Nighttime Noserubs

[imogen]

I've had my gerbils for almost a month now. They often hide when I approach, but can be coaxed out and get on with their plans for the day once I'm sat next to their tank. 

However, at night they seem to be much more relaxed around me, one of them in particular. Vaughan is my grey agouti and the more confident one, and at night he will even stand up, put his nose through the chickenwire lid to sniff me, and we will touch our noses together  He would never do this by day (or at least not yet) and I find it intriguing that he seems calmer around me when it's dark.

A few nights ago he hopped into his exercise ball (I keep it open with food inside within their tank so they get used to it), so I took him for a roll. We had the lights on in the living room, and the lights off in the corridor. He ran great sprints through the dark well into the light and back into the dark again. I imagine it must've been a trippy experience for him, like day and night changing in a moment! But he seemed to enjoy it. 

I wondered if any of you guys had noticed difference in behaviors when it comes to day and night, light and dark? Perhaps mainly interacting with my boys at night is the way to go for me!

[betty]

We had a post only recently I think where someone had to keep their gerbils in a light-controlled environment while they were younger - however gerbils can react to shadows very much (as it saves their lives).

I had a very sunny south-facing gerbil room temporarily one time and they were all over the place. Every time a seagull flew past they all ducked for cover (no doubt as they are aerial hunted in their wild lives) but it continued to me too - so if I stepped past the window (or at night - past the light) they reacted - always on high alert.

Hopefully it is just a passing phase and you can coax them out of it... do keep us updated with things you try.

[Markpd]

I find my boys are more adventurous at night and run on the wheel much more night, interesting that although it's quite normal for them to be up during the day, they behaviours can be quite different!