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Post by jim on Apr 2, 2004 14:44:02 GMT -8
hi
i have a 18 week old female i was wondering how hard would it be to introduce another gerbil or maybe two. what is the best technique to use to get them together.
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Post by tigru on Apr 2, 2004 17:01:50 GMT -8
Hi,
the best is to find 1 or 2 females (thought it is a female?) at 5 to 6 weeks old...
it wouldn't be very hard to get them together... I also know how to do it, but I don't know exactly how to describe it in English... in Dutch we call it the split-cage-methode, in English I think it is called (a translation) the spilt-cage-method (allmost the same)... but maybe someone else will describe this for you in English...
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Apr 3, 2004 2:25:31 GMT -8
I would recommend 1 very young female! I have the experience (and from visitors of my website) that 3 or more females together will have more likely to have dominance problems in the future!
The method that is used the most is "the split-cage method". I suggest this method, because this method takes advantage of a gerbils' natural tendency to mark their territory. There are some more methods, like placing a small box in the cage or you can stuff your cage with hay, bath method, etc.
The split-cage method.
1. Get yourself a tank or cage that you can split into two halves in a way that means that the gerbils on each side can see and smell one another but cannot bite or scratch one another through the bars.
2. Place one gerbil one side of the partition and the other on the other side.
3. Every two hours or so swap the gerbils around.
4. Do this for at least three days (5 days is better).
5. Remove the partition.
6. Watch your gerbils carefully for at least three hours. If they start to fight then start again from stage 2 above.
You can also place both your gerbils after using this method in another clean cage, when they every time keep fighting after removing the partition. They will come both in a new territory that don't belong to both gerbils. The other gerbil will be the only familiar thing they see and smell. You need to place enough hiding places in the new cage. Watch your gerbil again carefully for at least three hours.
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Post by tigru on Apr 3, 2004 5:46:14 GMT -8
More females is possible... I have a group of 6 adult female gerbils, never ever had a problem...
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Apr 3, 2004 6:43:30 GMT -8
It is indeed possible, but you have more chanche on problems than when you only have 2 females. Males seem to have less problems when you keep them in larger groups. I have also had 3 females together with no problems, but also one with problems. I've never had any problems with female pairs! I recieve a lot of e-mail (dozens a week) from over the whole world! And when there is an e-mail on fighting gerbils it is most of the times about females that are kept in groups larger than 2. Females are somewhat more aggressive and territorial than males. But as Tigru says it can also be without problems! Only when someone asks me what to do, I personally would never recommend more than 2 females. I personally recommend males for larger groups. But of course are larger groups much more fun! ;D And of course everyone has to decide for themselves how many gerbils they want together! But if you do, keep in mind that if it goes wrong that you will be able to seperate them (that is of course always the case with larger groups). The choise is yours! ;D
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Post by queenofthenile on Apr 3, 2004 9:37:49 GMT -8
I agree with Peter - only one young female. My four males in a 30 gal tank just split up a few weeks ago. You don't want to worry about dominance issues in the future and have to set up a new cage. If one of the three has to be split off due to fighting, that means you will have to get another gerbil to pair the lone girl off with.
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