If you dont tear them apart, the two could kill each other. They form strong bonds, sleep together, and play together daily. You might also want to try giving it food or water or playing with a toy. You can also ensure your gerbil is happy by providing a comfortable place to sleep, big toys to play with, and enough food and water. This applies both in the wild and in captivity. If you just start suddenly sweating and it seems like it's not appropriate, the sweating, or the Diaphoresis, could also be a symptom of a panic attack. If they touch things, then they are probably very anxious and scared. Unless they are separated, your gerbils will have no choice except to fight over their territory. After all, stress can negatively affect their health in a variety of ways. It cant get out of the cage, so another burrow isnt an option. Some folks will be aware of obvious signs. This shows that one gerbil is stronger and dominant over the other/others. We are passionate about having them as friends and pets. If that isnt possible, you may want to consider giving your pet to a shelter that can take care of it and perhaps rehome it. Muscle tension or jaw clenching. A comfortable, relaxed gerbil will use its tongue to groom or wash its paws, belly, face, and tail. They prefer to poop in the same area of their enclosure so that the rest of their cage stays clean. You can also make your own split cage easily enough. We can't hear the majority of these noises because they're too high-pitched. If this is the case, the best thing would be to keep them in separate tanks permanently. You can spot excitement when your gerbil hops up and down, sprints quickly, and makes loud yips. Sometimes we may not even realize that theyre going through a tough time until its too late. Hamsters can do the same activities every day and it can sometimes look like they even have a set schedule, and that's normal. Reasons for Stressed Gerbils. When your gerbils meet, the subordinate gerbil may intensely groom the aggressor. However, its not uncommon for one gerbil to grow bigger than the other. For example, does your gerbil have a big enough cage or space for digging? In the wild, once declanned, the subordinate gerbil would leave and find a new home. Anxiety or irritability. However, its particularly noticeable, so its a sign of unhappiness on its own. If you cant figure out the cause, or if the pressure is severe, you may need to take your gerbil to the vet for further treatment. Rather than trying to hide away from whats bothering them, some gerbils will try to escape instead. If you cant feed it, for example, it wont have any food. The best way to relieve boredom and stimulate your gerbil is to provide him with an appropriate environment. You should take note if your gerbil starts to refuse to eat. Like people and many other animals, they make sounds that have specific meanings. You can take it from its enclosure, hold it, cuddle it, let it run around, or even sit next to its enclosure for a while. How do I know if my axolotl is stressed apart from the gills? If you notice any of these changes in your gerbil, you must take them to the vet to rule out any medical causes. To make your gerbil happy again, its your job as its owner to identify whats wrong. They might not have the right toys or chewing materials to keep them busy. 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. Eventually, the aggressor will get fed up, and will begin chasing the other gerbil. Some gerbils bite or dig at their cage walls out of habit. Try to provide them with a calm and quiet environment, and avoid handling them too much. In the wild, gerbils spend all of their days walking or running around, fighting or playing with other gerbils, digging burrows, and escaping from predators. Its not blood. One of the most common challenges people have with gerbils is that they dont know how to tell when the animal is stressed. It happens as a result of one gerbil challenging the dominance of the other. I'm currently a pet groomer, and I love it. Playful chasing is quite slow and non-aggressive. They will instinctively attack anything that comes near them. One is trying to be dominant over the other, but the other doesn't back down. It can be challenging to tell when our furry friends are stressed out. Gerbils are naturally curious creatures. Fighting gerbils should be separated before one of them gets hurt. 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. But in captivity, this is physically impossible. But gerbil play fighting is healthy and normal and never results in injury. Either way, the key to introducing the two gerbils is to swap them from one side to another three times a day. 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. As such, they may be very difficult to handle when theyre stressed out and you may not even realize they are stressed. TVs, computers, running water, and vacuum cleaners could all stress your gerbil out. Here are a few tips on how to soothe a gerbil and help them feel more relaxed: The most important thing to remember is that every gerbil is different, so what works for one may not work for another. Shows Territorialism and Bites You or Other Gerbils. They may be too tense to sleep and spend all day and night awake and active. being withdrawn. They will start to show a lot of compulsive behaviour and really try to hide under something. Wounds on the back or tail of a gerbil. If this happens to you, you may. This is because prolonged stress is bad for gerbils. Its a hereditary trait that runs in families. Gerbils are highly social creatures. My gerbil felix is about 3 months old, and has been moved in for over a month. Keeping Them as Stress free as Possible. Living in social groups, they need a way to communicate with each other. Your gerbils may sometimes do all of these things, but on other occasions, only some. And as always - virtually all gerbils can be paired up with a new friend easily in a split tank and start afresh. Of course the red porphyrin leakage around the eyes or nose is very clearly a sign of stress. Because its not allowed in the burrow, the loser will have to find somewhere else to sleep. If any gerbil that is not part of the clan tries to trespass, it will chase them away. When your gerbil becomes depressed, it may stop showing these signs of excitement. High blood pressure. There are many, Gerbils and rabbits are sociable and friendly animals. Nose And Lip Licking, Yawning, Drooling. 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? 11. The only other things that a gerbil can fight with are its teeth. It is crucial to recognize the differences between gerbils playing or fighting, so you can intervene appropriately. He chooses to use a wire floor because it is easier to clean and the wire floor: keep the animal from damaging the bottle. Stomach or digestive problems. Gerbils fighting will aggressively bite one another around the head and tail areas, usually drawing blood. However, if your gerbil produces excessive amounts of porphyrins, this is called chromodacryorrhea. Anger. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Gerbils run on wheels because it rewards them with positive-feeling neurochemicals. The more time your gerbil lives with you, the better you will become at identifying both physical and behavioural signs of a stressed gerbil. Other common signs of stress in gerbils include: If you notice any of these signs in your gerbil, its essential to take action to help them relax and feel more comfortable. A gerbil eating its own poop isnt a sign of a problem. As cute as hamsters are, its a bit of a challenge to get them to trust you. After declanning, youll need a new enclosure which has all the features of the old one. If you take good care of your gerbil, it should be stress-free and happy. If you are ever reading up on how to stop your pet from getting sick one day you may come across the following about pet stress. teeth chattering: a stressed gerbil will usually use chatter its teeth. Exhaustion or trouble sleeping. I've always been an animal lover, and I've worked in the pet industry. Alternatively, take it from its enclosure and allow it to run around. Stress can also cause your gerbil to grind its teeth, leading to dental problems. If your gerbil is behaving strangely, it might be stressed. When gerbils decide to declan, there is no way to stop them from fighting without separating them. This means that the loser will want/need to get out of the cage. be more twitchy or nervous. Thats why a gerbil gets so excited when you take it from its cage. Most owners learn to spot this language when they keep gerbils for a while. In the past couple of weeks he started biting, which thankfully he got over quickly. Gerbils become unhappy when other gerbils die if their enclosure is small or theyre stressed. There could be an underlying medical issue causing their stress, and treating the problem could help them feel better overall. Theyre stuck in tiny enclosures. Some gerbils will have seizures when stressed. Depending on the parasite burden, humans may have no apparent clinical signs or may have nausea, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, and central nervous signs (agitation). Theyll be able to identify the illness and take steps to heal your gerbil. Well also provide some tips on how to help them relax and feel more comfortable in their environment. Furthermore, even if gerbils are social creatures and enjoy spending time with their owner or fellow gerbils, they do sometimes want time alone. As younger gerbils grow in size and confidence, they may challenge the authority of the dominant gerbil. Some of the group may join it in leaving. Once challenged, the less dominant gerbil would leave the clan. Teeth, nails and coat Gerbils' teeth are always growing, and they'll cause health problems and pain if they grow too long. If you have loud children or pets, try to keep them out of your gerbils room. If they are usually active and playful but suddenly become more lethargic, this may be a sign that something is wrong. If your gerbils are fighting and drawing blood, they are not playing. These groups are called clans. If your gerbil is healthy and its environment isnt causing stress, it may just have an anxious personality. Either way, a gerbils sleep pattern will stay the same throughout its life. Unfortunately, many wild gerbils will die in the span of a few months of being born. Perpetually biting on cage bars can damage your gerbils teeth. But if you only have two gerbils, it can help teach them how to get along again. This play is physical in nature and can look like fighting if youve never seen it before. There are many, Wild gerbils live together in large clans. Unfortunately, once pet gerbils declan, the loser cannot leave to find its own territory. This creates tension, which can lead to gerbils fighting. This is a sign that the fighting has gone too far, and the pair must be separated. Depression. Why Is One of My Gerbils Bigger than the Other? If left untreated, a stressed gerbil may become sick or even die. They are easy to spot and frequently display together. Once you believe you are noticing some of the stress signs, try to identify what is causing them. How to spot the signs of stress As soon as you notice that your gerbils have been fighting, remove one of them from the gerbilarium. Knowing what symptoms to look for is a great place to . When your gerbil becomes sad, you can tackle the problem if you know how to spot the telltale signs. They have very large and sharp teeth and you or your children may be afraid of a gerbil bite. To win, one must push the other over onto its back. Fortunately, gerbils usually get along well, especially if they were from the same litter or introduced as babies. In captivity, gerbils exhibit many kinds of unusual behavior. Grooming is an important behavior in gerbils. I've began to realise that maybe twice a week, he starts showing really weird behaviours. Each gerbil will periodically move out from the burrow to search for food and come back when its done. No stress - and a new beginning. Ears Pinned Or Pulled Back. This is one of the more severe signs of a stressed gerbil since it can be indicative of malnourishment. Once you find a gerbil who shows signs of a respiratory infection, . Of course, this description doesnt fit every fight. But it, As captive pets, gerbils are at risk of becoming overweight or obese. If you see warning signs that are triggering your gerbil, make sure they are not becoming stressed. I hope this helps you out with your gerbil pet! Gerbils are usually well-behaved when it comes to their toilet habits. Second, stress itself can increase the frequency of heartburn episodes no matter what you. This gerbil could be one of its previous cage mates or a new gerbil. Fights can get serious and involve the use of teeth. Signs of stress in gerbils include obsessive behaviors, such as over-grooming and cage biting. But if you cant, take your gerbil to an exotic pet veterinarian. Stress can also be triggered by environmental factors like overstimulation. This is normal behavior and completely harmless. Gerbils may be more aggressive, irritable, or hide excessively. If your gerbil recently lost a friend, wait a while. Theyll be able to examine your gerbil to determine whether an illness is causing stress. This will be especially true for the gerbil that has been overthrown and kicked out. Occasions, only some can tackle the problem if you cant feed it, example... Dig at their cage walls out of the cage, so you can tackle the problem help. 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