Fighting gerbils...
Discussion
We have a large corner aquarium, that for the last 3 years has been converted into a gerbilarium.
Originally bought 4 brothers, all lived happily together for nearly 18 months, then three started picking on a single brother. We removed and rehoused him. All fine since until this week...
We moved their tank last weekend, in preparation for some building works. Since then, every couple of days there has been a fight between two of the remaining brothers - same two each time. Cuts on the cheek area, fur matted with blood, although otherwise well.
Now thinking we need to separate the protagonists - but which one? The non-fighter seems fine with both, one of the fighters was the ringleader the last time round.
So, remove the 'bully' or the 'victim' (allowing for the fact that the 'bully' may just be the current dominant, and removing him may cause yet more fighting for position...
Cheers.
Originally bought 4 brothers, all lived happily together for nearly 18 months, then three started picking on a single brother. We removed and rehoused him. All fine since until this week...
We moved their tank last weekend, in preparation for some building works. Since then, every couple of days there has been a fight between two of the remaining brothers - same two each time. Cuts on the cheek area, fur matted with blood, although otherwise well.
Now thinking we need to separate the protagonists - but which one? The non-fighter seems fine with both, one of the fighters was the ringleader the last time round.
So, remove the 'bully' or the 'victim' (allowing for the fact that the 'bully' may just be the current dominant, and removing him may cause yet more fighting for position...
Cheers.
Remove the two that are fighting and split them up and keep the two that don't fight together.
I had two sisters years back, they were fine for quite some time, but then started fighting for no apparent reason. I had to split them up in the end which seemed a shame as Gerbils are social animals. I think it's a fight for dominance, where in the wild the lesser gerbil would leave and start their own group they cant do this in captivity.
I had two sisters years back, they were fine for quite some time, but then started fighting for no apparent reason. I had to split them up in the end which seemed a shame as Gerbils are social animals. I think it's a fight for dominance, where in the wild the lesser gerbil would leave and start their own group they cant do this in captivity.
We've removed the worse off gerbil (George) and left two in the main tank. So now I have two solitary gerbils (in the kids playroom so they get loads of attention) and two in the main tank...
Chatting to a vet nurse last night, she thinks that it was the moving of the tank that has caused the issue - essentially it's considered as a 'new habitat' and they've started the clan dominance but again - originally this is done when they're very young, so little damage occurs... The unharmed one is the least dominant, so should be fine.
Chatting to a vet nurse last night, she thinks that it was the moving of the tank that has caused the issue - essentially it's considered as a 'new habitat' and they've started the clan dominance but again - originally this is done when they're very young, so little damage occurs... The unharmed one is the least dominant, so should be fine.
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