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Post by monah on Apr 13, 2021 13:12:07 GMT -8
Hello, all!  We have one single gerbil in a cage (her partner died and we haven’t found her a new one yet). And we have a new pair in a separate cage, from a separate litter. They’re in the same room— 2 different 30-gal tanks. I have cardboard between the glass tanks so they at least can’t see each other. I’ve been reading recently about the ultrasonic(?) sounds they make; a different frequency our ears can’t pick up. Is it a bad idea to have their cages next to each other? I’m sure they can smell each other. But I thought they might calm down after smelling but never seeing each other. To me, it seems our loner is on heightened alert (maybe I’m imagining it)? Does anyone think she can hear them “talking” to each other? The 2 new ones don’t seem to care about the first one’s presence. Again, maybe my imagination. Any thoughts? |
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Apr 13, 2021 13:25:56 GMT -8
I have two pairs in the same room, about 3 metres apart. When I brought the second pair home, the existing pair were more jumpy for a couple of hours but they settled down. I'm sure they must be aware of the other pair's noises and vocalisations, but they don't seem to take any notice unless someone starts thumping. That can set the whole room off sometimes! The only thing I can't do is use the same free roaming area for both pairs. The dominant gerbil of one pair starts chasing her sister if she can smell other gerbils on the carpet.
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Post by ps25 on Apr 13, 2021 15:36:15 GMT -8
I have 4 tanks all in the same room, 3 of them are adjacent to each other. The toppers almost touch, they are that close! But the gerbils all ignore each other, while they are in their own tanks.
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Post by tanzanyte on Apr 14, 2021 13:05:40 GMT -8
Wow ps25 I can't believe they don't bother with each other at all. Maybe because they can see and smell each other they are less inclined to be interested. I do believe they can hear the communication that isn't audible to us. One of my younger girls is sooooo nosy when she hears the boys (they are across the room from one another, but not really visible, not that it matters when they can't even see or smell seeds that are right in front of them). She literally scales my legs to climb up and see, or will just walk on to my hands so that I lift her up to get a better view. Like LilyandDaisy said, ours also all dive for cover the moment one gerbil starts thumping and will then respond with thumps of their own. I don't know if it's because you have a lone gerbil monah that it has caused there to be more interest, but I guess it could be harder for her to settle down if she is feeling lonely, or if she's nosy like my girl is. How long has your girl been on her own for? |
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Post by ps25 on Apr 16, 2021 14:29:23 GMT -8
It sometimes surprises me how much they ignore each other. I have seen them quite happily chewing the bars of their own cage a few inches from each other and quite relaxed about each others proximity. I think they are just used to the sound and smell of others in their environment and while they are safe and secure in their own tanks, a neighbouring tank of gerbils is not a problem. I think the gerbil mindset is that so long as the other gerbils stay out of their tank, its OK.
But when they are out for playtime, it can be a different matter. Occasionally one of them will notice the presence of another tank (as if it hadnt been there all along!) and become obsessed with trying to get into it. Then the would-be invader goes straight back home to cool down. And s/he will have forgotten all about the other tank by their next playtime.
And yes, if one of them gets spooked, it will set them all off with the thumping and dashing for cover :-)
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