Digital camera -- bad frequency for gerbs?

[simcoe]

I think my digital camera may be operating at a sonic frequency painful for my gerbs. I don't hear anything, but I can't get near them with it without having them drop whatever they're doing and stand up in the fear position -- even when they're sleeping, if I approach with the camera they hop to attention and dart around the tank until I shut it off.

Is this possible? Has anyone else had this experience? I've seen "sonic pest deterrents" in catalogs that operate outside human hearing range but supposedly scare off mice and rats -- could my digital camera be working the same way? I want to take some photos of my little buddies, but I haven't pushed the issue because I don't want to risk hurting their tiny ears.

Thanks!
Simcoe

[doomgerbiluk]

yes sim it is highly possible
certainly soem camera flashes emit a very high pitched noise while charging
I do not have this problem with my camera but can vertainly believe that you do
Solution???I really don't know

[devun]

Goat despises my digital camera... I just thought it was the sound of it turning on, but maybe not.

[sweetie]

Hey Sim,

You are right in that Gerbils do operate on a much different auditory frequency than we do. As a matter of fact, many animals do.

One way to test your theory is to try it on your dog if you have one. Also if they are only acting that way when it is on, try turning it on and leaving it near the cages and walk away to see if they continue that behavior. Do this a few times and monitor thier responses. If you are correct, you can de-escalate (actually de-sensitize) them by turning the camera on then giving them a treat. Do this many times and it will reinforce the camera sound with a treat. They will then learn that the camera is a treat (simplified explaination).

It could be that the ones that are awake are communicating that you are approaching the cages. They in turn may wake up the others with the thumping or high pitched squeaks that we can't hear.

They are quite inquisitive creatures. They often stand on thier back legs with thier forepaws raised. It may not be in fear. It may be in excitement or curiousity. When they are afraid, they usually thump in addition to standing erect.

Good luck and keep us posted!!

[simcoe]

Thanks everyone for the interesting responses.

I don't use a flash with them (can't bring myself to blast them with the bulb) so I don't think it's the "charge" sound, and I don't have any other pets so I can't test the frequency on any other critters.

I do have a smaller, less sophisticated digital camera mounted beside their tank that runs all the time. It shoots continually so I can monitor the gerbs via webcam. They have no problems with this camera, it seems to be only my larger, more complicated gadget that irks them.

If I approach with the camera off, or pretend to take photos with it off, I get no reaction whatsoever out of them, they just go about their business as usual. If I approach with the camera on, however, they bounce around and stand at attention, freaking out and looking generally annoyed. So far they haven't thumped me, so maybe you're right, Sweetie, and what they're hearing is more intriguing than painful.

Maybe I'll try the treat-training process to see if I can get them used to it -- so long as it isn't actually hurting them.

I'll do a few experiments and let you know!

-Simcoe

[sweetie]

Thanks for the feedback Sim. Is there maybe a light in the front like a red eye adjuster that they may be responding to? I bet you are right about the noise. I am sensitive to the higher pitch sounds than others in my house but I have never heard the hum of a camera. That is really strange!!

LOL. HA HA HAHAHA HA I just thought of something>> HA HA hehehehaha do any of your neighbors have dogs? Could you borrow one of them!! HAHA I can just imagine you trying to explain that one!!!! ;D

[j]

Depends on your cam and the noises it makes.

[simcoe]

Whoa, my camera training experiment was a disaster!

I sat down with the gerbs last night, camera off and in my lap. I talked to them softly for about 10 minutes and played with them a bit. Then I slowly switched the camera on, began offering treats, and all heck broke loose! The gerbils scattered, began thumping, cowered in the timber hide-a-way... They wouldn't even come out after I turned the camera off. In fact, they stood around sulking in their box, picking grumpy fights with each other for the rest of the evening. Wouldn't accept their favorite treats or give me the time of day.

Guess I won't be trying that again! The camera is officially banned.

They're back to their happy selves this morning -- Good thing they've got such poor long-term memory, I guess.

[doomgerbiluk]

oh dear it does sound you will need a different cam for your gerbils
I've used fujifinepix and presently a Concorde with no problems
what make is yours and model? Others may wish to avoid similar cams if they want to take gerbil pictures

[callimico]

I have a digital camera and got similar reaction from a pair of girls (both under 8 weeks). They'd flee and hide in a panic to stay away from it when it was on.
But my gerbils over a couple months have no problem with it and are just kind of curious when I take their picture. I was thinking it was the clicking noise it makes, or sometimes the flash goes off if I take a picture and it's too dark, but it never freaks the older gerbils out.

[simcoe]

Good idea. The camera is a Canon G3 and my girls hate it like crazy.

They don't mind the Creative PC-600 camera that I keep on them 24/7, and the principal differences between the two models are that the Canon has an LCD screen and is running off a battery, the PC-600 has no screen and runs off USB.

I did notice that their irritation grew when I switched on the LCD screen on the Canon, so maybe that's the worst part. But the battery could also be a culprit. Perhaps I'll look for another USB camera with a higher resolution to take my family photos with.

Either way, no more photos for now!

[sweetie]

Wow,

Grumpy fights...... >:(that is troublesome. snicker, chuckle, hehe Sound like me on a grumpy morning LOL. I would say that your instincts were right. It must be the frequency. Thanks for humoring me and trying the treat thing out!! I guess you ruled everything else out.

Good luck with the new camera!!