Bitten! Does this prompt a gerbil to attack?

[jyrenze]

Yesterday I put my hand into my gerbil tank. As usual my gerbils came to sniff at me, being the curious creatures they are. Instead of putting my palm out and letting them run over my palm as they usually do, I decided to try something different.

I wriggled my fingers in front of my male gerbil to see what he would do. The result was a great shock, he lunged forward n sank his teeth into my finger, and wont let go even when I retracted my arm and shook my hand! It was a good thing I didnt injure him by accident, in the end he did let go and dropped into my other hand. I blew into his face to tell him he did something bad, then put him back into his cage. My finger was bleeding from his bite.

Is wriggling fingers in front of a gerbil a stupid thing to do? He has never attacked me before, I've had him for a month already and hes already 7 months old.

[mice]

Hmm perhaps he mistook you for food and he was pouncing on you? Perhaps a giant meal worm or something.

[AndreaS15]

i can usualy wiggle my fingers infront of my gerbils without being attacked, so I'm thinking maybe you startled him?

[dawn]

I'm no expert but I also reckon u made him jump. Eugene lets me wiggle my figers around infront of him but does nip me when I'm holdling him if I move too quickly e.t.c.

Dont give up on him though!

Hope your finger is ok though!

[RW]

My best guess is that your gerbil felt threatened because you did something unfamiliar and unexpected...maybe mistook your fingers for some sort of predator? One of my boys will "play" fight with my fingers if I wiggle them in front of him. He never bites or gets nasty, just pounces me and sort of wrestles with my fingers. Actually, it's rather cute and he seems to enjoy it.

Whatever caused your boy's reaction, I don't think I'd do that again!

RW

[jyrenze]

Yea, I was thinking I could play wrestle with him or something, but I didnt expect him to jump me like that. Anyhow its going to be a long time before I ever try that again!