Post by pepandmax on Jul 23, 2007 17:44:03 GMT -8
What You Should Do
When you first bring your gerbils home, wait until the next day to introduce yourself. The transition to a new environment is stressful, and the gerbils will appreciate some time to explore their surroundings to mark out sleeping, hiding, and food hoarding sites. Once the gerbils find a spot to go to sleep, they are feeling comfortable with their environment. You can introduce yourself when they wake up.
To introduce yourself, place your hand in the cage and keep it still. You don’t need to pick them up right away; there is plenty of time for that. Let the gerbils explore and sniff your hand. Soon the gerbils feel comfortable with your hand and your scent and will no longer get nervous when you are around. At this point, when a pup gets onto your hand, gently raise up your hand. Keep your hand flat. He might jump off, but he is likely to come back for more play once you put your hand back in. When the gerbils get used to “elevator rides,” you can lift your hand out of the tank. At some point, you can cross your arms across your chest and allow the gerbil to run down from each shoulder and up onto the other.
What You Shouldn't Do
Never try to restrain your gerbil. When he starts to burrow into your hands or arms, he has had enough, and it’s time to put him down. Don’t forget that you are working on your gerbils’ terms and schedules. Respect their comfort boundaries.
Never lift a gerbil by his tail. The tail is one of the gerbils’ defense mechanisms. If a predator grabs the tail, the skin and fur will slide off, allowing the gerbil to escape. What this means practically is that if you grab your gerbil by the tail, you may end up with a handful of bloody skin and the gerbil may end up with a tail made of only bone. If this occurs, the bone part will eventually dry and fall off.
Don’t try to grab your gerbil by swooping down and grabbing him across his back. This motion resembles the attack of a bird of prey, and it will cause the gerbil to scramble for cover.
Instead, scoop up the gerbil by advancing one hand towards his front while scooping up his rear with the other hand, making a little “cave” with your hands to support his body. This way the animal is not frightened and is held safely.
It goes without saying that you should never retaliate against your gerbil for his “nasty” actions, including aloofness, making messes, or nipping. These distasteful activities are means for the gerbil to communicate its anxiety, fear, or discomfort. Never squeeze, flick, or purposely drop the gerbil. If you are feeling angry or disgusted enough to do something like this, the problem is YOU—not the gerbil.
Don’t get frustrated if it seems like you are not making progress. Not every gerbil will feel comfortable riding around in your pocket. Just like humans, every gerbil is special and has a unique temperament. Don’t let this bother you; instead, respect the gerbil’s unique character. Every gerbil is different.
But My Gerbil Still Doesn't Like Me!
The best trick for taming a stubborn gerbil is patience. In addition to patience, you can try the bathtub, sleeve, and treat tricks.
Scrub out your bathtub and ensure there is no soap or mildew residue. Sit in the bathtub (clothed!) and let the gerbils run around in the tub. They will enjoy exploring and using you for a playground. When they get agitated, ask someone to help you stand up, and return the gerbils to their tank.
For the sleeve trick, wear a shirt made of a stiff material (denim, not knit) with loose sleeves. Put your arm in the tank. Few gerbils can resist running up a sleeve! Softer shirts with tighter sleeves work, too, but if your gerbil is already shy, he may not want to put in the extra effort.
The treat trick is obvious: put your hand (flat) into the tank with a small treat in the palm. Do this once or twice every day. Your gerbil will quickly associate your hands and your scent with treats. This trick can only be done in moderation, as too many treats can lead to weight problems and nutritional imbalances (like children, gerbils will “fill up” on junk food!).
If you persevere and learn to read your gerbil's behavioral signals, eventually you might end up with a delightfully tame companion.
Above, Pep demonstrates why gerbils are sometimes called "pocket pets."
When you first bring your gerbils home, wait until the next day to introduce yourself. The transition to a new environment is stressful, and the gerbils will appreciate some time to explore their surroundings to mark out sleeping, hiding, and food hoarding sites. Once the gerbils find a spot to go to sleep, they are feeling comfortable with their environment. You can introduce yourself when they wake up.
To introduce yourself, place your hand in the cage and keep it still. You don’t need to pick them up right away; there is plenty of time for that. Let the gerbils explore and sniff your hand. Soon the gerbils feel comfortable with your hand and your scent and will no longer get nervous when you are around. At this point, when a pup gets onto your hand, gently raise up your hand. Keep your hand flat. He might jump off, but he is likely to come back for more play once you put your hand back in. When the gerbils get used to “elevator rides,” you can lift your hand out of the tank. At some point, you can cross your arms across your chest and allow the gerbil to run down from each shoulder and up onto the other.
What You Shouldn't Do
Never try to restrain your gerbil. When he starts to burrow into your hands or arms, he has had enough, and it’s time to put him down. Don’t forget that you are working on your gerbils’ terms and schedules. Respect their comfort boundaries.
Never lift a gerbil by his tail. The tail is one of the gerbils’ defense mechanisms. If a predator grabs the tail, the skin and fur will slide off, allowing the gerbil to escape. What this means practically is that if you grab your gerbil by the tail, you may end up with a handful of bloody skin and the gerbil may end up with a tail made of only bone. If this occurs, the bone part will eventually dry and fall off.
Don’t try to grab your gerbil by swooping down and grabbing him across his back. This motion resembles the attack of a bird of prey, and it will cause the gerbil to scramble for cover.
Instead, scoop up the gerbil by advancing one hand towards his front while scooping up his rear with the other hand, making a little “cave” with your hands to support his body. This way the animal is not frightened and is held safely.
It goes without saying that you should never retaliate against your gerbil for his “nasty” actions, including aloofness, making messes, or nipping. These distasteful activities are means for the gerbil to communicate its anxiety, fear, or discomfort. Never squeeze, flick, or purposely drop the gerbil. If you are feeling angry or disgusted enough to do something like this, the problem is YOU—not the gerbil.
Don’t get frustrated if it seems like you are not making progress. Not every gerbil will feel comfortable riding around in your pocket. Just like humans, every gerbil is special and has a unique temperament. Don’t let this bother you; instead, respect the gerbil’s unique character. Every gerbil is different.
But My Gerbil Still Doesn't Like Me!
The best trick for taming a stubborn gerbil is patience. In addition to patience, you can try the bathtub, sleeve, and treat tricks.
Scrub out your bathtub and ensure there is no soap or mildew residue. Sit in the bathtub (clothed!) and let the gerbils run around in the tub. They will enjoy exploring and using you for a playground. When they get agitated, ask someone to help you stand up, and return the gerbils to their tank.
For the sleeve trick, wear a shirt made of a stiff material (denim, not knit) with loose sleeves. Put your arm in the tank. Few gerbils can resist running up a sleeve! Softer shirts with tighter sleeves work, too, but if your gerbil is already shy, he may not want to put in the extra effort.
The treat trick is obvious: put your hand (flat) into the tank with a small treat in the palm. Do this once or twice every day. Your gerbil will quickly associate your hands and your scent with treats. This trick can only be done in moderation, as too many treats can lead to weight problems and nutritional imbalances (like children, gerbils will “fill up” on junk food!).
If you persevere and learn to read your gerbil's behavioral signals, eventually you might end up with a delightfully tame companion.
Above, Pep demonstrates why gerbils are sometimes called "pocket pets."