Post by simcoe on Feb 19, 2005 21:57:14 GMT -8
My two girls, Bucky & Ginger, have lived as cagemates since they were shipped to the pet store where we bought them. They're about 6 months old now. Ginger is the dominant and has more aggressive tendencies, Bucky is very calm and sedate and seems to know she's second fiddle. I've seen a few squabbles between them and occasionally their wrestling gets a little heated, but they never injure one another and they always end up in the nest together every night.
Tonight, though, I found them fighting violently from one end of the cage to the other and there was blood in their nest. I immediately put a divider in with two sets of water and food, and for the next hour watched as Ginger frantically gnawed at the metal bars of the divider and tried desperately to get at Bucky. Bucky calmly waited on the other side, and every few seconds would close her eyes, place her muzzle between the bars, squeak, and wait for Ginger to smell/groom her. Every time Bucky did this Ginger would scratch at her and try to bite her through the bars, causing Bucky to jump back in fear. This went on for about 30 minutes, Bucky calmly trying to "make up" and Ginger continuing to attack her. Eventually Bucky wandered off to sit in her tin can and wait things out. Ginger continued digging compulsively at the divider, acting frantic, banging her head into the wall and dashing about (it was almost as if she were having a fit.)
After an hour I scooped them up and changed their sides. They ran around, smelling and investigating, and both immediately became more at ease. They ate, groomed themselves, and occasionally would meet at the divider and nuzzle noses -- no fighting or biting.
Thirty minutes later I changed their sides again, and they both went to the divider and started digging together, trying to reach one another. Again, not violently or maliciously, they were still nuzzling one another through the bars.
After another 30 minutes I removed the divider, gave them a half-dozen fresh pieces of cardboard to amuse them, and now both gerbs seem to be doing fine. I've been watching them for about 45 minutes and I don't see anything suspicious, but here's something I notice: Although Ginger is usually the bully, Bucky seems to be antagonizing her a bit, following her and snuffling her rear end, really getting up in there and bugging her -- I'm not surprised Ginger's getting peeved. What's Bucky up to? Is one of them in heat? Is Bucky making a play for the dominant role?
I know female gerbs are very competitive and the battle for dominance is a recurring phenomenon, but can these two be trusted together anymore? I'm afraid I'll come home one afternoon and find one of them gone to meet her maker.
Tonight, though, I found them fighting violently from one end of the cage to the other and there was blood in their nest. I immediately put a divider in with two sets of water and food, and for the next hour watched as Ginger frantically gnawed at the metal bars of the divider and tried desperately to get at Bucky. Bucky calmly waited on the other side, and every few seconds would close her eyes, place her muzzle between the bars, squeak, and wait for Ginger to smell/groom her. Every time Bucky did this Ginger would scratch at her and try to bite her through the bars, causing Bucky to jump back in fear. This went on for about 30 minutes, Bucky calmly trying to "make up" and Ginger continuing to attack her. Eventually Bucky wandered off to sit in her tin can and wait things out. Ginger continued digging compulsively at the divider, acting frantic, banging her head into the wall and dashing about (it was almost as if she were having a fit.)
After an hour I scooped them up and changed their sides. They ran around, smelling and investigating, and both immediately became more at ease. They ate, groomed themselves, and occasionally would meet at the divider and nuzzle noses -- no fighting or biting.
Thirty minutes later I changed their sides again, and they both went to the divider and started digging together, trying to reach one another. Again, not violently or maliciously, they were still nuzzling one another through the bars.
After another 30 minutes I removed the divider, gave them a half-dozen fresh pieces of cardboard to amuse them, and now both gerbs seem to be doing fine. I've been watching them for about 45 minutes and I don't see anything suspicious, but here's something I notice: Although Ginger is usually the bully, Bucky seems to be antagonizing her a bit, following her and snuffling her rear end, really getting up in there and bugging her -- I'm not surprised Ginger's getting peeved. What's Bucky up to? Is one of them in heat? Is Bucky making a play for the dominant role?
I know female gerbs are very competitive and the battle for dominance is a recurring phenomenon, but can these two be trusted together anymore? I'm afraid I'll come home one afternoon and find one of them gone to meet her maker.
