New/Fast introduction method I tried =D

[j]

I've had 2 adult females split for about 2 days. First did the *neutral territory* thing, 2 ball fights.

So I then split them every hour, except overnight. I have no patience and was starting to get annoyed because they showed no interest in eachother whatsoever. They both just kept making nests, and then would go on the other side and ruin the other's nest. It was just...stupid.

So I decided to..force ;D them next to eachother to meet. I took a small Kritter keeper and split that in half right down the middle. Now, before you read this and think it's so cruel because it's too small.. Think! When gerbils are split tank, they're not getting much exercise anyways. Mine just sit there and chew the splitter or dig compulsivley in the corner. It's NOT any different. The only difference is they're in a tiny space next to eachother. (the same tiny space they isolate themselves in anyways!)

So anyways. Tiny *way too small, could basically only turn around* Kritter Keeper type cage(or showcase cage as I think it's called in the UK) split down the middle with chicken wire type material. Big enough holes that they can get squeeze their nose into and the other can groom it if they want. Also left a little space between the splitter and the bottom so they'd be touching eachother more. NO bedding. No reason to, they'd just dig at that and try to bury themselves or the other gerbil.

I left them like that for like 2 hours. Switched them twice. They sat there, sniffed eachother. At first they were freaked out, tried to dig themselves out. Then they gave up and just sat there and got tired. So they were sleeping next to eachother, they had no choice. lol. One would poke their nose through the bars then pull away when other gerbil went to it. Then eventually they would groom eachother.

Then just took them out and put them back in the tank they were in. No problems. ;D ;D

Should've just did that in the first place instead of splitting them.

[Ritzie/Admin]

2 days for a split cage is very short, I recommend alwasy at least 3 days, but if possible longer!

What you have tried it something like I've tried lately: placing them on a brick in a sink filled with a layer of water. When they started to fight the fell into the water and they really hate that. They had also no choice than sitting nicely next to each other!

However after placing the back in a larger tank, they started to fight again after some hours!!!! But I know it works for some other people!

I have also tried it once with a small box as you describe, but mine started to make a ballfight in that very small box!!!! But maybe it works when I will split that! I will try that next time too!

I think that why it won't always work is because they still haven't get used to each other's smell! With a split cage method you get them learning the other's smell as a part of their own territorium, so that when you remove the devider they recognise each other's smell, and thus also each other!!! Gerbils recognise each other by their smell and the taste of their saliva!

And when 3 days? Because it takes also 3 days to forget the other gerbil! When you separate two gerbil for about 3 days the will not remember each other anymore!

[j]

lol my intros have never gone right. They always take atleast a week. (except for the instant female introduction 6 month old and two 5 week old females) Even my male and female were a pain.

I didn't feel like waiting a week this time. ;D

I've heard about them forgetting the other after a couple of days, but then again I read on the other board that males and females remember eachother after weeks... So maybe that forgetting thing is a myth? lol

I don't really think it's so much having to get used to eachother's smell though. Because when I've had gerbils split for a week, did everything by the book (again ) They freak once they see the other gerbil. They're not stupid, they know that there wasn't another gerbil in with them a day ago or 5 minutes ago!

I think they each just need to realize that the other isn't a threat. The other gerbil is as lonely as they are and they're both scared of eachother, not giving eachother a chance. (as in hiding in opposite corners! running away from the splitter, burrying themselves..etc) And forcing them next to eachother in a cage or the water method kind of proves that to the both of them. ;D

[Ritzie/Admin]

My gerbils didn't recognise each other anymore after some days! And it didn't matter if it were males, females, pairs! They saw each other as a threat! And that is my personal experience!

They do recognise each other by smell and saliva! That is studied! You can try it yourself! When you let your gerbils apart from each other for some hours and than introduce them somewhere, they will first start smelling and licking (tasting saliva) each other!!!! When it is a familiar smell, it is of, and when not they will fight!

However, when they are young they won't have a group smell or it won't matter! But is is true that some gerbils are easier than others. Some will accept a new one very easily, but others don't. But that will not say that they have recognised each other!!!! That is something else!

And the bath method (sitting next to each other surrounded by water) didn't work for me very well! After a couple of hours they did start fighting again! And it was after 2 weeks split-cage, so they alreadly knew each others smell! Only when I placed more hiding places, so that the submissive one could hide worked after some while!