How can I make him stop biting???

[caramelcinnamon]

Two weeks ago, I got a pair of male gerbils. They were both very sweet, 8 weeks old, and "holdable". Now they are 10 weeks old, and one of them is still very sweet. But, the other one bites me everytime I try to hold him! I don't bleed, but I can tell it is aggression. I am very nice to my gerbils, I trained them, and I never hold them by the tail or in uncomfortable positions. My other gerbil, Sunkist, is still trained and very sweet, but Charcoal has got a problem. Do you know why he is biting me? How can I stop him? Thanks,
Melanie

[whitmoregirl]

Hm... have you tried washing your hands after touching other animals, foods or anything strange he may consider a threat?

And are you putting your hands in slowly - swooping in on him just makes him scared and even thrusting your fingers into his face can scare him. I'm not saying you are, but even if you are being slow, try to slow down even more.

[Ritzie/Admin]

Gerbils tend to nip in everything, including our fingers. This is just tasting, that is why it doesn't bleed ot hurt! And believe me real biting bleeds and hurts like hell! I'm telling you from experience! ;D

What I do is blow them in the face when they do that, and after a while when fully tamed and used to us they stop, anyway this is the case with my gerbils.