depressed gerbil

[lone123]

I'm taking care of my sister's two gerbils, Annabelle and Emmy, for the summer. I got them at Easter and my sister will be taking them back in a couple weeks. They don't like each other, so they are in separate cages. Also, they aren't very tame. They will climb on my hand and let me take them out, but only every so often. When they come out, I put them in a big plastic box with a bunch of fun fun toys in it. And they get peanut butter when they go back into their cages.

Anyway, I was cleaning out their cages, so I put them in separate little cages and hosed down the bigger ones. When I came back, Emmy had escaped. I found and caught her, but she was most unhappy about it and bit me. They both got put back in their clean cages. After that, Emmy's personality seemed to change. She started eating more and her dish is constantly empty. She sleeps a lot more. She won't eat sunflower seeds from my hand like she used to. She will come out onto my hand, though, and I put her in the happy plastic box. It seemed like she was depressed, with the overeating and sleeping, so I added some tubes to her cage. She is sleeping like she used to, but she is still eating a lot. Do any of you know what is going on?

[CrazyNess]

Well gerbils don't live a good life if they aren't with another. They are social creatures. The gerbil may just be bored with her surrounds, perhaps she may want diffrent toys and such....thats all I can say...Oh, and hey, I'm new!

[floppy]

Why don't you put the toys in their cages instead of in a 'happy plastic box'? Like Crazyness said, gerbils are very social creatures and are likely to become bored and depressed when kept alone. Have you or your sister not tried to pair them using the split cage method? It's rare that you can't tame a gerbil, but it takes a lot of time and patience...and gentle handling. How have you been trying to tame them up until now?

[Zouave]

I introduced a rescued female gerbil (Penny) to a young female gerbil (Pearl). I put them on neutral territory with all new scents, sprinkled talc on their behinds, used a screen, and watched them very closely. when I removed the screen I used a wooden spoon to push the old one away from the youngster if she seemed too aggressive. The young one would jump and run and hide in a corner. After many hours they tolerated each other, and within days were sleeping next to each other.

I have posted their photos a number of times, as in THIS THREAD (http://www.petshub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15434)

[lone123]

yes, i have tried putting them together a few times, on neutral territory. they were ok for about a minute, then they started fighting. I don't want them to hurt each other, so I separate them as soon as the fight begins. They are used to each other's scent. I put some of their bedding in with the other and they get each other's toys. Their cages are right next to each other. I would like them to live together. It would be a whole lot easier. They do have toys in their cages. They both have a wheel, and i give them dried grass, paper towel tubes, cardboard boxes, and wooden toys made for gerbils.

I have an old aquarium. if i put something in between, so they could see each other, would they get used to each other that way? I'm sure thats what you meant by split-cage, but I thought having their cages next to each other would be close.

And they are tame enough to come onto my hand, but only at a certain time during the day. Other than that time, they seem nervous. I don't know. They are a lot tamer than they used to be. :)

[andreaS15]

The "Split Cage" meathod is one of the most used and probably the best ways of introducing two gerbils to one another.

The AGS Web SIte (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/adopt.html#split) has some great information about this procedure.
Here is also another great link (http://homepage.mac.com/kyleekay/tip-of-the-week/tip053103.html) with teh information, and "how to" build a split tank.