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Post by KirstyMax on Apr 2, 2022 11:06:04 GMT -8
Hello I am looking for advice. I have 2 female gerbils who are sisters, I believe around 8 months old. They recently started fighting with one chasing the other away. No blood was drawn.
I have separated them and let them both out each day in a large neutral space but they continued to fight. Each night I swap them over into each others cages.
Tonight I let them out and there was a little bit of dual chasing and them trying to mount. The chasing was less aggressive and they listened when I told them to stop. I have returned them to separate cages but is there a chance they can live together again? Thank you
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Post by Markpd on Apr 4, 2022 11:20:44 GMT -8
Possibly, yes, but really you need to do a proper split introduction. That is, put them in a split cage (with a mesh divider) and swap them over 2-3 times a day and don't let them both in the play pen at the same time (until after, and if, the split intro is successful). Also the cage should have minimal toys and only shallow bedding, the idea is that because they have less to do, they will interact with each other more. This is typically done for 2-4 weeks, depending how they get on.
See some good and bad signs here, and some more info here.
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Post by KirstyMax on Apr 5, 2022 8:51:34 GMT -8
Thank you so much for responding. I will try this method. Currently next to each other in separate cages and sniff each other through the bars. Do you think they would be lonely living like this if they couldn't live in the same cage? I have been doing supervised plays and chasing has stopped. Lots of nose pressing together but then the dominant one tries to mount.
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Post by Markpd on Apr 16, 2022 16:59:57 GMT -8
Err, like I mentioned, joint play sessions should be avoided until they're nicely bonded together Perhaps you've managed that by now? Not sure if 2 gerbils could live happily without being able to touch each other (even if they can sniff each other), not saying they can't, just it's not something I know much about. My boys seem to live quite happily in a permanent split (as have other pairs), but as well as being able to sniff each other, they can also touch noses and to some fashion groom each other through the mesh (which they've recently started doing!).
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