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Post by saraw on Dec 18, 2022 12:01:51 GMT -8
So I’ve persevered all afternoon/evening- they have finally settled and nested down together 🥰 my dilemma is - they are in my daughters bedroom - it’s her bedtime in half an hour 😩 do I leave them together now for the night ? I don’t really want to have to spit them up after they’ve finally settled down together, it’s just awkward as I can’t keep an eye on them as it’ll disturb my daughter going to sleep !!! Just my luck they’ve done this 🤣
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Dec 18, 2022 13:13:21 GMT -8
Ideally leave them together so they can get used to each other. It's good to hear they've settled down. Sometimes it just takes time. Could you move the tank into your room to keep an eye on them?
Gerbils typically can start going into heat from 8 weeks old - and judging by Peanut's moult line I would guess she is 8-9 weeks - but it varies. Tilly was precocious and went into heat at 6.5 weeks old. I didn't notice my other gerbil Twiglet being in heat until she was 6-7 months old, and her sister, who is smaller and physically less mature (still has a fairly pup-like physique) still doesn't seem to have gone into heat at 8 months old. So Peanut could be in heat and that might make her extra annoying, but Cookie should be able to keep her in check.
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Post by saraw on Dec 18, 2022 13:25:08 GMT -8
Ah no !! I separated them !!!! I didn’t dare risk it, the nap they had was literally a 15-20 minute Power Nap !!! They are still having tussles and I didn’t want cookie getting fed up so I thought a bit of time out might help ? Although cookie has handled it really well she’s been such a good girl ! Have I done the wrong thing ? I’m working from home this week so I was planning of bringing them to my ‘office’ (spare room 🤣) and put them together again all day so I’ll be able to keep an eye on them and fingers crossed I get a bit more progress. Have I ruined it by separating them ?
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Dec 18, 2022 13:29:24 GMT -8
No, it's fine. You haven't ruined anything. I think they probably need an extended period together to settle down properly though.
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Post by saraw on Dec 18, 2022 13:34:59 GMT -8
That’s what I thought - it wasn’t long enough for me to feel comfortable that they were properly’bonding’ I’ll keep going this week with them, fingers crossed for a bigger breakthrough tomorrow!
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Post by saraw on Dec 19, 2022 3:46:05 GMT -8
Bit more positive today….. after an hour and a half together they settled down to sleep together…… for an hour, then peanut got up to do some glass digging! Cookie is still asleep ! I’m pleased they finally managed a more substantial sleep but they are still worrying me a little …… they still seem slightly tense with each other and I think this is because peanut is quite full on and possibly trying to be dominant? (Cookie was always the dominant one with her and donut and donut never challenged this) Is this something that’s going to be a problem or will they be able to work it out ? As I was typing- peanut went into the nest- I don’t k ow what happened but they both came running out, cookie gave peanut a groom (peanut actually this time laid on her back while cookie was grooming. Then cookie went back into the nest to sleep and peanut is having a chew on a wooden stick. I’m so new to this I don’t know how to read their behaviour properly and I’m terrified of either of them getting hurt ?
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Post by saraw on Dec 19, 2022 4:29:19 GMT -8
They both keep scent marking the water bottles too and peanut trying to mount cookie 🙈😩
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Dec 19, 2022 5:15:36 GMT -8
I think as long as you're in the general vicinity to keep an eye on them, I'd keep them together still as they're probably just working out boundaries and so on. Peanut is on the cusp of maturity so while I doubt she can really seriously challenge Cookie she might just be feeling the need to push boundaries to find out how far she can go. Or she might be in heat.
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Post by saraw on Dec 19, 2022 5:26:12 GMT -8
Ok thank you, I know I’m probably being annoying now ! I just want to get this right ! So would you separate them if I can’t keep a watch ? Like school run later ? Then leave them separate till tomorrow or put them back together and separate again at night ? She’s definitely pushing boundaries! Ha ha cookie needs a medal bless her !
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Post by saraw on Dec 19, 2022 5:34:23 GMT -8
Looks like they’ve settled down together again 🤞🏻
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Dec 19, 2022 5:40:00 GMT -8
The problem is, I think every time they're separated it might set back their progress a little because then they have to have that moment of meeting and "coming to terms" again. Obviously if you don't feel safe leaving them at all, you might have to, but I'd try to avoid it as much as possible.
I think the fact that Cookie is keeping her cool so far is a good sign and if she doesn't seem too upset overall, it's probably because she doesn't see Peanut as a real threat.
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Post by saraw on Dec 19, 2022 5:45:34 GMT -8
Ok, she seems ok (bit bored) but she’s handling it really well, I’m so proud of her, she’s been so patient. They are totally fine eating together, they will happily share a toilet tube to chew. It’s just when peanut decides she wants to be annoying or try to mount cookie !! And to be fair cookie ‘boxes’ her off and peanut will stop. There are snuggled up asleep together now so they can’t be that tense with each other. I think it’s like you say, they are sorting out boundaries and maybe I’m being a bit over cautious as I’ve never done this before ! I think I’m just going to have to bite the bullet later and leave them, I’ll be gone half an hour tops, I don’t want to keep setting them back
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Dec 19, 2022 5:52:28 GMT -8
Honestly, that sounds just like how Tilly was and she and Daisy worked out fine in the end. And then after Daisy died, I introduced Wispa to Tilly, and Wispa spent the first couple of days being a pain in the neck, so Tilly got her just deserts in the end...
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Post by saraw on Dec 19, 2022 6:09:34 GMT -8
Yes, I keep watching your video of that introduction and Tilly and peanut do seem very similar in how annoying they are !! They are only babies though so can’t blame them too much ! Oh bless her ! They always say what goes around, comes around !
So if my plan is to now keep them together, do I start from maybe Wednesday introducing some more bedding? A toy ? And if all goes well, when do I put them in their forever home together? I’ve spent the last couple of days giving it a major clean out so it’s all ready - just needs filling with bedding but I obviously need to put all the bedding that they are sharing now in there too right ? And also - when can I start interacting with them - I’m desperate for a cookie cuddle and also need to start getting to know peanut properly!
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Dec 19, 2022 6:22:25 GMT -8
I think from Wednesday you could start giving them open-ended things like a tube or bendy bridge, but not anything with a single entrance yet (as one gerbil can trap the other). You could also give them a few handfuls of new bedding, and mix it in with the old. Then I would keep giving them a few more handfuls of bedding and perhaps one new thing (e.g a new tube) every couple of days.
In terms of moving them to their main enclosure, I would wait at least a week but two weeks can't hurt. I would transfer over as much of the old bedding as possible, plus the toys they already have, and wait a few days before adding anything new. Once they're settled in the main enclosure, you can be more free with what kind of things you give them e.g single entrance hides and so on.
This is the cautious approach. With a pup introduction, you could probably add lots of things all at once and it would often be fine but it never hurts to be cautious.
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