What the heck kind of behavior is this??

[simcoe]

Oh my goodness, I'm watching right now as Bucky Gerbil jumps straight up in the air from the bottom of the tank, flips upside-down in midair, and slams herself feet first into the screen at the top of the tank, trying to grab on. She's doing it again and again, jumping, flipping, and falling down again. She's never EVER done this before, what the heck has gotten into her? Ginger is watching from the other end of the tank, amazed. This has been going on for 20 minutes already!

How am I ever going to be able to take the lid off to feed them without her flinging herself out, now that she knows she can do this? Does this have anything to do with her near-escape this afternoon, when she dashed up my arm for the first time and almost made it to freedom?

I'm very disturbed. Any advice?

[queenofthenile]

That's very ironic. My friend just called me last night to talk about her gerbil that grabbed the screen lid and hung on . I had one gerbil that used to do that. Once they get an idea in their heads, they are very determined. My gerbil stopped doing it, once she knew she had mastered it . I think it's due either to boredom or curiosity. I think my friend's gerbil was telling her to get her out of the cage!

[simcoe]

queenofthenile said:

I think my friend's gerbil was telling her to get her out of the cage!

Well I'd prefer mine just write me a note!

Bucky eventually tired herself out and went off to snooze in her tin can, but man she was really going at it for a while there. Relentless. Neither of the gerbils are very tame, they shy away from being petted or held so it would be horrible if they ever escaped in this rickety old house; they'd disappear into the heating vents or the wall boards and that would be the end of them, I fear. Her little display last night has made me completely paranoid about lifting the screen to interact with them in the tank, something I normally do 3 or 4 times throughout my workday here at home.

We started "playpenning" them regularly this week, taking them out of the tank and letting them run in a bin full of toys for 20 minutes or so, every other night. Could that have started all this extra interest in the outside world?

I'm such a nervous mommy all of a sudden.. We always knew that Bucky would be the first one to make a break for freedom, she's always been the clever one.

[andrea]

I have two very naughty bushy tailed jirds that do this and the cheesmans do it when in a duna. I have heard its a sign of boredom and I have to admit so timeout of the cage really helps, But after a bit we have noticed that they will start doig it for attention, something on the lines of let me out i want attention now so I am gonna flip upside down and make this awful racket..

Gerbils

[simcoe]

Oy vey, I've got bored gerbils.

I can't say I blame them, I fret constantly over whether they're happy and amused, but I don't really know what else I can give them. I talk to them, sing to them, they've got heaps of shavings, boxes, tubes, a can, a wheel, chew blocks, hay, sand, trips to the playpen... Do they want a television? A subscription to Entertainment Weekly?

They probably want boyfriends. Sorry gals, that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

[paws]

SHow them a pic of a boy gerbil! Wild mice do that too. Cool, i'n't it?

[simcoe]

Your photo suggestion makes me wonder, Paws, can gerbils recognize themselves in a mirror? I know there are many species who find mirrors an endless source of fascination, but the only time I showed one to my girls they were disinterested and had no reaction.

Has anyone here had a positive gerb response to mirrors?

If she's going to keep flinging herself about the cage I've got to think of something else to keep Bucky entertained before she breaks her nose. They're already in a big 20 gal. tank, perhaps they'd like a second floor? Talk about spoiled, there's only 2 of them in all that space.

[pixytwinkle]

since i have started letting my gerbils out twice a week they are also always very eager to escape. Molly my female gerbil has got away in my bedroom three times already and i havent even had her for year. I always keep the door shut however even when im in there with them as then if they escape at least i know what room there in. Molly was quite easy to catch with a few sunflower seed however she did go under the bed for a while which was very worrying as i couldnt see her. ;D

[paws]

hehe! I spoil mine too! Today I got them a proper litter pan! ;D Have a look at my pic in the Christmas Photos! He's behind a pile of pressies! ;D

[sweetie]

Well, I think this is funny since just last week, Cowboy started doing this. He would jump from the box, onto the lid and scale across it with all four feet!! Sweetie has actually started running from one end of the tank to the other end. When she gets to the end, she jumps up and turns direction in the air. I think it is because they are bored. I have not given them as much attention lately as my schedule has been extremely hectic these last few weeks. I do try to change thier environment and that keeps them busy nest building and breaks up the boredome.

[callimico]

None of my gerbils used to do that until I started letting them out all the time. Now the one slams herself into the screen top (20 gal) and hangs on whenever she knows I'm in the room. She's been doing that for a while now and I usually give in and let her out. Whenever I open the cage for food or drop a new toy in she hurtles out and I have to catch her midair before she hits the ground (4.5 feet up)

I found if they have more space (ie: 20 gal + 55 gal +5 gal) they spend so much time climbing through the tubes they don't jump around anymore, but they still like getting out I have to keep her in the 20 for now because she's still got a litter to raise but after that I'm going to try and give her more room