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Post by londongerbils on Jun 15, 2021 22:12:27 GMT -8
Hello there!
I just wanted to hear whether anybody has used the cage in cage method of introducing gerbils? It’s something I want to try since I have a large tank that can fit a cage into it and thought this could be a good way of introducing a pup without using a split tank.
any experiences would be great to hear about. Thank you!
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Post by betty on Jun 16, 2021 15:51:29 GMT -8
I have used it a couple of times as an experiment - and as you are introing a (very young?) pup to a single adult - this may well go very well as this is a very easy pairing anyway - and should be no more than a week really. Even if you are using a larger tank to do this in (just make sure the older one doesn't totally ignore the pup at the other end of the tank!).
The problem with these is when they are more irritable gerbils who aren't getting on at first - mainly because they aren't always easy to manouvre in and secondly as quite often one gerbil can always be above the other one. Issues include:
Tail damage Bitten toes and under bums Being weed on Feet falling through bars Difficult to catch the one in the cage in a cage for regular swapping Attaching anything other than a glass water bottle to the cage in a cage is futile
The intros I did ended up being successful but I can tell you I found them really awkward and messy. My split tank isn't big - like it shouldn't be - and so the whole thing was very cramped and annoying to use indeed. I wouldn't do it again unless I was in dire straits or it really was the only option. I have since made two decent custom-made split tanks - so should never need anything else. Phew.
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Post by londongerbils on Jun 17, 2021 12:13:20 GMT -8
Thanks betty , that’s really helpful. I can imagine it’s a real fuss. I’ve got a cage that can fit in the tank nice and easy but I can see it being hard to catch the gerbil in the cage. It’ll only be a young pup, so I’m hoping with 2 males it’ll be a week of hard work and then they’ll be fine, but we will see. have you ever had an adult male attack a pup?
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Post by betty on Jun 18, 2021 6:28:29 GMT -8
I haven't had a male attack a very young male pup - but then I didn't do that splitting very often. I always had their own pups for dads, or older singles for older singles.
Your combo is supposed to be the easiest and quickest - so you have that on your side.
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Post by londongerbils on Jun 21, 2021 9:56:30 GMT -8
May I ask another question? I am encountering the same difficulty you spoke of before regarding catching the little gerbil from the inner cage! However, one positive is that they can smell each other and interact around all 4 sides of the inner cage. Am I supposed to be swapping them in and out of the inner and outer cage, or does this not matter when it’s cage in cage with an adult male and little pup?
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Post by betty on Jun 21, 2021 14:38:35 GMT -8
Yes, I would still swap them an odd number of times a day (ideally 3) because that way they scent up all parts of both areas and have to sleep in each others nests.
This crossing over is what helps them form a bond by both believing they already live together. Like having half your flat someone else stuff and you see them in passing. Then one day they meet you in the kitchen and offer to make you a coffee and you are like - oh, ok.
Some people do do it with less swapping, because if you have an easy pair this can still work, but generally you do the intro in the same enclosure so they both already 'own' it after all the swapping to and fro.
I found that a raisin or mealworm in a jar was great way of catching the one in the cage? They just can't help but walk into things can they?
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Post by londongerbils on Jun 22, 2021 9:46:47 GMT -8
Thanks for your reply. I’ve managed to swap them but the little pup is so small and quick! I don’t know how I’ll catch him in the bigger tank!
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Post by betty on Jun 23, 2021 10:36:15 GMT -8
Well, if the bedding is shallow and you have a sheet of cardboard to hand - you could channel him into a corner and then into a jar?
Pesky pups!
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Post by londongerbils on Jun 23, 2021 11:46:01 GMT -8
Honestly, I caught him in the end but it was a real comedy of errors! I had to catch him on a wide tray and lift the whole thing out of the tank!
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Post by betty on Jun 24, 2021 10:21:23 GMT -8
Awkward...
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