EMERGENCY! fighting!!! PLEASE HELP

[Cheyenne4]

My gerbils got into a terrible fight, and I have no idea why. They are brothers, born together, bought together, have lived together for 4 years in the same cage. They have had small scratches and fights, idk what about, but it wasn't an issue. Today I found blood all over the cage and some beat up gerbils :[ Both had scratches under their mouths. One is much worse, with a pretty big gash. It has already scabbed over and is black with scabbing and dried blood.

I believe the one with less scratches instigated the fight, since he is bigger and has less scratches on him.

Someone said to separate them immediately; i did. They are now in a 10Gallon tank, split down the middle.

I am wondering what I can do!? I don't want to keep them apart b.c I feel like they will die of depression. (which I have heard is common in gerbils who lose their partner)

I think the fight was over food, im almost positive. I believe this because the majority if blood was right where one of them always takes his seeds to eat them. The rest was in the food bowl. Perhaps they were low on food and fought?? I feed them every other night, but maybe they have eaten more lately and I need to feed them every night?? Should i still keep them apart for the night?

I do not know what to do about water. I don't have any water bottles that work for the cage they are in. Can I give them a small bowl? Will they know how to drink??

Has this happened to anyone else?!
I just want to be sure they will be okay alone for the night. please help me decide what to do/how to help them!!!

[LovesCurse]

hi. i have hade gerbils and yes this has happened to me as well. first ya they will be fine for a night they probably need some cooling off time. and they need some healing time from each other. a wounded gerbil will feel threatened and might not eat if the other gerbil is near. esesially the more wounded one. the brothers might miss each other but not having to share their food they will like alot more. they wont get depressed and die from loosing each other, mates will sometimes do that (if its a male and female.) but about the water issue. a bowl will work but u will have to clean the cages more often, they will spill it alot, and the water all over the cage will make them cold and they can catch inimonia(how mine died). or u can go to the pet stor and buy a water bottle that hooks to the top of a tank its wobbily but it gets the job done. what i did tho was: take a regular gerbil water bottle get some wire lace it around the bottle hold it in the corner of the cage and take the end of the wire and run it thru the cage lid and bunch it up so it doesnt fall bck thru the lid. then you can just lift the lid slip the bottle out fill it slip it back in.
-good luck with it all-
-Krista