untame/aggressive gerbil

[lizzy]

when sassy and her cagemates came in from work, none of them were aggressive. i remember putting them all in the cages on the shop floor myself and i didn't have much of a problem either picking them up and i didn't get nipped. sassy was the last one left, and ever since i brought her home she hasn't liked me.
some of my gerbils like to nibble my fingers, especially if i've been handling other gerbils before or got the smell of food on my hands, but sassy is different. she doesn't like being picked up at all, and will jump out your hands. if you make it so she can't jump out, she'll bite hard enough to draw blood, as i've recently experienced.
i'm just wondering what could have caused this behaviour, just seperation from her cagemates?
[for anyone who read my post about her possibly being pregnant, she's not, i think she was just eating too much, shes slimmer now]
i'm currently picking her up with gloves just to get her used to being held, and giving her treats, or trying to, she won't accept food from my hand. i'm just wondering if there's anything else i should be doing?
[i'm also trying to introduce her to another of my gerbs - katy - more about that in my other thread]

[Ritzie/Admin]

I normally handle them a lot and give treats. If they bite I use gloves. For me it works.

However, sometimes gerbils get frightened when handled, than it is maybe better to let her get to know you slowly. But as I told you, I just handle them a lot, as much as possible and with or without gloves.

Gerbils that are kept alone can sometimes behave aggressively, but that is not always the case.

Succes. ;D

[lydia]

When she bites you,are her ears pricked or flattened ?

If they are flattened,she could be very frightened,so is biting you out of fear.How long have you had her ? Maybe she is still settling in.
I would avoid handling her at the moment,if she is biting you out of fear.Try putting your hand in her cage,with a few of her favourite food treats (maybe mealworms,1/2 a grape or sunflower seeds) inside your closed hand.Slowly open your hand so that she can see the food.Hopefully,she will approach and be brave enough to take some of the food from you.Usually,at first they snatch it and run somewhere else to eat it.After a few attempts of this,they usually start to sit on your hand and eat the food there.
This method works best, if she hasn't got a lot of other toys in her cage, I would remove all tubes and toys apart from one house or hide,for a few hours before doing this.If she is busy playing,she'll ignore your hand.
Something else, that I haven't tried personally,but I think might help.Remove all of her bedding,and offer her tissue paper,that you have had in close contact with you,so it carries your scent.Use toilet tissue or something like kleenex tissues.Pop one or two up your sleeve,if her bedding smells of you,she might start to associate your scent with security.

If she's biting you because she is a grumpy,hormonal female,they wont work.

Sorry it's tuned into a really long post....... .

Lydia

[sweetie]

I have tried the toilet tissue scent thing and it seemed to work well on my gerbil. I put some tissue in my shirt and after a half hour (when I remembered it was there -it's tough getting old) I took it out and put it in the cage. I did this every day for about a week. It helped to calm Blackie and she was more used to me.

Some gerbils don't like to be held. Some of mine don't mind me picking them up. Others are a bit aprehensive. None of them bite me unless I have the scent of another gerbils on me. Do you make sure you wash before you handle her?

Also I am using nets that you scoop out fish with. They are too smart for the tube thing or the box thing. This also helps keep my scent from interferring with them associating my hand/smell and picking them up to put them into the house. Additionally, if you are trying to catch them and are making quick movements, this is frightening to them.

Have you tried the bath tub encounter? Where you and your gerbil are in a (dry)tub and you let her run around? This way, there are no distractions and she get used to you in a calm, quiet surroundings.

[paws]

My gerbils were so sweet... until a few days ago... they've been biting non-stop. I think it may have something to do with their new cage. help!!!!!