Jumping gerbils

[Zoe]

Hey everyone. ;D

Sometimes my gerbils seem very anxious and unsettled, particularly after taking them out for cleaning. They explore for a bit and then start running round the edge of their tank looking up and sometimes jumping, and then they will hide and go to sleep until they think I'm asleep and then get up, trying to do it again.

I caught them doing it after first putting them into the tank after about a week of owning them, when we moved them from their cage. We moved them from a cage because they didn't have much room and weren't able to dig with the sawdust and just kept chucking it out. We've now had them for about 6 weeks. They only seem to jump when they are unsettled. Frankie looks around the top of the tank quite often. Frankie also stops very still and stares at us. Here's a video of them looking around the top of the tank and jumping.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=caeFKDgLz8g&feature=youtu.be.

[latentfire]

wow. only watched a minute of it ... but it certainly displays what great jumpers they are! to me it looks like they are trying to figure a way out. mine will get on their house and stretch and grab the ledge of the tank and try and pull themself up... failing to do so. O.o hope they dont start figuring out how high they can jump!

[fourpaws]

If you had them in one of those cages with levels before, then perhaps they are trying to work out where the different ledges and levels have gone? I;m sure you have already, but just in case, make sure they have some wood/logs/stuff to climb on or around.

They are very excellent jumpers though! Any chance of a gerbil olympics anyone? These would get gold!

[hazelanddan]

Mine do this sort of thing when they want to come out, and especially when I put them back after playtime... as if they're excited and want to play some more.

Possibly giving them more bedding (~8-10 inches,. or half way up your tank so they have space to stand up on their hind legs) will encourage them to dig a bit more rather than jumping, this increased digging would mean they have more fun in their tank, and so might not demand as much play time (if that's what they're doing)

If it's more prevalent after cleaning them out... it might be that they're unsettled by their surroundings. when we do a full clean out, we save over some of the old bedding and sprinkle it over the top of the fresh stuff so their smells are still around, that should stop them being so anxious.

[Zoe]

Thank you very much for this advice. Very useful.

Yeah, they are very good jumpers! It would be cool to have gerbil Olympics, yeah! Haha!

What advice would you guys give on getting them out? We've only had them about 6 weeks as I said, and we've been using sunflower seeds, which they really enjoy, I think they managed to gain our trust, but not quite enough to get them out successfully. When I clean them out, I use a small travel bag for them. They get into it because they're curious about it, but they won't stay on our hands and seem to still get a bit freaked out big large spaces - such as the first time I cleaned their cage out, I put them in the bath ontop of some towels, and they became quite distressed, jumping like crazy.

Their cage that they were previously living in, was only one level, but their tank has a wooden platform, wooden bridge which they love and a wooden tunnel. I put toilet tube in as well when we have any .

Thanks again for the advice.

[hazelanddan]

while you're gaining their trust, use a jar to pick them up and transport them. mine just wonder into it because their curious, or you could coax them in with a treat. If they're scared of the large open spaces try and put a few small cardboard boxes or their tank toys in the bath with them to hide in and explore... they dont like to be too exposed, especially if they're not used to their surroundings (i never use the bath, i have them in walled off area in the lounge, in the bath they may be jump off of the top of boxes etc and get out... keep an eye on them)

[Zoe]

I closed off area may work for them, although they seem to be a bit scared when they're outside of their normal habitat generally (their tank). When I cleaned them out today, I put them into their old cage with their toys - which is obviously better than the bath for them, bit they're still unsettled. The go to the toilet a lot as well which I'm guessing is because they're scared. They actually started fighting after a while, but settled right down once they were back in their tank - kissing each other and everything.

Do you think maybe 6 weeks may be a bit soon for them to be thinking about coming into big spaces? Because they were only babies when I brought them home.

[GeordieGerbil]

When I first got my girls, they were around 7 weeks.
I left them in their cage for a few days to get used to things before handling them. I put them in their play pen for the first time soon after and Sophie had a seizure.
I worried at first but then found there was not much to worry about. Seizures are quite common in younger gerbils, and luckily she just had a mild one (this is where they freeze or go limp for around 5 minutes, then they just return to normal like nothing happened. Luckily it has no effect on their health and they usually grow out of it.) They are triggered by unfamiliar things, usually unfamiliar environments (like the play pen) or getting over-excited. She totally froze in the play pen, it was very strange! I scooped her up and put her back in the cage where she sat still for a few minutes then carried on like normal.
I left her for about a week or so before I tried putting her in again, and I handled her a lot more. Luckily her and Sooty love it now and I've never had a problem since

I think when they're young, the first time they go somewhere in an open space must be pretty scary. Sometimes they can get over-excited and start jumping on each other and scent glanding everything.
I think they calm down with age

[Zoe]

I'm hoping they will get used to having their house cleaned out though, because they seem to get scared every time. But next time, I think I'll try leaving some of their old sawdust in there, and in their playhouse when I clean them out. They seem to get braver and braver every day though. And I have to say, they are very good at listening. It's really sweet - they seem to understand "good boy" when I say it when they're digging and get excited and do it again and again! They are very clever animals

Gerbils are cute!

[fourpaws]

They are very clever!

If you are putting them in a temporary tank whilst cleaning, then definitely try and put some of their old bedding in with them so there is a familiar smell.

I put mine in gerbil balls when I clean them out (they love them), if that helps.

As far as taming goes, it can be a long process that needs work on every day. Best place to start is just to dangle your hand in there so they can get used to it (if they nibble it it;s only because they are working out what you are! Just quickly blow on them when they do it so they learn that hand=no nibbling). Then once they are comfortable with your hand just put your hand flat in the cage so they can climb over it. Then once they are happy with that, pop some treats on your hand so they are encouraged to sit on it. Once you are at that point it's just a question of getting them confident enough to stay on your hand when it moves then. This may take a week or so to achieve but once it;s done it means that they are more likely to just hop into your hand to be moved rather than having to chase them or scoop them up in anything.

Your gerbils may never be cuddly and will be unlikely to sit still for you to just pet, but if being picked up becomes a fun thing and not scary, more's the better!

[Zoe]

My little ones are probably less likely to be cuddly gerbils that will want to be moved, but they definitely seek encouragement! Thanks for all the info, much appreciated!