Post by rennmaus on Jul 14, 2014 10:10:10 GMT -8
I think I need some advice.
I am a first time gerbil owner, living with two male gerbs (Tillda & Graham). They are seven months old now. We got them from a pet shop, and I’ve always assumed they were brothers.
They used to get on really well. However, over the last few days we have seen a change in behaviour.
From what I can tell, Graham, who used to be ‘my little man’, is challenging Tillda’s dominance. Tillda is the one with the bigger scent gland, he always used to be around 10g heavier as well. He used to be lively, curious and active. Graham used to be the more timid, skittish one.
Now both of them weigh roughly the same (90g) and Graham has started bullying Tillda. He is chasing her around the tank and playpen quite a lot. I’ve even seen them rolling in a ball, fighting (which I understand is a really bad sign?). They have not harmed each other physically (yet). But I do feel that Tillda is getting anxious and stressed about all of this.
They live in a 18gal tank with two-level topper, and their food bowl is on the first floor of their home. Graham keeps scent-marking the area around the bowl, keeps sitting inside/on top of the bowl...and as a result, I think Tillda seems to eat less as well. Having said that, Tillda hasn't lost weight, he even gained 2g over the last few days. But then, he's less active than he usually is (but maybe that's the warmer weather?).
Graham also cleans Tillda very vigorously at times, until he squeaks loudly.
They sometimes sleep together, sometimes apart. Graham built his own ‘tissue mansion’ on the top level of the topper, Tillda sleeps in a coconut house below ground. However, a lot of the time they do share these spaces.
I have read a few other threads on this forum, and am now concerned our two boys are in the process of falling out and having to live apart. We would hate for this to happen! But of course, we don’t want anyone to get hurt either.
We were thinking of doing a full tank clean, and of possibly changing the location of the tank to see whether this might change things?
Can I ask for your thoughts on the situation.
I am a first time gerbil owner, living with two male gerbs (Tillda & Graham). They are seven months old now. We got them from a pet shop, and I’ve always assumed they were brothers.
They used to get on really well. However, over the last few days we have seen a change in behaviour.
From what I can tell, Graham, who used to be ‘my little man’, is challenging Tillda’s dominance. Tillda is the one with the bigger scent gland, he always used to be around 10g heavier as well. He used to be lively, curious and active. Graham used to be the more timid, skittish one.
Now both of them weigh roughly the same (90g) and Graham has started bullying Tillda. He is chasing her around the tank and playpen quite a lot. I’ve even seen them rolling in a ball, fighting (which I understand is a really bad sign?). They have not harmed each other physically (yet). But I do feel that Tillda is getting anxious and stressed about all of this.
They live in a 18gal tank with two-level topper, and their food bowl is on the first floor of their home. Graham keeps scent-marking the area around the bowl, keeps sitting inside/on top of the bowl...and as a result, I think Tillda seems to eat less as well. Having said that, Tillda hasn't lost weight, he even gained 2g over the last few days. But then, he's less active than he usually is (but maybe that's the warmer weather?).
Graham also cleans Tillda very vigorously at times, until he squeaks loudly.
They sometimes sleep together, sometimes apart. Graham built his own ‘tissue mansion’ on the top level of the topper, Tillda sleeps in a coconut house below ground. However, a lot of the time they do share these spaces.
I have read a few other threads on this forum, and am now concerned our two boys are in the process of falling out and having to live apart. We would hate for this to happen! But of course, we don’t want anyone to get hurt either.
We were thinking of doing a full tank clean, and of possibly changing the location of the tank to see whether this might change things?
Can I ask for your thoughts on the situation.