Can I add a baby or two to my existing tank?

[skippetyhop]

Hi everyone.

We recently got some adorable gerbil babies in at my work. They are so sweet, only six weeks old, friendly and bright.

I'm wondering if I could add one or two in with my existing tank of gerbils. At the moment, I have two girls, aged about eight months old. Would it be ok to move them to a bigger tank and add a couple of the baby females? Or even one new baby female? Would one or two be better?

Would really appreciate your advice on this, would they accpet/enjoy the wee newcomer?

Thanks.

Jen

[brittanie]

NO!!! don't do it mostlikely the older gerbils will attack or worse kill the baby because its going to mean a fight for who is the dominany one. You can't really mix them, you have to keep them sisters or brothers or mixed sex even but don't bring the baby in you'll have to get a tank if you want more probably!

[doomgerbiluk]

Sadly no
with boys it might work but with girls its very unliekly too

[sweetie]

Hey Jen,

I was able to do that with my 2 males but I was not able to with my 2 females. My males were about 5 months old and I got an 8 week old male pup. The intro went great and I was able to put them together with out split caging them.

The girls on the other hand was a fiasco. They immediately exhibited aggression. The girls even bit me when I smelled like the other female gerb. Their behavior was totally changed from the sweet, timid, friendly, tame gerbils, I had to the most vicious, mean, nasty little creatures. The transition shook me so bad, it took me days to handle them again. I was so unnerved by thier transformation.

Female gerbils are notorious for fighting (many times to the death) for territory and dominance. The males are more laid back.

I ended up having to get another buddy for the lone female I could not integrate. I would suggest maybe getting 2 young pups (same sex of course) and a different tank/house if you really want them.

Good luck and let us know what happens!!

[skippetyhop]

Thanks for the advice everyone, you learn something new every day.

I better not buy another tank... theres no room in my room and my parents would FREAK if i set up another home of pets

Argh. Just have to steel myself in work now.... not to slip... get the tank... couple wee babies.... maybe two males and then there could be more babies down the line? lol only joking.

They are so cute though. A couple of light silvery ones, an albino, and a wee black one with a white star on his/her head! Bless.

Work is going to be hard tomorrow

[sweetie]

Hey Skippety,

I hear you. I started with 2 in June and now I have 8 adults (including 2 mating pair) and 5 pups.

It is hard to pass up. Perhaps in time, you can have a whole wall of shelves with gerbils tanks on every shelf LOL.