Sounds and actions

[khelkhet]

I've spent several hours just sitting here staring at the gerbils. I noticed there is one who seems to receive special attention from the other two. The one with a 'moon' shaped symbol on his head (HAHAHA you have discovered the secret identity of SAILOR MOON!) (And I use 'his' even though I don't know if they're male or female) seems to be able to just sit there, close his eyes and the other two groom him. One sits on his back, the other washes his hands for him and licks his eyes and nose. He doesn't seem to mind, in fact I'm /certain/ he was making a cooey noise. I have also watched them gather up the corn and little pink food things and bring them to him in the nest, as if they're making sure he gets the best of the food available. Is he old? I don't think he's sick cause he's just as active and good looking as the others, he plays as much as they do, they just seem to be taking care of him. They make little squeaky noises at each other and cuddle up together in their toilet paper bed when they sleep.

[Ritzie/Admin]

I know they are great to watch! ;D Maybe that male is the dominant one!

Don't you know if you have males or females? I have I read it wrong?

[queenofthenile]

If you are unsure of the gender you need to sex your gerbils. Here's a link to my website. Just scroll to the bottom for adult gerbils.
www.gerbilbreeding.com/sexing.htm

If you find out that one isn't the same sex as the other two, you will need to seperate the one gerbil. Then you can pair them up with another same-sex gerb.

[khelkhet]

That is correct. At this time I do not know their gender because we're still working on bonding and taming. They were handled a little at the pet store and they were a lot more friendly there, but we're gradually working on them allowing me to pick them up. So far they taste my hand (It's fantastic to have rodents whose first instinct is NOT biting) and they love grabbing sunflower seeds out of my hand too. I can pet them, too, stroking their backs and stuff but they wont let me pick them up yet, they jump back out of my hand when I try.

[queenofthenile]

khelket, I know that you are just taming right now, but you really should check their gender. You don't want any little "oops" and they may be old enough to produce offspring. You may need to have a tighter grip on the gerbil, so that you can actually turn them over to look. It may set back your taming a few days, but you really should know their sex now!

[sweetie]

How old are they? You can tell the males from the females when they are older by looking at the base of the tail. If you don't want to pick them up then another way is to see if there are "bumps" (testicles) at the base of the tail. They are more prominant if the gerb are older that 10 weeks.

Queenie is right that if you chose not to act now, you may pay for it later!! If they begin fighting becuase there is on male and 2 female and they are in estress then it may get bloody. I know how much you love them and don't want to see them get hurt. Every gerbils is different and the dynamics are different but there is a very strong possibility that females (about 90% if not more) will fight to gain rights to a male.

I do think that it is really cool that you enjoy watcing them. They are really fun to watch and to try to figure out what they are thinking and feeling. You are doing a great job getting them to trust you and tame them!!!

[khelkhet]

I tricked them, one by one, into going into a bottle. Then I peeked at them from underneath. They don't have testicles protruding much at all, but using that picture that I think Queenie sent me to, I'd say all three are males. I may be wrong, but I am certain that I didn't check the same critter twice, andby giving them a sunflower to chew on while I peeked they didn't jump around much. I'm going to TRY again later to get them to do it again, and see if I can get pictures of gerbil butts so you guys can help either confirm or not my tentative conclusion.

I just picked one up, he climbed into my hand and I lifted him up, but I didn't take my hand out of the tank in case he got spooked and made a run for it, but eh, it's progress

ARGH they are so CUTE!

[khelkhet]

Yes, yes, I know. "She's still going on about her gerbils?!" I can hear you all the way from here! However, I have little to no life and so staring at the gerbils when they're not sleeping and even a little when they are is a good passtime.

The sounds they're making interest me. Are the good sounds or bad sounds? When I feed them, they ciatter amongst themselves. When they stole my watch and dragged it into a bottle, the one who stole it made a strange noise and the other two darted into the bottle and I swear they were tasting my timex ;P One of them tucks the other two into the nest and chirps to them while he does so, then he climbs in with them. They sleep in the cutest pile of furr and tails. So are these good sounds?

Also, they lick each other a lot, they lick me, too. I am still blown away at how they don't bite, but they 'nibbled' me at first as if testing to see if I was something to eat. They still lick me. I've been putting sunflower seeds in the palm of my hand. After they've taken them all they come back and 'dig' with their cute little claws into the palm of my hand, shoving with their nose, as if they might find more buried inside my hand, and when they find none they lick my hand. Is this normal? Is it a good thing?

[queenofthenile]

Awww, that's really sweet that they lick you. They seem really tame to me. How in the world did they steal your watch ?

[sweetie]

Khelkhet,

Sounds to me like you're in love!!! I think it's great you spend thta much time wiht your gerbils. It is nice you are taking the time to be so gentle and not scare them. Great idea with the glass jar ;D Every one won in that situation.