Do gerbils remeber each other after a month?

[banditcat]

Do you think gerbils remember each other after a month? I think they do. Here is the story:

Yahtzee and Gingersnap are a pair of male gerbils. Yahtzee had to be moved to another cage while his foot was healing (he tore out a claw) They could not see each other, or get the same bedding or toys during this time. After Yahtzee had healed up well (about 1-2 months later) I decided to introduce him back to Gingersnap. I have a plastic travel cage I use for introductions. The 1st day it went well, and nothing went wrong. The 2nd day I walked into the room, and passed the cage, only to see a big hole in the travel cage, and a grey gerbil sleeping next to a tan gerbil. I was pretty scared that one had attacked the other, but they were just snuggling. It was so cute! Later, I saw Yahtzee bringing Gingersnap bedding and food! Yahtzee and Gingersnap are such good friends, one can't do anything without the other!

[betty]

I know a breeder who says that she can easily put older gerbils back together who were friends before, but of course it is difficult to say whether they remember each other or whether they were just too old to care?

There are many many many gerbils who will fight with an old tank mate sometimes just a day or two after being separated. It is quite common for a 'lost' gerbil to be found a few days later and then when put back in with their waiting friend will have a massive scrap?

Mind you there is the chance that the ones who fight DO actually remember each other but choose to repel them. I suppose it may have been a tense partnership when they were together, and so after one leaves for a while the remaining one takes over the mindset of boss in the other ones absence (even if alone) and then when the other one comes back he's like - "No Mate - you left and that's that. I'm the new boss of here!"?

Interesting, eh?