# gerbil group???



## cmullins (Sep 18, 2008)

im looking into getting some gerbils soon, but i want to know if i can house 1 male with 3 or 4 females???

also is their house the right size, i have two vivs that have a tube going from one to the other, and the first viv measures 24inch l x 18 h x 18 w and the second 18x18x18inch, giving a total length of 42 inch.

help would be great
thanks.


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## Mischievous_Mark (Sep 9, 2008)

I think a trio maybe better 1 male 2 females, Now i dont know anything about gerbils ive never owned one.

But im sure there is a breeder on here that can help you out with whatever questions you have.


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

No no no you mustn't do that unless you want a bloodbath! And a litter of babies every month to boot!

Females are dominant in gerbil society, they will fight to the death over a male. And if there are any babies born they will kill any that aren't their own. You are much MUCH better getting two or three of the same sex from one litter. You are asking for trouble if you do what you are planning.

Minimum size of tank for two gerbils (in my opinion) is 2ft long, 1ft deep, 1.5ft tall. Tubes can be a hazard if they chew and swallow bits or grow too big and get stuck.

Please go and do some research before you get any gerbils! You have been posting about all kinds of rodents in the last few days and it seems to me that you might just be getting them on a bit of a whim.

I'm very worried now 

Also, Mark, please don't give advice if you know nothing about it, what you have suggested is a very dangerous combination!


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## cmullins (Sep 18, 2008)

iv done plenty of research into gerbils jus cant find anything about groups. so please dont bite my head off. iv been told by people who keep gerbils that it is ok too keep a few males together or a few females together or a male and a female.


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## Mischievous_Mark (Sep 9, 2008)

Opps sorry didnt know just proves you learn something knew everyday


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## ChrisTheGerbilGuy (Aug 9, 2008)

im affraid i have to agree. female gerbils can get very aggressive towards eachother, let alone the poor males.

if its any help, the tanks we use and the 20 gallon ones.

The general idea is 15 gallon for one gerbil and an extra 5 gallons for each additional gerbil.

Theres a great gebil forum for extra advice 
gerbilforum.proboards21.com/index.cgi


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## cmullins (Sep 18, 2008)

how do males get on with each other


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Males of the gerbil species are much sweeter and less "bolshy" than the females. They don't fight for territory like you might imagine. It's the females that you have trouble with. It's much much harder to introduce two unrelated females than two unrelated males. Females are more likely to have a falling out with one another down the line too, and this can and will end up in the death of one or more of them. Don't get me wrong, males will fight too. But the females are more troublesome.

It is ok to keep same-sex groups (ideally from the same litter because they will accept each other much more readily and are less likely to get sick of each other), and mated pairs are fine if you are prepared for the offspring that will result, but NOT a trio involving two females and one male. This is really just asking for trouble. Gerbils will mate for life if you let them. The females will decide the hard way who is worthy of that one mate if you put them in that situation.

I didn't mean to bite your head off, I apologise if I offended you. The point, however, remains the same. It's a very bad idea to do what you asked about.


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## groovy (Sep 25, 2008)

I have three different same sex pairs.

I used to have four males living together but they declanned. I still have 3 of those gerbils but they are separated. The 4th one died in August of a stroke at only 1 year old.

One cage has two 4 year old boys in there and they get along VERY well

One cage has one 8 month old and one 5 month old and they have been living together for 2 months and they get on VERY well...Stuffy is NOTHING without Spaulding

One cage has one 1 year old and one 12 week old and they have been together for just a few days...they are getting on great as well!

I have never owned female gerbils but I do work at a pet shop and they are a lot more assertive and dominant than the males. The males are more laid back and less skittish!


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## cmullins (Sep 18, 2008)

ahh so my best bet is to go with a group of maybe 4 males from the same litter. how common is it to see them split up??
thanks guys


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

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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## cmullins (Sep 18, 2008)

males sound better (just like humans).
so i think i will get 4 males, too be on the safe side


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## vet-2-b (Sep 25, 2008)

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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## tj1980 (Apr 4, 2008)

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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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

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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## cmullins (Sep 18, 2008)

so what are the advantages and disadvantages of gerbils?


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

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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## cmullins (Sep 18, 2008)

that was a helpful list thanks very much


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