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Post by alicia on Mar 19, 2005 22:50:52 GMT -8
Hi, I just got 2 gerbils from a girl who was moving so she had to get rid of them. And she thought she was working to much..so she thought they needed more attention. They havent bitten me at all..which I guess all gerbils dont. But, how do they know the difference between your skin and something else? And why dont they want to bite you? And what are some reasons that they will? Can any of you TEXT your gerbils? I had one of them in the bathroom with me..and hes just more interested in running around. I tried picking him up a couple times..lol but their fast..and hard to catch. Can any of you pet them either? I tried petting him too, but he just runs a couple steps and then I try again..and he'll run a couple steps again. Will he get used to it after a while and let me? And what is the best way to pick them up? And do any of yours cover the food bowl up? lol they put like all the bedding over it..so theres like 6 inches over it. They squish their heads in though and get a little food. Please help me! Thanx!  |
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Post by paws on Mar 19, 2005 23:08:44 GMT -8
she probably tamed them. They sound great! WHat are their names?
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Mar 20, 2005 4:51:32 GMT -8
they sound tame already In fact I suspect yoru gerbils playing with you they are very social animals and playing 'just out of reach' is a fave game of some of mine too Few gerbils are 'cuddly', most love being handled but tend to climb on you. It sounds liek yrou doig fine Gerbils will NIBBLE you if you smell of food etc and pups will nibble (or mouth) anything in the same way babys do. Real bites come from fear, hurt or anger. They are usually either during introductions, or when we handke a gerbil badly. I don't use food bowls, the gerbils are natural foragers and so broadcasting the food allows them a more natural environment and gives them excercise. they bury food to keep it safe and fresh. |
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Post by RitzieAnn on Mar 20, 2005 8:28:15 GMT -8
THey do sound tame! And Gerbils DO bite! (not usually, I have 12, and only one bites, but another one, the dad, grabs my rings!) But I have one female pup, one month old, and she bit me, and a few days later, she bit my boyfriend twice, and he bled!! she's a little  usually I've never had one bite. |
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Post by sweetie on Mar 23, 2005 8:15:02 GMT -8
Hi Alicia,
It is hard to catch gerbils. They are fast. It works well in their natuaral habitat and keeps them safe from predators.
Some gerbils will let you pat them. It takes a lot of time, work, trust, and patience though. Gerbils do like to interact with people but not in the same way dogs or cats interact.
Gerbils do bite. I have been bitten when I did not wash my hands in between gerbil tanks. I put my hand in one tank to feed then I put my hand in the other tank and I got bitten because I smelled of a different (territory) gerbil. Gerbils go on scent so like Doom said if you smell food, an intruder or different, they may bite. Once I was bitten when I changed hand lotions. I used sun dried raspberry and I got bitten. I have 8 gerbils and only got bitten 3 times! Each time, it was my issue not thiers. They were just doing what instincts tell them.
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Post by gerbilsrgreat on Mar 28, 2005 23:13:42 GMT -8
"And do any of yours cover the food bowl up? lol they put like all the bedding over it..so theres like 6 inches over it."
Ah, yes this sounds very familiar. My little white one, Cloud, loves to bury his food. I even took him to a vet because I hadn't seen him eat in like forever!
-Jeremiah
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Post by crazycritter on Mar 29, 2005 7:06:07 GMT -8
He sounds kind of like my Hades. If he's out of the cage, he'll run up to you and run around on your feet, or someting, but as soon as you get your hand near him, he runs away, stops, and then looks at you.
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SuperGirlH
Member
Are you lookin' at me punk?
Posts: 299
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Post by SuperGirlH on Apr 16, 2005 14:15:34 GMT -8
One of my gerbils, Shasta, will let me put her in my lap while I'm on the computer or watching tv, and she will sit quietly while I pet her. She seems to really like it, if I stop petting her, she will walk around on my lap exploring, but never tries to jump down or anything. She's so sweet. I've only had her for a week now, I was surprised how tame she already was coming from a pet shop. My other girl Cinder is a wild child though, she doesn't like to be caught, and won't sit still for 2 seconds. And she doesn't think twice about trying to jump 2 feet from my lap to the floor... So i guess it depends on the gerbils personality...
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Post by gerbil on Apr 18, 2005 19:42:43 GMT -8
what do you mean by TEXT your gerbils???
I think all gerbs have a natural instinct to bury food. lol!
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Post by panthershadow83 on Apr 19, 2005 8:39:43 GMT -8
 Oh, gosh, that's so annoying! I'm currently introducing two of my gerbils to each other, Memphis and Milan. Milan buries her food dish so I gave up taking the bedding out. Memphis digs under hers so it tips over... and I've given up trying to stop her lol. Ah, the quirks of gerbils...
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Post by whitmoregirl on May 5, 2005 9:20:32 GMT -8
Mine do exactly the same thing! I've pretty much given up, but it's SO annoying when they try to cover their water bowl! I have to keep tipping it away because most of the water is either in the sawdust on the floor or soaked up in the bowl  Ah well... they're cute anyway. Ohoh!! I might be getting two new gerbs tomorrow!! I'm thinking of calling them Siesta/Sienna and Kess. |
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Post by sandy on May 5, 2005 10:25:29 GMT -8
yes that's why most of us use hanging water bottles!
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Post by Sunny&Sandy on May 10, 2005 11:30:02 GMT -8
Sunny, my oldest gerbil, is what I'd call moody lol. She's usually very tame and will fall asleep in my hands and loves to be petted, but if she doesn't want to be held, she will bite you.
Sandy is the sweetest gerbil I've ever seen...never ever bites. I've evn taught her to "give kisses" lol. When I come up to the cage and open it, she crawls right out to me. I'm still getting to know the other two. I think Brookyn is more aggressive than Jasmine, but I'm hoping everything will settle down after they adjust to their new settings.
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Oh, gosh, that's so annoying! I'm currently introducing two of my gerbils to each other, Memphis and Milan. Milan buries her food dish so I gave up taking the bedding out. Memphis digs under hers so it tips over... and I've given up trying to stop her lol.
