# Poor poor gerbils!!!



## Mum2Alfie (Jan 4, 2010)

Went to [email protected] today and in their adoption bit they had 2 little gerbils, one is 6 weeks old and the other is 5 weeks old. They are so cute and the youngest looked really sad, was just sitting on a tunnel not moving, where the older one was running around like a nutter! We felt really sorry for them. Spoke to the lady in there and she said they wont be ready to be put up for adoption for a few days yet, they were from 2 litters that were born in the shop. They had removed the little one from his sisters and thats why he was just sitting there. Every time my OH talked to him and that he seemed to perk up. We really felt sorry for them and I think my OH wants to rescue them! Need a few questions answered first though guys.

We have 2 already and we did ask in the shop and she said you can introduce them to others, but its [email protected] and although ours is really good I wanna ask just to make sure. So would we be able to put them in with my 2?

This is the cage we have got already.........










But if we put the 4 together it aint gonna be big enough so gonna need to get a bigger one. I would really like this.........










Or......










But they are alot of money in the pet shops and ebay has nothing atm cheaper, I do keep looking...although there is a couple I am watching. Anyone has any ideas?

What do you guys think? We really wanna help these little things! They are gorgious and the little one looks so sad could really do with abit of loving! I dont wanna leave them there! :crying:


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## sunshine80 (Jan 25, 2010)

Are the two gerbils at Pets at Home in the same cage? I would be careful if one was not moving much especially if it has company (although not an expert on this but I would say it suggests something might be wrong with it) - my gerbil did not do that when he ended up himself. Personally I do not like the plastic cage/tanks that Pets @ Home sell and think that they are too small but that is just me - my two are in a 30x12 inch tank and cage topper (I believe you can not get these anymore). Not sure on the second one it looks OK but would depend on the size of it.

I do not think it is possible to introduce a gerbil to an existing group but I could be wrong - are they all males? I introduced 3 young males to my gerbil who was himself but the young gerbils had not been together more than a few days and had not formed a heirachy. I think it is really difficult to introduce two existing groups but someone may have a better idea than me and if you attempt it you will need to use the split cage method so have one large enough to do this and be aware that it may not be a success .


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## Mum2Alfie (Jan 4, 2010)

They are all males. The 2 in [email protected] were together, we will see what he is like in a couple of days when we go back. If he is the same we will be talking to them about it. 

I want to give it a go, dont want to leave them, but I will do the split cage thing first off. I wouldnt say there was a hierarchy with my 2 now though. They are close and cuddle up and stuff, but they are really sociable animals, dont fight, I would have thought they were like rats no? You can add to rats all the time.


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## sunshine80 (Jan 25, 2010)

I would probably get them as well but there is a chance that they may not be able to be introduced to each other.

I am just going by what I remember when I had to introduce new gerbils to my one. I got two from a pet shop and one died  so I had to find young males to introduce him to and eventually got three from a breeder (none of the pet shops would garantee the sex) - the intro went really well as Solo was glad of the company so were not in split cage for long - they stayed together happily to an extent but there was alot of dominance and fighting issues (never as bad as to have to seperate).

I have currently got two gerbils (had three but one has since died) that came from the pet shop together (they were father and two sons) and they get on great together and never fight.

Unfortunately I do not think that gerbils are like rats and your two being an established pair or unlikely to accept any other in. I used to use the gerbil forum at The Gerbil Forum - Home which is very knowledable.


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

Hiya  introducing gerbils is a very difficult task, especially with adults. Personally I wouldn't try it with a group of adults because I don't know that it would work. Even if they did accept each other, I don't think it would be a 'stable' clan and I think they'd separate and fight quite readily.

About the cages:

Avoid the [email protected] gerbilariums like the bloomin plague!! Please!!

They are very, very ridiculously overpriced, they are plastic at the bottom - gerbils chew and chew and chew as you already know so it's not a good long term purchase. All that digging and scratching that gerbils do is also likely to scratch the plastic of the tank eventually, which will leave it looking a mess. The 'cage' part of the Gerbilarium is also dangerous imo - the barred flooring is an absolute no-no for gerbils - they can get their tails and feet stuck in between the bars which can seriously injure them.

What i'd go for instead is a basic glass aquarium which [email protected] also sell, but it's a Clear Seal one - not one of [email protected]'s 'own brand'. It's 30x15x12 inches so is plenty big enough for a few gerbils and it's safe. and it's only £30  

So if I were you, i'd buy the tank and keep them separate. I have one gerbil in one tank (slightly smaller though) and two gerbils in the tank described above. Made a lid to fit out of wood & metal mesh and never had a problem 

Good luck!!


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