cinnycinnamon
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Rest In Peace Jack Black 02/17/06 to 05/30/09
Posts: 1,280
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Post by cinnycinnamon on Apr 5, 2005 17:52:47 GMT -8
I posted about this over in the general thread.....about Timmy mounting Buddy. *sighs* I've tried everything possible (I think) to stop this behavior and yet, it's still goin on. I dunno what else to do. Some suggestions given to me was to move Timmy and Buddy's tank away from the the girls tank (which is what I did). (Timmy and Buddy's tank is the 20 gallon long in the closet. Peaches and Sally's tank is on the bottom shelf-the one with the Zesta cracker box. Is it still too close, you think)? It seemed to help.........but Timmy still seems to go at it with Buddy. So much so, that when he goes to check on his thingy, he gets so excited that he ends up rolling over (as in a summer sault). Now mind you, this isn't all the time. But how much of this behavior is normal? I don't see them fighting or anything-just Timmy chasing Buddy around until I break it up. They still sleep together and play together. Am I just being a worry wart?
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Apr 5, 2005 18:59:32 GMT -8
Hmmm...are you extra careful about washing your hands before working in Timmy and Buddy's tank or handling them, especially after handling any of your other gerbils, including any other males you might have?
I don't know how far the scent of females in heat would travel. I have a female in the same room with my males and even though it doesn't exactly cause trouble, I can always tell when she's in heat because the all boys get very active.
Can you tell when your females are in heat? Sometimes there aren't any obvious signs, but with some girls it's pretty easy to tell.
RW
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Post by Shanawaz on Apr 5, 2005 23:39:15 GMT -8
My 2 male gerbils have started doing the same thing , however they are not exactly mounting , but like about to . I don't think its serious . Maybe its a phase ,
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cinnycinnamon
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Rest In Peace Jack Black 02/17/06 to 05/30/09
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Post by cinnycinnamon on Apr 6, 2005 2:32:17 GMT -8
Oh you bet...........I'm always sure to wash my hands before handling different gerbils and I make sure to NOT put any other gerbils into Peaches and Sally's plastic ball. And as far as noticing when my girl's are in heat, I hafta be honest....I'm not sure. Any clues?
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Apr 6, 2005 16:43:48 GMT -8
Yeah, I figured you did but thought I'd ask, just in case. I've had girls that I could never tell were in heat, but with others sometimes they'd get sort of puffy and inactive. The most telling sign is when the skin on their backs sort of twitches. If you watch closely, you can see it contracting. I had one girl you could set your watch by--she went into heat every four days, like clockwork. Like the others said in reply to your original post, it could be a dominance thing. How old is Buddy? Maybe he's becoming sexually mature, starting to produce a lot of hormones and doesn't know what to do with them, so he takes it out on dad? You know, going through the "terrible teens"? If that's what it is, things may calm down when he gets a little older. RW
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cinnycinnamon
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Rest In Peace Jack Black 02/17/06 to 05/30/09
Posts: 1,280
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Post by cinnycinnamon on Apr 6, 2005 17:42:22 GMT -8
Well, Timmy is a year old now. Buddy is two. So maybe you're right about Timmy and his hormones. And thanx for the tell tale signs to look for when my girls go into heat. I will hafta watch them alittle more closely to be sure. But it seems that Timmy jumps on Buddy about every 3 to four days. Today, he isn't. I'm soooooooooooo confused!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanx RW for your help...it means alot!
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Post by GerbilGal on Apr 9, 2005 18:57:41 GMT -8
My girls do that also. Either they are in heat and or the dominent one marking "her" territory. I does seem that Speedy is the dominent one with Gimpy and the other 2 Cloak seems to be the dominent one. I heard it is normal behavior and wouldn't worry about it.
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Post by crazycritter on Apr 9, 2005 19:04:45 GMT -8
Does it really matter, or is it causing problems?
Maybe he just enjoys it.
You never know!
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cinnycinnamon
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Rest In Peace Jack Black 02/17/06 to 05/30/09
Posts: 1,280
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Post by cinnycinnamon on Apr 9, 2005 19:12:48 GMT -8
Well, I've just taken out all of the tubes and hide-a-way boxes from their home so that they can become one colony again. The only thing in their tank now is a cereal box and some tissue for them to make a nest with. I also have a few toys in there as well.
It was causing me some concern cuz it looked like Timmy was being forceful on Buddy. I understand that the behavior is normal, but to me, it just seemed like something wasn't right with the situation. That's why I posted a question about it.
:)Cindy
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Apr 11, 2005 19:21:26 GMT -8
There's normal and then there's normal, if you know what I mean?
What's completely normal for some pairs may be abnormal or trouble in the making for others. I have one pair of boys, brothers from the same litter, who are always wrestling and scuffling. I've had them since they were 24 days old and they were scuffling then, they're almost a year old and they're still doing it. In fact, if they didn't, then I'd worry. But I have another pair of boys, totally unrelated as far as I know, who were paired when one boy was 2 months old and the other was 5 weeks old. They get along about as well as I've ever seen a pair get along and very seldom ever scuffle at all. If they started acting like the other pair, I'd definitely know something wasn't right.
I don't think it's wrong to trust your gut instinct. If you're pretty familiar with your gerbils' behavior, you can generally tell what you should be concerned over and what's not a real problem. If some behavior is making you uneasy, there's usually a good reason.
RW
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Post by RitzieAnn on Apr 12, 2005 10:51:52 GMT -8
You can tap your girls' back in their hip area, and they'll usually "set up" if they're in heat! (Sandy told me this, and I've actually tried it!)
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cinnycinnamon
Member
Rest In Peace Jack Black 02/17/06 to 05/30/09
Posts: 1,280
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Post by cinnycinnamon on Apr 12, 2005 18:21:50 GMT -8
So here's the scoop. Since I made (well I didn't make it-my husband did) a second story playground for Billy and Bobby, I wanted the rest of my gerbies to have that same luxury. But I'm not able to afford the buy the wire mesh. So I did the next best thing..well the only thing-I connected two 10 gallon tanks together and made one for the playground. How this gets back to Buddy and Timmy......well believe it not, they are now getting along since I changed out their house. *scratches head* I just don't understand. It was just one of those things I wnated to see what would happen if I did that to them. But I'm glad that things are working out between them two cuz I was really getting worried. Thanx RW for your reply. And RitzieAnn, I will hafta check out that tip you gave me. Wow, I had no idea! Thanx for sharing it. I'm so glad to have found this board and to be a part of it. ;D
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cinnycinnamon
Member
Rest In Peace Jack Black 02/17/06 to 05/30/09
Posts: 1,280
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Post by cinnycinnamon on Apr 13, 2005 18:00:45 GMT -8
I'm sorry if you guys are tired about reading about Timmy and Buddy. I don't mean to go and on about it. I'm just concerned. And as for today, well, it seemed like all was not goin well between the two because when I came home from work, Buddy looked sooooo sad. And for me, that was the last straw. So I split caged them. What really confused me more then anything is how when Timmy would groom Buddy, he would squeak. I just don't get it. And he would constantly sqeak everytime Timmy would chase him and get ontop Buddy. And now that they are apart, Timmy is trying to get to the other side. I'm gonna have them swap sides in a little bit. *sighs* This is breakin my heart. Thanx for reading this. Cindy
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Post by GerbilGal on Apr 13, 2005 18:42:34 GMT -8
They haven't really fought have they? If not, then still I wouldn't worry. I like the picture. They got plenty of space. How often is the mounting? If they are grooming each other, then it means they still adore each other. One is jsut a more aggressive groomer. Girls do the same thing. Mine do every few days. If blood hasn't been drawn then don't worry. They will feel even sadder if they were apart.
Hey...this is the place to talk about or sweeties. We all feel the same about them as you do. They are our kids and we worry about them.
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Apr 13, 2005 21:48:13 GMT -8
I wiuld put them back together I have one mixed age boy colony..7 boys together...and this behaviour takes up most of their waking hours. They are all happy and great friends but a coupel do cry over the mounting. I'll try and do soem pics of the guys later!! BTW you think your two are bad...I get a line of 5 all mounting the one in front!!!! Gives doing the conga a whole new meaning!!!
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