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Rodents Discuss all topics related to Rodents including health and nutrition, the care and wellbeing of Rodents, breeding and all other aspects of owning Rodents. (Including Mice, Rats, Gerbils, Hamsters, Guinea Pigs, Degus and any other Rodents)

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  #11 (permalink)  
Old 25-09-2008, 08:34 AM
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Re: gerbil group???

I'm not sure if you could really give a statistic. It doesn't happen to every group but you wouldn't be hugely surprised if they got sick of the sight of one another down the line. The most common times for it to happen are at six months old, and then again when they're getting on a bit in years. What you'll most likely see is one will be singled out by the others for bullying, or you'll have one aggressor that will attack everyone else.

The best idea would definitely be a group of males from a litter if you've never had gerbils before. They're just that bit easier as starter gerbils. If you want to get into split cage introductions you could also go for an older male and a male pup. Males have an instinct to care for pups, even if they aren't their own. Females on the other hand will murder other females' pups! They're completely the opposite of what you might expect.

The pups that I've bred myself are remarkably similar when comparing the sexes though, I have to say! But I think this is because I handle them all from when they're minutes old and they become very very socialised by a couple of weeks old as a result. That and they're lovely friendly gerbils anyway. But you just can never tell when there's going to be a problem. I've just been lucky so far.
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Old 25-09-2008, 06:26 PM
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Re: gerbil group???

males sound better (just like humans).
so i think i will get 4 males, too be on the safe side
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Old 25-09-2008, 06:41 PM
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Re: gerbil group???

i had a gerbil once it was all ways trying to get out it was as quick as lighting but i woudnt say no to some one who ofered me one i like the patchey ones
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Old 26-09-2008, 09:51 AM
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Re: gerbil group???

i have 2 boys they get on great 2gether another great thing about gerbils is they dont smell at all. It's amazing lol
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Old 26-09-2008, 07:24 PM
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Re: gerbil group???

I know, that's the great thing about gerbils! Well, one of the great things The only time they smell is if you aren't keeping them properly and they don't have enough bedding or don't clean the cage out or things like that.
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Old 26-09-2008, 07:37 PM
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Re: gerbil group???

so what are the advantages and disadvantages of gerbils?
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Old 26-09-2008, 08:52 PM
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Re: gerbil group???

Well this is all just my own opinion, and a lot of it wouldn't apply to an animal that was badly bred, but...

Advantages
-They're friendly
-easy to keep
-easy to sex if you know how to do it, it's not difficult to avoid accidental litters
-they don't smell the way mice do
-they can be kept very adequately without spending vast amounts of money (though you can spend as much as you like and make their toys as fancy as you like!)
-they'll make very short work of all your cardboard boxes and toilet paper tubes so you'll never have to throw them away (save the rainforest etc)
-they live in groups and are very social so watching a group of them is like watching a nature documentary - you can clearly see them taking their roles within the group hierarchy
-they're very clean as animals go
-they all have their own little personalities and you can get to know them all individually
-they're not exclusively nocturnal, yes they do sleep during part of the day but they do get up at all kinds of times so it isn't as if you have a permanently dozing furball for a pet
-they're entertaining
-they're long-lived compared to hamsters (their nearest competitor in popularity I'd say) - they live on average 3-5 years, some live longer
-they're very relaxing and soothing to cuddle and pet (same as a lot of pets really)

Disadvantages
-as with any pet, you have some level of being "tied down" and you can't just drop everything and go on holiday, you need to have someone take care of them
-you will need to be prepared for a LOT of vacuum cleaning because even with a glass tank for a home they will kick a lot of bedding out through the mesh lid and all over the floor, this is something you do get used to but it's quite frustrating at times
-they aren't really suitable animals to be kept in standard cages or home made plastic bin cages because they tend to eat and destroy everything that isn't glass, wood or metal. (Some gerbils destroy those too but that's not so common). Wood will end up with nibble marks and eventually will have to be replaced but plastic won't last 24 hours with most gerbils.
-you do need to be prepared for the possibility that the group dynamic will fracture and the gerbils might end up fighting and have to be separated
-......nah I'm too biased towards them, someone else will have to add more disadvantages, I can't think of any more!
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Old 26-09-2008, 09:31 PM
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Re: gerbil group???

that was a helpful list thanks very much
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