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Post by Manix on Jan 6, 2005 4:54:57 GMT -8
Is Stimpy bored? He sleeps all day and chooses to play at night. That isn't terrible, but he insists on hopping as high as he can, latching onto the tank lid, then making as much noise as he can. Nothing I give him to entertain him otherwise helps. He does not like the wheel, treats, or chew toys. He doesn't appear to like digging in the corners or in the bedding. He doesn't even pay much attention to Rin, his tank mate. I've never seen them play together. They cuddle and occassionally Rin grooms Stimpy, but Stimpy never touches Rin. I've had to move them to a seperate room so I can get some sleep becuase when the lights go off, Stimpy starts acting like he's had way too much caffine.
My very first gerbil,Tails, did this also (Coincidently, she was a black gerbil also), but she eventully grew out of it and she mostly did it becuase she was bored. I could provide her with other toys and she wouldn't go nuts at night. Stimpy, on the other hand, can't seem to find anything else he enjoys more than dangling from the roof of his house and knawing the bars. He looks a bit like a large furry black bug, with his feet sticking out in every direction.
What can I do for him? Are there any other things I can try to distract him from his new favorite hobby (keeping me up at night)? In ten years I haven't had a gerbil this...complicated. I suppose I've gotten used to a long string of well behaved quiet critters! I should have known something was up when I got him. He simply sat too still in my hand at the pet store, stared me straight in the eyes and just sat there, no doubt plotting diabolical gerbil plans of destruction.
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Jan 6, 2005 7:48:33 GMT -8
THat is difficult to tell. It might be bored! Some gerbils are bored easier than others. But with gnawing at the roof can give sometimes problems. It ussually start with boredom, but it can develop in steriotipic behaviour, that is hard to get rid of. Even when you give them a lot of toys, other gnawing material, attention, etc.
Is it not possible to change the cage in such a way that he can not reach the lid?
I had the same problem, and they even started to jump and make some sort of salto to get access to the lid. They would hang there and gnaw. One started with this, and soon the other had learned it too! The gerbils in the other tanks had not this problem.
I have changed the lid, smaller maize, so that they could not put their teeth through it anymore.
It worked fine, and they started to do other, normal things.
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Post by Manix on Jan 6, 2005 7:57:13 GMT -8
I could raise the floor of the second story, but the second story is wire while the bottom half is a 10 gallon tank. Even if he can't reach the wire floor that he dangles from, he could still grab hold of the some of the wire wall. Then I have the same problem, only he would be a large furry black thing plastered to the side of the tank as he knaws the bars. Amuzing to watch...just not listen too at 4 in the morning.
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Post by andrea on Jan 6, 2005 8:16:24 GMT -8
Our cheesman is terrible for this he always has. After a week of no sleep we devised this solution.   THe weird thing is they only do it at night??. Andrea |
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Post by Manix on Jan 6, 2005 8:32:59 GMT -8
I've considered this as well, but wouldn't that cut down on the circulation in the tank half of the cage?
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Post by sweetie on Jan 6, 2005 13:04:39 GMT -8
Hey Manix, I am sorry to hear of your *trauma*. You say it in such a funny way, I could not help but to snicker at the last few sentences of the first post. ;D One of my 8 gerbils does the "tarzan" thing from the top of the tank. Incidentally he is also black. I have them in the living room downstairs so the only ones loosing sleep are the dogs LOL. I have noticed that mine are also more active at night. I do try to let mine in the roll around balls for an hour when they exhibit the *bored Behaviors*. This seems to tucker them out and the next day, they are still quiet. I also rearrange the cae so that they get to work another nest and tunnels. It seems to keep the busy. Keep us posted on your diabolical gerb!!  |
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Post by Manix on Jan 6, 2005 16:13:27 GMT -8
THE BALL! Why didn't I think of it before. I'll put him in that sometime before bed. Let him go nuts in the house for awhile. Maybe he'll sleep some during the night then. Your a genius!  |
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Jan 7, 2005 1:18:25 GMT -8
Let us know if it works for you too! |
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Post by Manix on Jan 7, 2005 4:23:55 GMT -8
I'm going to move him back in my bedroom over the weekend. Kind of hard to tell if it tired him out if he's in another room making all his noise where no one but the fish can hear him.
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Post by Sven VB on Jan 7, 2005 4:30:28 GMT -8
Hi Manix, I read your reply on the roll-around ball, and I just wanted to warn you! If our little friend is as diabolical as you say, you would do good on clearing the path whenever he goes on his walk... I did the same with Starsky and Hutch, and Starsky ran the ball up against the table so hard that the ball collapsed! After that he ran into the kitchen and hid in the refrigerator engine... I t took me quite a while to get him out of there. When I put him back in the ball, I put the table aside and watched him close, and the little dude did it on purpose! He actually looks for things to bump into! It's funny to see how they have a mind of their own, a bit like little children... grtz Sven |
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Post by andrea on Jan 7, 2005 4:35:24 GMT -8
I've considered this as well, but wouldn't that cut down on the circulation in the tank half of the cage? As long as you make plenty of air holes its fine. This picture was taken just after I put it on and I was searching for the Braddle to make the holes with, just the camera appeared first lol.. Now we have moved into our own house and the cheesmans are no longer in the bedroom he doesn't have the cardboard lid on and he can bang away to himself all night.. The other culprits for this is the bushy tailed jirds, they are also great escapologists, although we think we have that sussed now. Andrea |
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Post by Manix on Jan 7, 2005 8:39:21 GMT -8
Ok, thanks Andrea.
Sven VB, About 15 years ago I learned my lesson with the play ball. My very first pet was a siberian dwarf hamster. Back then the balls came with stationary stands. Well, "Harvy" ran the ball right off the stand, which happened to be sitting on a desk where my sister placed him. The ball broke open when it hit the floor. Harvy was unharmed by the fall, but didn't survive recapture. He ran underneath a bedside table. My sister decided we should pick the piece of furnature up and catch him. I pick the table up but when she told me he was clear of the table and I could set it back down. Well, let's just say I did not talk to my sister for a very long while. I ditched the stationary stand after that and now keep tape on the seams of the play ball now. I shall have no repeat Harvy episodes. As an additional precuation I also keep my sister well away from my pets.
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