Concerned about Avon tail wagging to Blake and squables

[Markpd]

Today was the 3rd time that I've heard a commotion between Avon and Blake (squeaking and running about) and I saw that Avon was wagging his tail to Blake, the 1st 2 times I couldn't see, or I missed what started it. The 2nd time Avon then chased Blake around the cage for a lap.

When I heard the squeaking and went over to look today, I saw Blake was trying to get out of the poster tube, but Avon was blocking it, as in he was sidewards against the mouth of the tube and wagging his tail. Blake was poking his head through and squeaking a lot but didn't try to force his way through. Avon stood there for a few seconds or so & then moved off, they were fine after that. Btw the tube is more than big enough for both of them to go through, and they often do.

I tried to take a video of commotion, but it was over before I got the camera app running.

They do occasionally (a couple of times a week maybe?) have play fights, e.g 'hand' slapping each others front paws (I don't know the proper term, boxing?? Although it isn't really), and ball fighting, but not vicious fast ball fighting like Erin's Ark video, it's much slower than that and theirs no squeaking, bar once a couple of weeks back when (I guess) one went a bit too far and 1 of them leapt out violently and whacked loudly into the side of the hut ,the fight was in it, so I couldn't see who it was. I was quite worried at the time, but they were ok after that, but now the tail wagging....

Is this anything to worry about? I've heard for split intro's that wagging tails is a bad sign (not that they are in a split intro).

For those who don't know, my boys are brothers and are 7mths old, always been together AFAIK.

[LilyandDaisy]

Was the poster tube up against the tank wall, and that was why Blake couldn't get out? I would suggest removing any one-ended hides or tunnels to reduce the chances of it happening again. Even if it looks like a gerbil should be able to squeeze past another, if they're feeling intimidated they might not want to. Make sure everything has two or more entrances.

Did anything happen to trigger this behaviour? A new toy, or new animal in the house, for example?

[Thea]

I would ask the same questions LilyandDaisy has, it could have been that something has changed to trigger this behaviour.

Males are less likely to fight than females, but of course it can happen. But it seems like it's been happening for at least a couple of days noe, and from what I've heard gerbil fighting usually results in a declan very quickly if that's going to happen.

How old are Avon and Blake btw? They might just be in the age where they play fight a lot (if that happens), though I think that would happen a bit younger, maybe 4-5 months? And I'm thinking that your two are closer to 7 months?

I've fond a couple of pretty old threads about tail wagging if they're of any use:


gerbilforum.proboards.com/thread/25973


gerbilforum.proboards.com/thread/23451


gerbilforum.proboards.com/thread/21795/tail-wagging

[Markpd]

Thanks for your replies folks .

Nope, the poster tube is a long way from either end of the tank, see here. He could've just turned around and gone out the other end, I guess he didn't want to! lol

Re new triggers, no none that I know of, no new toys, no new animals, nothing new in the tank other than loo rolls, not even the bedding (I'll be changing that on about the 25th as it'll be 2 mths old then).

The hut only has 1 entrance of it's own, but they have dug a burrow under it, so it actually has 2 entrances, so at least on this last occasion the hut wasn't involved.

Thea

As per my op, they're 7mths old, you must have read that or it was a good guess .

Their play fighting had been gradually increasing as they've got older (which I was expecting), but it more or less levelled out recently (a month+ or so ago?), bar the very recent tail wagging.

Thanks for the links , I did read some threads about that, but IIRC the one's I read were involving split intro's, maybe you've had better luck, I'll check them out now.

[update]

So I had read the 1st 2 threads, but not the last one. Was more or less what I read before, it apparently means some form of excitement, frustration or nervousness. But I'm still not sure what it means between Avon and Blake.

When Avon was a little younger he did occasionally do it when he was spooked by something, if I was able to calm him down (or he did of his own accord) that would be the end of it, otherwise he'd then stamp his feet and run off. But those incidences were not directed to Blake.

[LilyandDaisy]

If at all possible (if the bedding isn't very smelly) it might be a good idea to postpone any major cleaning in case it rocks the boat too much.

[Markpd]

It's not bad at all atm, (just a slight gerbil musty smell), they mainly poo under the wheel and in the sandbath, so I clean those regularly, and they pee on the tank ledges which I clean daily.
Also it's not due a change for ~11 days or so, so no time worries their atm.