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Second Gerbil2007-11-24 22:14:57

Okay, I have alot of questions, and if you read my other questions, it will make more sense. So, now I've finally convinced my mom to get another gerbil so Ralph will be happier. But, when we were at Petco yesterday I told her how I would need aquarium sealer to make a split-cage. She asked my why we can't just throw them in the tank together. I told her that they would fight, but she asked an employee. He said that if you did a cold intro, one of them would get killed. Mom is worrying because she said I would be heartbroken if Ralph were to get killed, which I would be. So, we asked a lady at Pet Quarters, and she said that if we kept him busy, he might be fine alone, but I want Ralph to have the longest, happiest life possible. But he won't have a long life if the other gerbil kills him, OR if he's lonely! I bought a bunch of toys for Ralph today, and I put my hand in the tank twice a day, but he still has to sleep and eat alone, and no one to groom him! More details in a minute.

Answers:

Your right about split caging, that is the way to go to intro a new gerbil. It usually takes about 2 weeks of the spilt cage before we do intros.

Make sure that everyday about every 2 or three hours you flip them from side to side.

Younger gerbils to older gerbils are easier to intro.

Here is a great site, its the American Gerbil Society ,, and its kid friendly.

http://www.agsgerbils.org/index.php...

:)

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I am a former petsmart employee and have raised my own gerbil before. Gerbils are better paired when they are the same gender and raised together. Introducing a younger gerbil to the older gerbil is just bad advice all together. The older one will always be more aggresive to the younger one because of territorial issues. There really isn't a way around this. So it is true that if they are introduced more than likely one will die. Now, I mean, it's not completely impossible to introduce them but that is much better left to someone with more experience with gerbils. It sounds to me that your gerbil is having the life right now. Plenty of toys and treats. As long as you are giving your gerbil a lot of attention another gerbil wont be necesary. I have to say this though, just because it's one of those pet peeves I have. I don't think that the aquarium is the best habitat for your gerbil. However, you have already made that choice, and if you want to know more about what I think about that, then you can look at my previous questions I have answered. And that's all I will say about that. But I really don't think that getting another gerbil at this point is a good choice. Your gerbil is pretty mature right now being a whole year old. A gerbils life expectancy is 3 years. Adding another gerbil might actually stress him out. So he would probably be happier alone.