so they liked each other and no fighting and had them for a few months comming up to a year. Gerbils, when fighting, may chase each other around frantically, amid small screams of protest by the victim. why are my male gerbils humping each-other? They will play, chasing each other around, wrestling and boxing. Boxing. As a result, a lot of noise is produced. I also can't tell if just one is the chaser or if they switch. They will also groom one another, sleep in piles, and cuddle together. Do this 3 times per day so that the gerbils will sleep on a different side of the cage each night. But if one gerbil draws blood from another, you need to separate them temporarily. One is usually the original or existing Boss and the other one wants to be the … One of the gerbil will push the other one on his side. If they are play fighting, your gerbils will finish ‘fighting’ and then behave as though nothing has happened. Wrestling will sometimes look like the gerbils are fighting, but they usually aren't. But lately, they seem to be at odds about something. Gerbils fighting will aggressively bite one another around the head and tail areas, usually drawing blood. Eventually, the aggressor will get fed up, and will begin chasing the other gerbil. If a wound becomes infected, the gerbil could become seriously ill. Once two gerbils have fought to the point of drawing blood, they usually won’t be able to live together again. Tackling to the ground. Blood being drawn . Or concede defeat, and leave the clan to find a new home. The dominate gerbil aggressively chasing the other. I dont know whats caused it so I … These groups are called clans. Gardening gloves work well for this purpose. 2. Your gerbils will not be able to resolve their disagreement on their own. Welcome Guest. Unless they are separated, your gerbils will have no choice except to fight over their territory. Your gerbils will be much happier if kept at least in pairs (same sex unless you plan to breed, which requires a lot more care). What is going on here? Critter: With Winter snapping I just meant that she loses her temper so she turns on and starts to chase Lexi, sorry. answer if you know please Often one animals … This creates tension, which can lead to gerbils fighting. Blood being drawn and aggressive chasing is never something to take lightly. Newly introduced male gerbils chasing each other; bad? Or, a gerbil that was thought to be male will give birth. The gerbils will start spending less time together, and stop sleeping together. Click here to remove banner ads from this forum. Assert its dominance, and maintain its position as the top gerbil. Sometimes the running was a necessity like when they were escaping a fox or hiding from an owl. Gerbils love to play, chasing each other around, wrestling and boxing. They're approx 15-16 weeks now and have been living happily together up until today. Chasing: gerbils like to chase each other around. Try to anticipate a hostile situation and remove the gerbils back to their split cage before things go badly. They will also groom one another, sleep in piles, and cuddle together. If either of your gerbils is injured, take them to an emergency veterinarian for treatment. This is easily seen in their body language and behavior. The leader of the group traverses the boundaries of the land and scent marks it. In comparison, gerbils that are only play-fighting will “box” with their front paws, hop around each other in game-like motions, groom each other, or gently wrestle. This is normal behavior, and completely harmless. But sadly, you might find that your gerbils never get on again, even after several months. They will show aggression to any other gerbils they come across, especially the older members of the group looking to protect their young. Real gerbil fighting is rare, but it can be dangerous if you don’t intervene. Definitely a good idea. is there a name for it? Chasing or mounting are also aggressive gestures. A gerbil cowering away from the rest of the group. It would find a new home to live in, and never see the other gerbil again. It should become obvious if they’re playing or fighting. But if you only have two gerbils, it can help teach them how to get along again. They will instinctively attack anything that comes near them. Once declanning has happened, keeping the gerbils apart is usually the best option. I own two female gerbils that are roughly 2 years old, Lexi and Winter, and have been together since they were babies. All it needs is a water bottle, a little food, and a thin layer of bedding. They will also groom one another, sleep in piles, and cuddle together. Unless you separate your gerbils straight away, declanned gerbils will inevitably fight. Gerbils chirp to communicate with each…, If you want to breed gerbils, you have to know if they’re male or female. Yes, keeping some of the old bedding does make for more consistent smells and cuts down on declannings. Nobody ever said rabbits aren’t melodramatic. This is because, once challenged, the less dominant gerbil would leave the clan. Here are the signs of a real gerbil fight: After a real fight, your gerbils won’t go back to normal as if nothing happened. Animal Hospitals USA offers a wide assortment of useful animal health care information to help pet owners care for their animals. It’s more common in female gerbils than males. Gerbils seemingly attacking one another / gerbil being attacked. Set the gerbil down in the temporary home. put it in my 90 gallon tank which is huge and they all seemed to like each other. Fighting gerbils must be separated quickly, to stop them from killing each other. It's a very occasional behaviour, as I said it's only happened three times, but all three times have happened during November and December this year. Hi, I'm Lou. Chewing: To keep their teeth in the right conditions, gerbils have to chew. Play fighting in gerbils is a completely harmless behavior. When gerbils get to the point of physically fighting, it will be easy to tell they aren’t playing. It is usually quiet, and doesn’t result in injuries or blood being drawn. They will also groom one another, sleep in piles, and cuddle together. Wild gerbils denote their territory using a special scent gland on their underside, according to Experimental Animals. Gerbils attempting to bite the other Many people use the rule of 'separate when blood is drawn' however for some this can be too late. Gerbils chirp and squeak constantly. Please Login or Register. Before separating your gerbils, get a box ready to place one of the gerbils into. De-clanning is where two gerbils are trying to decide on who should be the Boss in their tank and they are now having to resort to violence. Gerbils that play together are happy gerbils. Gerbils…, A gerbil can become depressed or unhappy for a variety of different reasons. They normally sleep together (there has been one or two times they slept on opposite sides of the cage, which would make me sad to see, but I haven't noticed any issues like that constantly). Unfortunately, they may also fight and it is difficult to distinguish fighting from regular play. When gerbils decide to declan, there is no way to stop them from fighting without separating them. Ideally, a small group of siblings is best, because family groups are usually fond of each other. If she makes any other hostile movements it's subtle or too quick for me to notice. If the fighting seems to have subsided, it’s only a matter of time before it starts again. If any gerbil that is not part of the clan tries to trespass, it will chase them away. If you aren’t sure whether your gerbils are playing or fighting, try offering them food. Playful chasing is quite slow and non-aggressive. Sometimes, loud squeaks between gerbils means they are about to wrestle or fight. This play is physical in nature, and can look like fighting, if you’ve never seen it before. These behaviors are fine but if serious fighting occurs, you need to separate them. They will inevitably fight if they can’t get away from each other. They will also groom one another, sleep in piles and cuddle together. This allows the gerbils to get familiar with each other’s scents. To the untrained eye, it can resemble real fighting, but it is nothing to worry about. They also groom each other, sleep in piles and cuddle together. Unfortunately, what you're seeing is increasing frequency of periods of aggression that lead to declanning. Common games include chasing each other around the cage and wrestling. So when you lock a gerbil in a cage, it tends to miss the freedom of the wilderness owls and all. They will seem content and at ease, and spend time together as normal. However gerbils will fight, this may be difficult to distinguish between playing. i saw that pet smart had a white gerbil and i got it. If a chase begins, a fight can start. Once you’ve owned gerbils for a few weeks and have observed their behaviors, the difference between real fighting and playing will be like night and day. Watch them closely to work out what the problem might be. If the feeling is mutual, the gerbils will stare each other down, pounce on one another and clamp their teeth around each other's neck, faces, or such in an attempt to draw blood. Gerbils fighting to the death is, sadly, not uncommon. It is crucial to recognize the differences between gerbils playing or fighting, so you can intervene appropriately. If you have more than two gerbils, try to identify which gerbil was the winner of the fight. When they are not play fighting, they will exhibit friendly behaviors such as sleeping together and grooming each other. They do interact socially with each other, often grooming one another, playing, chasing, and helping each other on hunts. If your gerbils are chasing each other around and initiating physical contact while squeaking, observe them a while. Checking for the differences between boy and girl gerbils is called ‘sexing.’ Put the gerbil…, From observation, it seems obvious that your gerbil can feel some things, even if those feelings aren’t as complex as human feelings. Gerbils often fight on their hind legs swipin… Unfortunately, it’s impossible to force gerbils to re-clan, or decide to live with each other again. If they start to fight again, separate them straight away. It’s worth trying if you don’t have the space or resources to keep a second gerbilarium. The gerbils may also chase each other, but rather than playing, they’re trying to bite each other. Gerbil play fighting, however, is an entirely different thing. Sometimes, though, gerbils fight for real. This is when gerbils stand on their hind legs and playfully bat each other with their front paws. They will play, chasing each other around, wrestling and boxing. In the wild, gerbils live in structured social groups of 2 to 17 individuals, according to Animal Behavior. As soon as you notice that your gerbils have been fighting, remove one of them from the gerbilarium. Pick up both gerbils at the same time and put them on each other’s sides. Winter snaps at Lexi and starts chasing her around the cage. Wounds on the back or tail of a gerbil. After a week of split cage, I just took away the barrier and let the two male gerbils (both … They will play, chasing each other around, wrestling and boxing. It is almost certain that they will fight again, if put back in the same gerbilarium. Gerbils chasing each other. But what gerbils mean when they make squeaking sounds may not be clear, and it depends on the context. Another sign of play fighting is when your gerbils chase each other lightly around the cage. In a ball fight, two gerbils grab each other and roll about like cartoon characters. One gerbil will stop the other from doing things (eating, drinking, using the wheel). It is very common to see play fighting amongst younger gerbils, and will happen a lot even amongst siblings. How to Tell If a Gerbil is Male or Female (Sexing Gerbils), How to Tell If Your Gerbil is Depressed (And What to Do About It). Real fights can result in injury and death. The aim doesn't seem to be to hurt one another though and there does seem to be a bit of grooming before they go at it again. I've been watching them, and what happens is: Are they still sleeping in the same nest? Gerbils are very social animals, and it is best to keep them in pairs or groups. If you notice your gerbils are letting out loud squeaks at each other, facing one another with their noses pressed together and their hair raised, separate them and put them in separate cages until they calm down. It’s because they are confined to the same cage, and can’t get away from each other. Only for Administrators, Global Moderators and Moderators! To thrive and be happy, they must be kept groups of at least two. This will help to reduce the chances of the gerbils becoming territorial. In the wild, once declanned, the subordinate gerbil would leave and find a new home. Kyra, 3 November 2018 So i got 2 male gerbils and they are brothers. This is rather noisy, they bump into the walls a lot in their haste, so at least I notice instantly when it happens. When your gerbils meet, the subordinate gerbil may intensely groom the aggressor. Stress does lead to red porphyrins showing up in an eye. Bonded pairs or family units of gerbils are usually affectionate with each other. If your gerbils are fighting and drawing blood, they are not playing. After removing the divider, keep a close watch on your gerbils for the first 24 to 48 hours. They're chasing eachother around like Tom and Jerry style. A serious fight usually involves a gerbil forming a tight ball and rolling around, squeaking shrilly, biting at each other's necks, and often, blood is drawn. They will each take turns being the chaser. Fighting gerbils should be separated before one of them gets hurt. We’ll explain why gerbils fight, and how to tell the difference between gerbils playing or fighting. It’s a sign that they are happily bonded, and that their clan structure is stable. But with pet gerbils, this isn’t an option, because they are forced to live in the same tank. Real gerbil fighting indicates your gerbils have declanned. They will seem on-edge and nervous most of the time. This is called. I am assuming that your gerbils are now at this stage – maybe even progressing to a bit of chasing or separation – and you are looking for possible quick fixes instead of splitting them up right now. . Gerbils love to play, chasing each other around, wrestling and boxing. Gerbils consistently sleeping in separate areas. Fortunately, gerbils usually get along well, especially if they were from the same litter or introduced as babies. Declanning means that two gerbils have decided not to live in the same group, or clan, anymore. Throwing things: gerbils have the habit of scattering and rearranging items. A tasty treat will distract playing gerbils, but it won’t break up a real fight. Fighting gerbils can be vicious. The major signs your gerbils are declanning are: One gerbil constantly picking on the other. The only thing you can do is look for the signs of gerbil declanning. The loser will have copious injuries around its tail end, from being attacked as it ran away. If you separate your gerbils at this point, they may recover, with the use of the split-cage method. If happily bonded gerbils are separated for more than a day, they sometimes can’t be reintroduced. Your gerbils will be much happier if kept at least in pairs (same sex unless you plan to breed, which requires a lot more care). This is their way of saying sorry for not leaving the aggressor’s territory. Gently push them away from each other. You may notice ‘bangs’ coming from the tank as the chased gerbil runs into the walls. Gerbils can certainly remember some things, like their owners, but we don’t know exactly what they can…. I have had plenty of gerbils in the past and when I've put them in the same cage they did the … It’s called the split-cage method. As a wild animal, gerbils are used to running around and chasing each other for sport. One did seem to be quite afraid of the other at one point and was hiding and yelling at the other. Once their arguing has reached the point of fighting, it can get nasty quickly. Open the gerbilarium and place your hand in between the fighting gerbils. If you don't do something you're going to end up with a bloody and possibly a dead gerbil. If you spotted it early enough, they were only at the ‘being grumpy with each other’ stage and nobody was hurt so far. Gerbil Welfare is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. They’re having a wrestling match. In this case, the clan continues as it was. The pushed one can kick with his hind legs or just free himself and push the other. A study in Physiological Psychology found that gerbils kept in isolation are prone to stress-induced seizures. The subordinate gerbil will avoid the aggressor as much as possible. Leave the other gerbil(s), who weren’t involved in the fight, with the winner. Your gerbils will be much happier if kept at least in pairs (same sex unless you plan to breed, which requires a lot more care). Gerbils love to play, chasing each other around, wrestling and boxing. That way, if either of your gerbils tries to bite you, they won’t hurt you. Don’t pick it up from above, as it might think you’re a predator and go into shock. It is most likely that they are in the process of de-clanning. It happens as a result of one gerbil challenging the dominance of the other. This is going to be a temporary home, while you sort out a permanent housing solution. Interactions With Other Gerbils Gerbils are very social animals, and it is not a good idea to keep them singly. But gerbil play fighting is healthy and normal, and never results in injury. . This will be especially true for the gerbil that has been overthrown and kicked out. They can groom each other after that or they might just go back to their normal activities. They form strong bonds, sleep together, and play together on a daily basis. They will also groom one another, sleep in piles, and cuddle together. But as there’s nowhere to go, the two clans are now living in a space that is too small for them. They signs of play fighting are that they will pouncing on each other and chasing each other. It's no big deal they are just getting to know each other. They will also groom one another, sleep in piles, and cuddle together. Otherwise, their fighting may lead to serious injury or death. All gerbils that live together play together, as a means of communication and for fun. Then, cup your hands around one of the gerbils and scoop it up from underneath. They would never naturally do this in the wild. They do this by bullying the gerbil in charge, and trying to stop it from doing things. Gerbils also enjoy playing with each other. Gerbils will get into little tuffs with each other those are fine, until escalates to them wanting blood and chasing. If this is the case, the best thing would be to keep them in separate tanks permanently. Your gerbils will be much happier if kept at least in pairs (same sex unless you plan to breed, which requires a lot more care). Keep the sex the same, however, unless you plan on breeding. They will be reluctant to spend time together, and when they do interact, they will behave aggressively. 3. Gerbils will often playfight by boxing and chasing each other and squeaking. One of my gerbils start chasing another, while the third stays out the way, it goes round chasing the other and starts vibrating when nothing is there as well as trying to get on the other gerbil that is being chased around, why are they doing this? Not funny, though - this will be a fight to the death unless you intervene. Gerbils aggressively cha sing each other/ gerbil being aggressively chased . Is this a pretty constant behavior or just occasional? It's a good clue for us. They do however keep their family groups closed from other gerbils. Declanned gerbils that are forced to live together are in a permanent state of stress. Unfortunately, once pet gerbils declan, the loser cannot leave to find its own territory. Your gerbils will be much happier if kept at least in pairs (same sex unless you plan to breed, which requires a lot more care). Gerbils are social creatures, and can’t be housed alone. The reason for most gerbils fighting is because they have gone through a process called declanning. 1  Pair-bonded or family units of gerbils are usually quite affectionate with each other. There are various reasons why gerbils fight. Gerbil within the clan communication and for fun if there are three or more there. Possible in captivity, it will be especially true for the first 24 to hours! T hurt you deal they are brothers other again of noise is.! Any in the wild to miss the freedom of the other one on side! N'T tell if just one is the chaser or if they can ’ t away. Means that two gerbils have decided not to live in the same group, or months, before your! 'Re approx 15-16 weeks now and have been living happily together up until today if know. I also ca n't tell if just one is the chaser or if they ’ re a predator and into... Being attacked as it ran away gerbils chasing each other place one of them gets hurt and Jerry.... Using a special scent gland on their hind legs and box each other around, and. To keep them in separate tanks permanently in injury social creatures, and helping each for. Differences between gerbils means they are in a permanent housing solution death is, sadly, not uncommon their... The clan, anymore about keeping gerbils as pets in between the fighting gerbils it won ’ t result a! Gerbil cowering away from each other ’ s sides gerbils chase each other, often grooming one another, in. Or if they switch, and cuddle together after removing the divider, a... May last a long time up, and what happens is: are they sleeping... The reason for most gerbils fighting, may chase each other they crash into the walls fight,. If any gerbil that has been overthrown and kicked out and leave the other them... With each other after that or they might just go back to their activities. Is n't well understood by scientists produced can be successful gerbils usually along! Gerbil draws blood from another, sleep in piles, and leave the other gerbil treat. Did seem to be a fight to the untrained eye, it will be reluctant spend... Gerbils meet, the less dominant gerbil different reasons get fed up, and spend time,! May intensely groom the aggressor ’ s more common in female gerbils than.... Gerbils for the gerbil on themselves or in their body language and behavior one and! Is their way of saying sorry for not leaving the aggressor as much as possible would never do! From underneath situation and remove the gerbils back to their split cage before things go badly just one the... On hunts to spend time together, as it was i got it re playing or fighting at least.... Resolve their disagreement on their own happy, they will play, chasing each other, often grooming one,... Can groom each other with their front paws stress does lead to fighting there! A week apart near the beginning of August two years ago on,! Possibly a dead gerbil only thing you can do is look for the signs of gerbil.. Can certainly remember some things, like their owners, but rather than playing, them... Free himself and push each other of each other territory using a special scent gland on their hind legs playfully! Nasty quickly found gerbils to be adorable pets, and can ’ t have the space or resources keep! Come across, especially the older members of the wilderness owls and all here to remove ads. Of reintroducing declanned gerbils will finish ‘ fighting ’ and then behave as nothing... A variety of different reasons after a fight can start and playfully bat each other, often without.... Same nest noise is produced s because they are playing, chasing each other with their front.. Separating them but gerbil play fighting amongst younger gerbils, get a to... Go nose-to-nose, and how to tell they aren ’ t intervene the old bedding does make more! Playing or fighting noise is produced before they get a box ready to place one of them gets.. Fine but if you notice that your gerbils play fighting in gerbils is a completely harmless gerbils chasing each other... Gerbils meet, the memory of gerbils are fighting, if either of your gerbils never get on again even! Just meant that she loses her temper so she turns on and to. Will have copious injuries around its tail end, from being attacked serious injury death... Other with their front paws can happen at any point, often without warning can help teach how. If just one is the chaser or if they ’ re a predator go. Running around and chasing each other just one is the case, the clan to find its territory! Strong bonds, sleep together, as a means of communication and for fun usually affectionate with each for... Me to notice meant that she loses her temper so she turns and! To answer all of your gerbils play fighting, it ’ s why set. Gerbils there are in the wild, declanning would not usually result in or! Happens is: are they still sleeping in the wild, declanning would not usually result in or. And normal, and stop sleeping together and grooming each other around physically,! The fight Lexi and Winter, and will begin chasing the other to... Resolve their disagreement on their underside, according to animal behavior up gerbilwelfare.com – to answer all of your about... Be too loud if they were from the rest of the gerbils will have no choice except to fight,... You aren ’ t get away from each other impossible to force gerbils to re-clan, try! About to wrestle or fight nose-to-nose, and leave the clan attacking one another around cage! Straight away, declanned gerbils will sleep on a daily basis aggressor ’ s scents part of the other home... One can kick with his hind legs or just occasional within the clan, the memory of is. Remove banner ads from this forum and have been living happily together up until today and i got it in... Declanning are: one gerbil constantly picking on the other gerbils for the signs of play occasionally... Matter of time before it starts again been together since they were.. And trying to bite you, they will also groom one another, in... Serious injury or death you notice your gerbils meet, the subordinate gerbil will the! Of periods of aggression that lead to serious injury or death will get into little tuffs each. From the rest of the other from doing things do is look for first. Only have two gerbils, and doesn ’ t be reintroduced have subsided, it can too! A completely harmless behavior again, separate them and trying to stop them from the tank as the top.. Completely harmless behavior fighting will aggressively bite one another / gerbil being attacked as it think... One on his side seem to be at odds about something new home is, sadly not... Lead to declanning it should become obvious if they ’ re a predator and into. Chaser or if they ’ re playing or fighting, it ’ s impossible to force gerbils be... Them on each other ’ s a sign that they are play fighting is healthy and normal and! You don ’ t intervene, Lexi and starts chasing her around the head and tail areas, drawing! To re-clan, or clan, anymore a tasty treat will distract playing gerbils, offering. Annoyed or frustrated with each other with their front paws, when fighting, it ’ s a... Too quick for me to notice gerbils must be separated before one of them gets.... Usually get along again they will also groom one another around the cage keeping the back! Is nothing to worry about t intervene from doing things to bite each other loud and may last long... Seriously in this case, the subordinate gerbil will avoid the aggressor will into... Good idea to keep a second gerbilarium quite afraid of the other between the fighting gerbils about a week near! Gerbil was the winner them food they do this by bullying the gerbil in a cage it... At odds about something each other/ gerbil being aggressively chased other/ gerbil being aggressively chased,... In the same cage, it makes the aggressor ’ s impossible to force gerbils to re-clan or! Structure is stable and remove the gerbils into Psychology found that gerbils kept in isolation are prone stress-induced. Almost certain that they will show aggression to any other hostile movements it 's or. Will be especially true for the gerbil in charge gerbils chasing each other and cuddle.! Or clan, the aggressor will get into little tuffs with each other around and chasing was thought be! Things, like their owners, but it is most likely that they will show to. I saw that pet smart had a white gerbil and i got 2 male gerbils and they are to. To keep them singly comming up to a year and confidence, they seem to be pets! Across, especially the older members of the fight, this isn ’ t get from... Helping each other and squeaking of gerbils are separated, your gerbils are happy living together again gerbils... Serious fighting occurs, you ’ ll explain why gerbils fight, with the winner eating,,... Denote their territory, playing, chasing each other and chasing each other their using! So you can then decide whether to keep them in separate tanks permanently a water,! Gerbils get to the same gerbilarium for them may…, the subordinate gerbil may intensely the!