Changing bedding during split

[betty]

Oh well - worth a shot.

And as for 'normal' behaviour during a split - it is really whatever you are happy to live with and cater for. If you don't feel happy with their activities, don't leave them together. If you think it isn't too bad, then leave them together but watch them close for a while.

A certain amount of scuffling is of course needed for them to establish their new heirachy, but if it makes you nervous to watch - then it isn't right for your gerbils - no matter if other people would leave them together.

It isn't an easy one - and without watching someone else do a similar intro (or uploading a vide of everything they do) you can't guage with might have worked for your girls. Some people are just happier to take more risks, and others would rather play safe for the gerbils (and their own nerves).

Just like everything else - you should always go with your own gut until you have more experience to learn from to decide otherwise.

As for single gerbils - there are currently LOADS milling around the south of England after that 80 or so were handed over to RSPCA Brighton. I heard that they are trying to pair them all up - but some are currently singles.

[Markpd]

You could put the bin cage on top of a couple of small beams of wood on top of the tank, that way you wouldn't be blocking off 1/2 the tank.

Sorry to hear it didn't pan out .

80 from the RSPCA!? Wow! I wonder what the story is there?

[Thelodar]

Wow that's quite a hoarding case! I've had four rescue gerbils from out of control breeding situations and they've each been wonderful. Unfortunately not the right continent for me this time. I've got my eye on Craigslist and petfinder, plus the breeder pages. I might check out the pet stores, though they tend to have pairs.

[betty]

Ah - wrong continent!

Well, fingers crossed you find some soon and get all these chaps paired back up.

[Thelodar]

In case anyone was curious about the behavior I was seeing, I took some video today (I just tried another intro briefly in case a miracle happened). This time both pups were causing trouble.

There are several videos in the album
www.flickr.com/photos/148814288@N06/albums/72157715807687497

[betty]

Yes Thelodar, this is all very difficult behaviour.

It isn't quite bad enough to say that it won't work - but it is close to it. What you need is for the grey one to just accept the pups and stop reacting to anything (not that he will want to of course). Clearly the Black one is the dominant one and he needs for the grey one to just get in line otherwise he won't settle.

Unfortunately, it isn't enough to say that he will even be happy with that over time of course - but this could still go ahead IF the Black one believes that they grey one won't be any trouble?

All depends on the next intro I suppose?

If you are able to watch them for a few hours, perhaps next time/tomorrow after a good half hour run around (if no fighting) put in some hay/straw/paper for them to get busy with and see how they cooperate on a task? Then you have plenty of time to see how it goes and perhaps add in some yummy food after they have been chewing that up for a while. Just give them a lot longer to be together all the while it isn't going badly maybe?

Hmm?