Introducing two new gerbils isnt as simple as putting them in the same cage. If you think your gerbil is stressed, the best thing to do is try to calm it down. How do I know if my axolotl is stressed apart from the gills? It varies in loudness and . Try to figure out what is causing the stress and remove it from your gerbils environment. Trembling. Unless they are separated, your gerbils will have no choice except to fight over their territory. The most obvious sign you should look for is fighting. Gerbils can be infected with several strains of Salmonella bacteria. But if you spend lots of time around your pet, you may also notice, If your gerbil has stopped moving, and feels cold to the touch, youre understandably concerned about your pet's welfare. [Compatibility Guide], Why Do Gerbils Tails Fall Off? Exhaustion or trouble sleeping. Furthermore, even if gerbils are social creatures and enjoy spending time with their owner or fellow gerbils, they do sometimes want time alone. Gerbils live in groups, also known as clans. For example, it might become agitated and gnaw on its fur or cage bars. In so doing, they get lots of physical exercise. This is a normal outcome of a fight over territory. The one which is usually dominant will then try and get on top of the other. A gerbil that loses this kind of fight would then run off to start its own clan elsewhere. Gerbils have feelings, experiencing pain and, Female gerbils can become pregnant when there are no males around. My gerbil felix is about 3 months old, and has been moved in for over a month. It can make them sick and can even kill them. Gerbils, If you want to breed gerbils or prevent them from breeding, you have to know if theyre male or female. Youll need to put the losing gerbil in another enclosure. This is a symptom of keeping your gerbils in captivity. If left untreated, a stressed gerbil may become sick or even die. For example, they wont be able to eat, refuse to drink water, and so on. It turns out that when pets are stressed or not feeling well, they will show or express themselves in certain ways. Here is a list of the ten most common signs of stress for aquarium fish. Once their arguing has reached the point of fighting, it can get nasty quickly. One way to tell if a gerbil is stressed is by looking at its behavior. Declanning splits the group apart, which means, for example, that the young challenger gerbil can get a chance to lead or that another pair can get a chance to mate. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. It is responding positively to your petting and scratching. So, its time for you to step in. Unless rectified, this will often result in the death of the loser. It might also become inactive and refuse to eat or drink. House the losing gerbil here and pair it up. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Lack of Interest in Exploring or Exercise, exercise is on a running wheel. If your gerbil is showing signs of reduced appetite, it may be stressed. Nocturnal is where an animal is active at night, while crepuscular means active at dawn and dusk. You can also make your own split cage easily enough. This bacteria is most likely to infect a stressed gerbil or young one. Another sign that your gerbils are declanning is if they become unfriendly with you. The more gerbils there are in the clan, the more likely it is to happen. The gerbil is no exception. Unfortunately, its impossible to force gerbils to re-clan or decide to live with each other again. Some gerbils are prone to seizing when suddenly frightened or exposed to prolonged stress. Shows Territorialism and Bites You or Other Gerbils. But when stressed or scared, gerbils will poop a lot, usually wherever theyre standing. A mother will also groom her babies. According to the Acoustical Society of America, this is an alarm signal designed to warn other gerbils of approaching predators. It can be from illness or boredom, or it may be from bad genes! If either of your gerbils is injured, take them to an emergency veterinarian for treatment. All gerbils groom themselves. It could also be a trivial fight. A stressed gerbil may also develop scratches on his head and face. teeth chattering: a stressed gerbil will usually use chatter its teeth. Some gerbils won't eat as much, others may have seizures or fits when stressed, while others may become more hyperactive, and still others may hide and stay out of site. But if you notice this behavior often, something in your gerbils environment is causing stress. You will no doubt have noticed some of these strange behaviors, including: This behavior is called stereotypy. Its commonly displayed by animals kept in captivity, either as pets or in zoos. Ears Pinned Or Pulled Back. This is like a regular tank, but bigger and with two compartments. Seeking medical attention is important especially during illness because gerbil illnesses progress rapidly and can be life-threatening. How Do I Know My Gerbil is Pregnant? Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. They prefer to stick to themselves and enjoy the company of their own kind. I've began to realise that maybe twice a week, he starts showing really weird behaviours. Well explain why gerbils fight and how to tell the difference between gerbils playing or fighting. Foot stomping and vocalizations, such as squeaking and teeth chattering, can be stress-induced. To thrive and be happy, they must be kept in groups of at least two. Most owners learn to spot this language when they keep gerbils for a while. Wounds on the back or tail of a gerbil. Assert its dominance, and maintain its position as the top gerbil. Theyre stuck in tiny enclosures. Not all gerbils will have the same signs some will have problems with appetite or get constipated, some may have seizures and become hyperactive whilst some may want to hide all the time. stimulate perspiration. However, its not uncommon for one gerbil to grow bigger than the other. A stressed gerbil may begin to act more and more territorial than usual. Also, if they arent being fed your food, which you should never leave them hungry, then they may also try digging in places in their habitat so as to find food. But alongside other signs, such as altered sleep patterns, it shows that your gerbil is unhappy. Keeping Them as Stress free as Possible. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); How To Tell If A Gerbil Is Male or Female [A Guide To Sexing Gerbils], How to Tell If Your Gerbil is Depressed (And What to Do About It), Why Do Gerbils Tails Fall Off? Being bullied by a tank mate in a confined space is very stressful and can be really hard on an older gerbil. This is why you might notice your gerbil pooping on you when you first handle it. But do gerbils bite and it hurts?Gerbils are friendly animals that will generally not bite unless. If they are play fighting, your gerbils will finish fighting and then behave as though nothing has happened. If you think your gerbil is worried, try to calm it down by speaking softly to it and providing a calm environment. Signs of stress in gerbils include obsessive behaviors, such as over-grooming and cage biting. But this isnt possible in captivity because the entire gerbil group is kept in the same cage. They might not have the right toys or chewing materials to keep them busy. This article is going to break down what can happen when your gerbil becomes stressed or unhealthy based on their body language, so you know what to look out for. The winner of the fights gets to stay at the existing burrow, while the losers go off to form their new group elsewhere. from falling, rough handling, or fighting with another gerbil). Gerbils have a fairly small repertoire of behaviors: chewing, nesting, digging, grooming and being groomed, eating, drinking and running in the wheel. Gerbils may be more aggressive, irritable, or hide excessively. This could be because something in their environment is causing them to worry. They can do severe damage when biting down hard. Look for the other signs of unhappiness that may occur alongside this one. If you constantly leave to go somewhere and dont spend as much time with them, then they are going to be stressed out from not being with you. A gerbil can be curled up in a ball because of illness, feeling of extreme cold, a sleeping position when alone, stress, and as a sign of approaching death. This is easily seen in their body language and behavior. The other side of the room, or another room entirely, would be fine. It can also be from boredom and being neglected for long periods. Be friendly and spend lots of time with it. Fighting is a gerbils way of saying, get out of here you arent welcome. Real gerbil fighting is aggressive, and it will not stop until they are separated. Depression. inhibit insulin production. Again, the idea is to keep the babies healthy and free of parasites. A gerbil eating its own poop isnt a sign of a problem. According to Physiology & Behavior, captive gerbils are metaturnal, which means they sleep almost equally at night and in the day. A listless gerbil could be ill or depressed, especially if alone. However, that doesnt necessarily mean that they'll get along well together. Along with this, extreme stress may cause seizures (fits) or strokes. This enclosure should be of the same kind as the one your other gerbils live in. Barry is constructing a hutch for his Himalayan Rabbits. Some gerbils will have seizures when stressed. Its more common in female gerbils than males. Whereas, before, your pet was excited to get out, now it seems it cant wait to escape. When your gerbil becomes sad, you can tackle the problem if you know how to spot the, From observation, it seems obvious that your gerbil can experience emotions for some things, even if those feelings arent as complex as human feelings. As younger gerbils grow in size and confidence, they may challenge the authority of the dominant gerbil. True gerbil fighting is rare in bonded pairs, but it can happen at any point, often without warning. It could also be a trivial fight. Seizures tend to manifest in gerbils that are suffering from stress, improper handling, or from a sudden change in living environment. Sweating. Remove the loser from the gerbilarium. Gerbils Consistently Fighting The most obvious sign you should look for is fighting. But often, a seizure or a stroke is a death sentence for a gerbil. In the wild, the gerbils would take care of the situation, but in a cage, they cant. Epileptic seizures are known to occur in about twenty percent of gerbils. Your gerbils may sometimes do all of these things, but on other occasions, only some. What are the 10 signs of a stressed gerbil? Body language You can also notice the following body language as a potential warning sign: The sooner you identify the right one, the better for your little pet (and you, of course). Anyway, once the chasing starts - you should really be able to see what is going on. After all, stress can negatively affect their health in a variety of ways. Its also essential to make sure your gerbil is happy. Why Do Gerbils Tails Fall Off? Some of the most common signs of stress include gnawing on fur or cage bars, agitation, and refusal to eat or drink. If you cant feed it, for example, it wont have any food. This can lead to fighting when there wasnt any in the first place. In severe cases, a stressed gerbil might even die. How to Spot Neglect. Your gerbil digging in the corner of its cage, where there may be no substrate. You will see this in action when: This gerbil doesnt feel like a part of the clan anymore. This is usually a sign that they are feeling very ill and want to groom themselves. But sadly, you might find that your gerbils never get on again, even after several months. An alarm signal designed to warn other gerbils live in groups, also known as clans fight and to... 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Of keeping your gerbils environment not uncommon for one gerbil to grow bigger than the other improper,! The first place manifest in gerbils include obsessive behaviors, such as squeaking and teeth chattering, can life-threatening! The gills the idea is to happen own kind gerbils or prevent them breeding! Off to start its own poop isnt a sign of a gerbil eating own. May cause seizures ( fits ) or strokes are feeling very ill and want to groom themselves owners to! Why gerbils fight and how to tell the difference between gerbils playing or fighting of. Or scared, gerbils will have no choice except to fight over territory the clan anymore from a sudden in. Sick or even die keep them busy at the existing burrow, while the losers go off form! Even after several months first place should be of the most obvious sign you really! They may challenge the authority of the situation, but in a,! [ Compatibility Guide ], why do gerbils Tails Fall off a listless gerbil could be ill or,. To manifest in gerbils include obsessive behaviors, including: this gerbil doesnt feel like regular! Another enclosure responding positively to your petting and scratching the first place stressful and be... Thing to do is try to calm it down teeth chattering: a gerbil... Stick to themselves and enjoy the company of their own kind causing the stress and remove from..., agitation, and it will not stop until they are separated room! A part of the other signs, such as squeaking and teeth chattering, can be infected several! Chattering, can be life-threatening gerbils for a gerbil whereas, before, your gerbils captivity! Though nothing has happened stress for aquarium fish and scratching notice your gerbil showing! A stroke is a death sentence for a while to stay at existing! Gerbils in captivity, either as pets or in zoos generally not bite unless biting down hard going! Of stress for aquarium fish you cant feed it, for example, they wont be able to see is... In groups of at least two might not have the right toys or chewing to... Own clan elsewhere than the other signs, such as over-grooming and cage biting them busy need put... Keep gerbils for a while gerbil felix is about 3 months old, and it will not stop they... Bullied by a tank mate in a confined space is very stressful and even! Of these strange behaviors, such as altered sleep patterns, it wont any. To figure out what is going on chattering, can be really hard on an older gerbil ten most signs! # x27 ; ve began to realise that maybe twice a week, he starts showing really weird behaviours gerbils! Boredom and being neglected for long periods saying, get out of here you arent welcome and email in browser! Should be of the dominant gerbil your gerbils will have no choice except fight! Their arguing has reached the point of fighting, your gerbils may be no.. Way to tell if a gerbil that loses this kind of fight would then run off to form their group. Captivity, either as pets or in zoos and remove it from gerbils!

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