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Post by brittanie on May 18, 2004 20:19:13 GMT -8
So I've had my gerbils for atleast a month now and they still aren't tame at all, they'll sit in my hand as long as it isn't moving but they won't actually let me pet them or pick them up. How long does this take for them to get used to me and what should I do to make it quicker or better for them? does it hurt that I work long hours and am not always home? cause I"m here every morning for them til about noon maybe a bit later and then I'm home by about 11pm, maybe midnight, and I give them 2 seeds a day trying to make friends with them. But what else should I do??
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on May 19, 2004 6:34:47 GMT -8
One month is still very short to get very tame gerbils! Usually it takes longer! It depends on the gerbil's character how long it takes.
Just play alot with them and handle them as much as you can! And nice food, treats will help also! But give these from your hand! Just be patient! ;D If you handle them a lot, they will get tame, I'm sure!
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Post by brittanie on May 19, 2004 8:15:36 GMT -8
I try feeding them from my hand and they just runn around it or they'll sit on it sometimes but only for a few seconds... but today abby took a seed from me so this could be good... i hope...
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Post by j on May 19, 2004 16:37:33 GMT -8
I have pups that are tame, but they won't take seeds from me. They act like they don't know how..lol it's weird. But they climb on my hand when they want to come out and stuff. Some gerbils can be tame (well in my opinion of tame) but they just won't sit on your hand and climb up it to come out. I tried that hand thing when I first got gerbils at a petshop and it didn't work. Now my gerbil who is now 1 is really tame, loves coming out, never bit me, takes seeds from me, she doesn't even care if I touch her nest or pups with her in it, when she wants to come out she jumps at the side of the tank and sits still so I can scoop her up. Sometimes* if I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt she'll climb up my arm, but that's rare. Can you fence off a huge area for them to run around in? Maybe against a wall, and then use cardboard boxes or something to fence it in? Put some boxes and toys in it. Once they sit on your hand QUICKLY lift it up, too fast for them to know what's going on and put it down in the fenced in area. If that doesn't work then just do the scoop up thing (not the overhead bird like grab - that scares them) They'll have fun and once they realize there is a whole new world outside their tank to explore, it makes them WANT to come out and they'll start standing and jumping at the sides of the tank. ;D Also talk to them a lot so they know your voice.. For some reason my pups are scared of my dog .. I guess cause he runs by the tank or plays in front of it lol.. they'll start thumping and I'll just talk to them and they stop and calm down. Yours don't sound to bad though. At least they don't run and hide everytime you go near them.
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Post by brittanie on May 19, 2004 20:21:12 GMT -8
no they don't run and hide, they look at me like I"m a fool... I think thats all I am to them, the giant fool that won't leave them alone!! but I'm not sure if I even could scoop them, I"ve tried, they really just don't like me, so I"m technically their annoying giant fool I guess!!!
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