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Post by queenofthenile on Mar 3, 2004 19:39:44 GMT -8
So, Jasper has been attempting to mate with Rowan. They are both male. I know he is not just marking him because I have seen gerbils mate before. Everytime he jumps off of Rowan, Jasper cleans his genitalia. Rowan is not very impressed because Jasper won't leave him alone.
I think it is a signal that my tank is declanning. Jasper is 9 months, Rowan is just over 5 months, Aspen is 5 months and Logan is only 3 months. Is there any way I can prevent them from declanning? I am assuming that Jasper is just trying to assert dominance because Rowan is getting older. But why isn't he just marking Rowan but is actually attempting to mate? Has anyone else seen this?
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Post by exatron on Mar 3, 2004 23:19:56 GMT -8
I've seen the same behavior in my pair of female gerbils, and assumed it was either a dominance issue or they were finally capable of reproducing and the pheremones they emit confused them.
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Mar 4, 2004 6:10:20 GMT -8
I've seen this too in my male groups! I always asumed that they did it because they were not allowed to breed, sexual frustration or something. But it might indeed be a dominance thing, I'm not sure!  |
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Post by geikou on Mar 4, 2004 9:21:36 GMT -8
My female gerbils do this too, but rather infrequently. I've only seen this behavior a few times. One female will try to "mount" the other, but the one being "mounted: will protest with squeals and try to run away. I've read that this "mounting" behavior between gerbils of the same sex is to mark their scent and is a dominance asserting behaviour. I've also noticed that when one gerbil is grooming the other, sometimes they will reach to the genital parts. The one being groomed will squeak. In protest, perhaps? Or pleasure? But among male gerbils I guess it's possible that one frustrated gerbil may mount another male? I don't really know. More to be studied on "Homosexuality of Gerbils".  |
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Post by queenofthenile on Mar 4, 2004 17:53:35 GMT -8
Well I wouldn't mind so much if he wasn't doing it non-stop. I don't think Rowan has gotten a wink of sleep all day!  |
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Mar 6, 2004 10:15:28 GMT -8
And how reacts Rowan to all this? Does he allow it?
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Post by queenofthenile on Mar 6, 2004 14:28:39 GMT -8
He runs away from Jasper. It really looks like a male gerbil who is trying to mate with an unreceptive female gerbil. I did hear Rowan squeak once when he was getting a bit tired of the whole thing. I think they have calmed down a bit though. I will see tonight, hopefully Jasper has gotten it out of his system!
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Mar 7, 2004 5:40:19 GMT -8
I hope it to, for Rowan! As I told here before I've seen it also in my male groups, but always only for a while. In fact, nowadays they don't show this behaviour anymore, for now!
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Post by queenofthenile on Mar 11, 2004 6:51:15 GMT -8
Someone finally told Jasper to leave them alone. I came into the gerbil room and Jasper was covered in blood and had a little nip on his nose. I've seperated them into pairs now. Do you think there is a possibility they would get along if I reintroduced them? I really doubt it myself. I've always heard that if blood is shed, that the group will no longer get along.
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Post by gerbilicious on Mar 11, 2004 12:45:49 GMT -8
Sorry about Jasper.  I've seen behavior sort of like that in my gerbils. I think they're playing/grooming each other, but I don't know for certain. They don't do it very often, though. |
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