling? Should I get window covers to prevent the suns heat from being magnified in his tank? Should I take him inside with me at every rest stop? (Have you had any problems taking your gerbil into a gas station? Or been told pets aren't allowed?) Does the water bottle and wheel need to be taken out while on the road? Ive heard about putting an apple slice or carrot in there for water- but would I have to change that out every couple hours? Would think it would get brown and nasty
Also, is there any particular way to be approved by an admin to join this forum? I tried to join about five years ago when I had two females. But my account was never accepted? Tried again a couple weeks ago, but still nothing? Does anyone have any tips on joining? It feels strange, like I've been creepin on everyones posts for five years now