How to know if a split cage is not working?

[biscuit]

I did recently get another young male gerbil for my older male gerbil, Biscuit. I have split the cage, and I switch sides for them multiple times per day and they sleep on the opposite side at night. 

So far there have been no injuries, and no fighting as I have noticed and been around. Actually, for the most part they ignore each other, and take occasional sniffs for brief periods of time. Sometimes one of them will try to climb up the hardwire cloth, but I feel this is just normal behavior, of course it bothers them, it's in their way of expanding! 

I am nervous however because it appears they do not sleep in each other's nest, nor next to each other.

I've only been doing it for about 3 days now, so I know it can take a few weeks.

I just would like to know signs of when a split cage is likely to not happen. I know a good time to put them together would be when they sleep next to each other or in each other's nests, but I'm not sure how to read them right now because I'm not sure if their behavior is hostile, or what hostile behavior would look like in a split cage. 

[PurpleSheep]

Hostile behaviour would be aggressively digging or lunging at the divider, destroying each other's nests, or scent marking everywhere just after a swap. However, you may not see any of these signs and they could still fight when you put them together. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing that they are definitely ready.

I have never had gerbils sleep next to the divider during a split, but they usually slept in each other's nests. Ignoring is also good, it means they don't see the other as a threat. It's also good if they just carry on as normal directly after being swapped. Climbing is fine, they are just curious (and probably bored!).

If you want to be really safe, I would give them another week after you think they may be ready. If you try to early and they squabble, you will need to start again from scratch, so it's worth waiting a bit longer to maximise the chance of it working out first time.

[biscuit]

Yes, they do tend to dig at the divider and try to chew the masking tape a lot, but I'm not really sure if its them trying to get to each other, or more because it irritates them and is in their way, and available to chew.

[PurpleSheep]

If you are not sure, it's probably best if you observe them and see if the digging behaviour changes over time, eg gets less aggressive. It's only been 3 days, so you will likely need quite a bit more time until they are ready for an introduction attempt.

[GerbilUK]

Sounds like things are going ok to be honest.

If they are ignoring then that's good. An aggressive gerbil throwing itself at the mesh and squeaking in fury is unmistakeable!

I think you aim to get to the point where they are so used to each others scent that the swapping is no big deal to them. So when you swap them, instead of charging around exploring or scent marking, they BOTH just go straight back to bed or calmly sit eating or something like that. At that point I would consider them ready to try together. Grooming through the mesh is a good sign too, as is sniffing/kissing each other.

Some gerbils will still scent mark even if they are ready to be introduced, but not in a frantic way- more of a quick ritual if that makes any sense.

They should sleep in each others nests tho not necessarily at the mesh itself.

Hope that helps

Wokette

[biscuit]

I will work on keeping my eye out for when they are sleeping in the nests! I gave them each a piece of cardboard and the chewing on the mesh has significantly decreased, they both barely do it at all now!

[Alyssa Martin]

Make sure to introduce them once they sleep flank to flank, I had the mistake of not doing so, which almost resulted very badly. I had assumed that since they groomed one another and slept in each others nests every night I could introduce them after 2.5 weeks. Both of my males are extremely dominate and after being introduced refused to get along by aggressive grooming then immediately going into the death ball. I really suggest waiting for the flank to flank sleeping, and when introducing definitely have a leather glove. I though rubber dish washing glove (thick) would work and I can assure you I have a nasty scar as well as the glove was full of erm..blood...after separating them.

However your intro will likely be alot better then mine was haha, my males are anti-social (2 years separated) and both insisted on being dominate.

Let us know how it goes, I always love hearing about cute intros

[biscuit]

Update: They did sleep in each other's nests today! There hasn't been any chirping or yelling or noises at all through the process! They have also stopped chewing at the nest so much. Yayyyyy!

[georgina]

Hey, just thought I’d share my experience so far, my two boys are 3 days in. Sniffing and ignoring mainly. One sleeps in the nests no problem and one is a destructive nest attacker but only on the one side. He doesn’t attack the gerbil but seems to want to destroy that specific nest each time I don’t know if it’s aggression or boredom (he’s used to lots of free range). Tonight they both tried to climb the divider. Lots of sniffing. The waiting continues, I really hope they will start to show some grooming behaviour soon.

[Markpd]

Err, this thread is 3 1/2yrs old , you might want to bump a newer thread or better still create a new one for yourself, it's more likely to be noticed too that way I think, also the 'behaviour' section is better for split intro questions and comments.