|
Post by Mygerbiliscute on Aug 23, 2023 7:54:33 GMT -8
I'm currently split-cageing my two gerbils, Regent and Racoon. I'm wondering if there's any way to tell how it's going. One thing I'm noticing is that they spend a LOT of time trying to climb the mesh divider! When they get into a climbing mood they can pretty much do that nonstop for a while. I suspect this is partially motivated by boredom, but might there be another reason? I did notice that if they're wall-climbing and I put fresh cardboard into the tank, they'll usually leave the wall and attack the cardboard with a vengeance. They don't often meet at the mesh, but when they do, they'll usually sniff and/or lick each other through the mesh for a minute or so. They sleep in each other's nests sometimes, but not always. Regent will only sleep in the corners; Racoon will sometimes sleep in Regent's nest, and sometimes sleep near the divider. Any thoughts on the matter?
|
|
|
Post by icecontroller2529 on Aug 23, 2023 9:00:28 GMT -8
Exciting! I hope it goes well! I'll try to give some thoughts, others are more experienced. I only have negative split cage experience / introduction experience, but that is even more reason to share what I've experienced so that others can avoid this. Regarding the climbing: I think it's just out of boredom in a low-stimulus environment. All you describe sounds okay to me so far. How long have they been in the split tank? I think they need a while to get used to the situation. Sleeping in the other one's nest is great, of course. Things to think about: - Those who say that positive signs like sleeping next to each other next to the divider are important, are right. Don't start an introduction attempt unless you see positive signs. Another positive sign is when the gerbils are generally calm and relaxed.
- Don't start an introduction attempt if you see any negative signs. For example: Aggressive behaviour at the divider. If a gerbil seems agitated and tries to attack the mesh, that is a bad sign. Also, lots of territorial marking is a warning sign.
- Don't start an introduction attempt too early. Your book says to do it after a week? Throw the book out. You NEED to see positive signs first. It might be fine after a week, but if not, don't introduce.
- Don't start an introduction attempt as long as the gerbils seem stressed. They might be stressed just because they feel claustrophobic in the split tank. But a stressed gerbil is not in the right mood to be introduced.
- If you are not sure how to interpret the gerbils' behaviour, try to get help from more experienced people. Make videos of the gerbils and post them on the internet, asking for advice.
- Listen to your gut feeling. If something feels wrong, don't force anything.
- Your partner is inexperienced but "knows" everything because he read it on the internet? Don't let a dominant partner influence you. Rather risk a fight than risk your gerbil getting bitten.
- Read up on it as much as possible, watch videos showing gerbil behaviour in introduction situations.
When you finally decide to attempt an introduction, watch them closely and if there is any chasing, separate them rather sooner than later. There used to be a great thread collecting signs to look for in this forum. I can't find it, but I'm sure it's somewhere. My "favourite" sign during an introduction is the "furry comma", a gerbil bending sideways while pushing away the other gerbil. I have seen that and it probably means that the gerbil will attack very soon.
One more thing I want to mention: Not all gerbils can be introduced to each other. Some just don't like each other, and sometimes a gerbil is too traumatised from earlier experience to ever be bonded with another gerbil again.
Sorry if I sound overly negative. More on positive things needs to come from those who have actually seen it happen ...
Hope it all goes smoothly with Regent and Racoon!
|
|
|
Post by LilyandDaisy on Aug 23, 2023 12:29:04 GMT -8
It sounds like it's going well considering it's so early on, but I don't think they're ready to be introduced yet. As icecontroller2529 says, mesh climbing is probably from boredom and doesn't mean much in terms of readiness for an introduction. Sniffing and licking is nice to see at this stage. By the time you're thinking about introducing them, they would ideally be beyond the sniffing and licking stage and happy to just greet each other by touching noses most of the time, maybe with some occasional attempted grooming. Not always sleeping in each other's nest may be because they aren't very settled yet. By the end of the introduction I would hope for them to consistently be sleeping in the same spots on each side. It doesn't particularly matter where those spots are but I'd hope for them to be sharing nests consistently.
|
|
|
Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Aug 23, 2023 12:52:31 GMT -8
It seems to me that everything's going well and progressing smoothly. The climbing of the wire could be for many reasons, such as boredom, curiosity, or even aggression. Aggression isn't a bad thing in this setting. Not to say it's a good thing, but it's perfectly natural when gerbils are first introduced through the mesh for one, or even both of them to harbor some complaints about the strange gerb on the other side. This is a perfectly normal beginning start of the split, not to say that it even is aggression. It could be one of many reasons, not just the three that I mentioned above. Every single gerbil I have split has climbed the mesh to get to the other side. I believe it might also be, to them, just another part of their environment. The same reason we go into our backyard for no purpose may be the same reason they climb the mesh. It's part of their environment, so they explore and engage with it. This may very well be incorrect, it's just something I've considered with this particular behavior. Either way, I wouldn't worry about it too much, it's natural at first. Of course, it's necessary for this behavior to subside before you introduce them. You want the two gerbils to be acting like the other is 'old news'. So that they're fully used to each other. Think of it this way, if you were to have to gerbils living in the same tank together (without a divider) every time they ran into each other in the tank, you might find it alarming in the least if they were always treating the other like something new, and still figuring out what they thought. You'd want them to simply say 'hi' and move on, since they already know everything there is to know about the other.
The points that icecontroller2529 stated about split caging in her last post, are very important and true. You'll find many people will have something to add to that list, or maybe even have their own version of that list, but it'll all circle around the same stuff. Don't rush it, listen to your gut, watch for positive/negative signs, and introduce only when the GERBILS are ready. Something I think a lot of people mistake is that this has nothing to do with them. This whole process is all about the gerbils and honestly very little about the owner. We're just supervising, standing by with a pair of gloves while we introduce them. They're the ones doing all the work and deciding how things go. An introduction is nothing about when you feel ready, it's all about when the gerbils feel ready. I hope that has made some sense.
Anyways, to directly answer your thread title. Yes, I would say this introduction is going very well. In the beginning stages, but very well. Hope it goes smoothly!
|
|
|
Post by Mygerbiliscute on Aug 23, 2023 16:21:55 GMT -8
Thank you. They've been in the split for a week already. I really hope I can attempt an introduction sometime next week...obviously, this will depend on how they're doing by then.
|
|
|
Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Aug 24, 2023 10:57:44 GMT -8
Great! I hope they're behavior warrants an introduction. As icecontroller2529 said, just be really slow about it. More time in the split to get used to each other further won't be harmful to them, so really every day makes a difference. The signs you might want to see before an intro (at least my list of them) are: . Both of them sleeping next to the barrier . Eating next to the barrier . Sleeping in their old nests after switching sides . Acting as if the other gerbil is 'old news' (how they might act if they were already a bonded pair) . Not acting super frantic or energetic when meeting at the barrier, (esp not launching themselves at the wire) . Accepting the barrier as it is, perhaps not getting to the other side none of these are a 'deciding factor'. say, if only Raccoon were sleeping in Regent's nest, that doesn't mean they're not ready for an intro. And of course, there's always the gut feeling. Or if they're both were sleeping in eachother's nests, that doesn't mean they're ready for an intro. It's always something to think about, but if they check a good amount, it's been a little while, and you feel like they're ready, than I would say that's indication enough to go ahead with it.
|
|
|
Post by Mygerbiliscute on Aug 30, 2023 11:28:08 GMT -8
Update: I tried introducing them today and it didn't go well at all. A lot of chasing and quarreling. I separated them, put the divider back in, and now they're back in the split. Regent calmed down immediately afterward; Racoon attacked the divider furiously, but he seems a bit calmer now.
|
|
|
Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Aug 30, 2023 12:28:10 GMT -8
I'm sorry to hear that! I would give them a while longer before trying to introduce them again. One of the biggest pitfalls of splits, (not saying you did this, just something I've observed) is trying to intro too soon. I like to give them plenty of time until they're almost bored. Of course not wanting to torture them to boredom, nothing like that, just until they are completely ready for something new. The arrival of the other gerbil on the other side of the split shouldn't excite them. I've noticed this can take as long as a month or more. Another thing you can do, as a tiny intro before they're with the other gerbil for real, is to handle one, petting them, getting their scent all over your hand, then moving to the next gerbil and handling them. They can hang out with the other gerbil's scent in a sense, and get more used to being with them without the bars. Did they get in a real, honest-to-goodness fight? Or was it more, raising their hair, walking tensely, chasing, etc. You would know if it's a fight, since they would lock up into a ball, and start rolling around. Almost in a cartoon-like way. One is much easier to deal with than the other, but both can be overcome
|
|
|
Post by Mygerbiliscute on Aug 30, 2023 13:08:42 GMT -8
I'm pretty sure it was a real fight. If I had left them together much longer, one or both of them would probably have ended up injured. How long would you say I should wait before trying again?
|
|
|
Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Aug 30, 2023 14:41:32 GMT -8
I see. I'm very glad that neither were injured. This will probably make it easier to re-introduce them. I can't give you an exact number, because it all depends on how the gerbils are. But if I were to guess an average, I would say at least a week, probably two, maybe more. Do keep us updated! I hope that the next intro goes better.
|
|
|
Post by Mygerbiliscute on Aug 31, 2023 5:14:25 GMT -8
I do think I'll wait a while before introducing them again. I've been giving them cardboard often, because they seem bored. Cardboard also prevents them from climbing and chewing at the divider. The problem is that all the chewed cardboard is starting to accumulate. I know that too much bedding isn't ideal for a split-cage. Would you suggest that I stop giving them cardboard? Or should I remove some of the accumulation?
|
|
|
Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Aug 31, 2023 10:54:17 GMT -8
I would definitely keep giving them cardboard if it's available to you (sometimes mine chew me out of cardboard house and home for even a week!) It helps them handle stress and boredom in such a non-stimulating environment. Depending on the cardboard you're using (mine is generally just TP/PT rolls) if it's big puffy cardboard then that could definitely build up. If it seems like it's getting a little overboard, then yeah that's good to remove some.
|
|
|
Post by Mygerbiliscute on Sept 6, 2023 11:12:13 GMT -8
It's been three weeks now that they're in the split, and one week since the unsuccessful introduction. Racoon seems stressed. I've seen him frantically digging at the corners of the cage, and occasionally at floor, and keeping at it for a while. This also means they aren't really sleeping in each other's nests; they always sleep in the corners, and with Racoon's digging there, the nests are constantly being rearranged. Regent isn't at all like that, but I do notice that he's constantly sleeping. I know a split-cage is supposed to be boring, but can too boring be harmful? Is there anything that I should be doing to make it more interesting for them? Would adding toys be helpful or harmful?
|
|
|
Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Sept 6, 2023 18:56:39 GMT -8
I'm sorry to hear about that... It can be hard to see them like that when they are. For Racoon's situation, try to give him lots of cardboard to chew, and handle him often for a little while each time if you can, possibly letting him explore your bed for a bit (some people recommend against letting them out for long periods, or handling them a bunch while they're in splits, but I tend to with mine if they start looking very stressed or bored). You can also give both of them a treat that they really enjoy. If it's something that you put on your hand (for example, some gerbs go crazy for certain oils) then try to encourage them to eat together close to the barrier. I'm not quite sure what to do in Regent's case. When they get bored they'll often resort to sleeping more. You could also play with him for long periods as well, which he might enjoy and help keep him entertained. Adding toys is usually something I don't do since they can get territorial and turn their focus away from the other gerbil, which is the main purpose of a non-stimulating split. You can add lots of cardboard, and perhaps a new treat or even a seed ball or branch chew would probably be fine. Just something new for them to explore. Are you switching sides for them already? This would probably be a good idea now. Try switching them three times a day, and they should be ready for another try at an intro soon.
|
|
|
Post by Mygerbiliscute on Sept 11, 2023 13:49:23 GMT -8
I'm afraid I have some bad news to report. While I was at work today, Racoon somehow managed to chew through part of the divider. He got to the other side and killed Regent. I arrived home from work to find Regent literally torn open. Surprisingly, Racoon seems unharmed. They were in the split-cage for almost four weeks, and Racoon seemed to be calming down in the last few days. I guess it's hard to figure out how a gerbil's mind works. 🙄
|
|