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Post by lillygreyshipp on Dec 26, 2012 18:21:12 GMT -8
I'm getting really AGGRAVATED with the two gerbils I got. They're older and I got them for cheap, and starting to think that was a mistake.
At the store they nibbled.
Now... they BITE.
Thing is, their biting is getting worse.
Here's what I do. Am I doing it wrong?
I give them fresh food then wait an hour orso after they've had their fill. That way they're not hungry or crabby from being hungry.
Then I wash my hands with scent free soap and place one in their cage palm up.
They run around like it's no big deal, and will even run across my hand. They will sniff me as well.
Then.. one of them will come up and BITE.
Not exploratory nibbles. BIT. They've drawn blood a few times.
When they bite, I give a puff of air at them and they run off.
However, the last two days they ignore the puff and just bite HARDER.
Am I doing it wrong? Should I keep going but wear gloves?
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Post by animelover10143 on Dec 26, 2012 19:31:28 GMT -8
Ahh I am also going through this with my Blondie.... Its like a small dog holding onto a rope and hanging in the air off of your finger? Blondie does NOT like letting go.....Is it both of them biting or just one? I always have whole toilet paper rolls in the tank and i hold it up to her and she walks in and then i lift it out and take her out bottom first so as to avoid her mouth. Once Blondie is running on the bed or where, she is then fine and doesnt bite.
Do they bite outside of the cage or is it just while you have your hand in the cage?
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Post by lillygreyshipp on Dec 26, 2012 19:45:29 GMT -8
They're identical so I can't tell.
Whoever is biting has started hanging on and biting harder.
I haven't been taking them out of their cage any more, just working with them in their cage.
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Post by animelover10143 on Dec 26, 2012 19:56:54 GMT -8
My boys are identical and some people can say they can tell and its a owners/mother instinct in knowing who is who but I honestly have no clue haha I think it just has to do with the tank itself... It is their 'home' and 'big scary hand' shouldnt be there  If you can, some people say the bath tub but I say the whole bathroom. take them out with a box/tp tube/jar and go to the bathroom and sit on the floor and close the door. That way your not in their 'home' and they can walk away from you if they want and explore. (You can do your bedroom or where ever, the bathroom in my house is the one place that they dont fit under the door haha) |
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Post by animelover10143 on Dec 26, 2012 19:59:56 GMT -8
Sometimes you just get that gerbie who doesnt like people in his/her home lol but once they're out of the home they're fine  |
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will0wisp
Member
Protego et Servio
Posts: 201
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Post by will0wisp on Dec 26, 2012 20:18:40 GMT -8
I'm reminded of an interesting read I found on a website written by someone who has rehabilitated many gerbils, that otherwise would have spent the rest of their days lonely and unhandled. Luckily your case isn't as grave as the ones she's dealt with but you may be able to take something away from it! www.gerbilcareinfo.com/rehabcases.htmGood luck, I hope you make a breakthrough and begin to have the same happy gerbil experiences that many of us here at the forum treasure x |
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Post by MoonstoneGerbils on Dec 27, 2012 5:34:06 GMT -8
You need to put gloves on, and you also need to identify which one is the biter. I suggest picking up one gerbil and carefully using a pair of scissors to clip a bit of hair off so that you can tell them apart.
if after you get bit, you are taking your hands out of the cage, then you have taught them that biting make your hand go away.
blowing in their face doesn't really do anything if they are expecting it to occur.
just put gloves on and let them bite to their hearts content. when they realize that your hand will not go away the biting should stop.
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Post by qtoffer on Dec 28, 2012 5:47:50 GMT -8
just put gloves on and let them bite to their hearts content. when they realize that your hand will not go away the biting should stop. Yes, this really works well. I have a pair of heavy leather gardening gloves covered with with dozens of teeny bite marks.... and a gerbil who no longer attacks my hand when I put it in her enclosure. |
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Post by lillygreyshipp on Dec 30, 2012 4:43:27 GMT -8
It's leather work glove time.
One of them broke skin thru my thick winter gloves. (Kinda hard not to jump and take your hand out when that happens.)
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If you can, some people say the bath tub but I say the whole bathroom. take them out with a box/tp tube/jar and go to the bathroom and sit on the floor and close the door. That way your not in their 'home' and they can walk away from you if they want and explore. (You can do your bedroom or where ever, the bathroom in my house is the one place that they dont fit under the door haha)
