Jumping. If you do that, they will likely fight. Almost any health problem could cause stress, such as: If you suspect illness, take your gerbil to a suitably experienced veterinarian for a checkup. Signs of stress in a worker. Digestive issues like bloating, diarrhea, or nausea. Gerbils can also groom other gerbils. You might also want to try giving it food or water or playing with a toy. No stress - and a new beginning. Declanning causes fights between gerbils. Before taking your gerbil to the vet, try cleaning and sterilizing their enclosure, changing . However, there are many other reasons for stereotypy, such as lack of stimulation, small enclosure size, and lack of substrate. Wild gerbils denote their territory using a special scent gland on their underside, according to Experimental Animals. Emotional and mental symptoms of stress can include: 2. It stands to reason, then, that gerbils can also communicate when theyre unhappy. Gerbils fight by trying to pin each other down. One is trying to be dominant over the other, but the other doesn't back down. You want to do your best to help your gerbil to calm down and only take it to a vet when you think you cant help. One of the most common challenges people have with gerbils is that they dont know how to tell when the animal is stressed. A tasty treat will distract playing gerbils, but it wont break up a real fight. [Gerbil Tail Slip Prevention Guide]. It can be the result either of sadness or stress. Seeking medical attention is important especially during illness because gerbil illnesses progress rapidly and can be life-threatening. You can pair it with a sibling or with a new gerbil from the store. One of the most common reasons why gerbils become depressed is when their friends die. But with pet gerbils, this isnt an option because they are forced to live in the same tank. Your gerbil should get through about 10 to 15 grams of food per day (roughly one tablespoon). Signs of Depression Here are some signs that your gerbil may be depressed or verging on depression: Lack of appetite Constantly laying down/doesn't move often Not drinking at least once a day Will not care if picked up and held Is limp and doesn't start getting excited/move a lot when held. If you take good care of your gerbil, it should be happy and stress-free. The only other things that a gerbil can fight with are its teeth. Aches and pains. They may constantly try to escape from their gerbilarium or run around in circles. The gerbils ability to communicate has even been tested in a lab. It can also be caused by a change in routine. Aside from that, gerbils can die of many health conditions, as well as age. Thats because gerbils are surprisingly vicious, especially towards outsiders, i.e., gerbils that are strangers. They dont take up much room and are always ready to play. A cat or dog, perhaps? If this is the case, the best thing would be to keep them in separate tanks permanently. Reasons for Stressed Gerbils. It may even attempt to bite you or another gerbil if it feels that its territory is being threatened in any way! Signs of infection include diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, rough hair coat, a swollen or bloated abdomen, or fetal death in a pregnant female. And its true. Declanning is the term for when a clan split apart. Check for the signs of declanning. Stress can also cause your gerbil to grind its teeth, leading to dental problems. A listless gerbil could be ill or depressed, especially if alone. Both are more protective of their spaces, their territories than before. You can keep them in pairs or groups, but this can lead to fighting between gerbils. Overactive or underactive stress responses may stem from slight differences in these genes. Your gerbils will not be able to resolve their disagreement on their own. The dominate gerbil aggressively chasing the other. After pushing each other, the pair will fall still. However, in captivity, these patterns can change. A gerbil that isnt part of a clan wont live in that clans territory. If you separate your gerbils at this point, they may recover using the split-cage method. from falling, rough handling, or fighting with another gerbil). As pets, gerbils have an average lifespan of 3-4 years. They do this by bullying the gerbil in charge and trying to stop it from doing things. If you have more than two gerbils, try to identify which gerbil was the winner. Seizures and strokes are not always fatal. This is normally due to a severe health problem, or worse,. It cant get out of the cage, so another burrow isnt an option. They prefer to poop in the same area of their enclosure so that the rest of their cage stays clean. The winner of the fights gets to stay at the existing burrow, while the losers go off to form their new group elsewhere. 11. They need each others' company and pool resources together to survive. Doing so will enable you to take the right kind of action to avoid bad consequences. Gardening gloves work well for this purpose. This is something thats similar to the nervous tics that humans experience. So we must do everything we can to help our gerbils relax and feel comfortable in their home. Hamsters can do the same activities every day and it can sometimes look like they even have a set schedule, and that's normal. The sooner you identify the right one, the better for your little pet (and you, of course). Some everyday things that can help include: You can also try giving your gerbil a massage or providing them with some gentle music to listen to. Anyway, once the chasing starts - you should really be able to see what is going on. 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. Because this isnt possible in captivity, it makes the aggressor angry. When gerbils decide to declan, there is no way to stop them from fighting without separating them. It looks like theyre licking or nibbling at each others fur. This can cause nasty wounds. Be friendly and spend lots of time with it. This can lead to fighting when there wasnt any in the first place. Fur appearance may or may not change. This play is physical in nature and can look like fighting if youve never seen it before. But alongside other signs, such as altered sleep patterns, it shows that your gerbil is unhappy. Gerbils fighting to the death is, sadly, not uncommon. Anger is the outward expression of inner stress and is potentially one of the most damaging emotions. One of the more subtle signs of stress and anxiety that is easily missed, is nose and lip licking, yawning, and drooling. If you follow our above advice, you should be able to figure out whats causing your gerbil stress. 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. The idea is that the gerbils can get used to each other but cant fight. Signs of a gerbil dying can include lethargy, not eating or drinking, bloating, and more. In the wild, the losers of the declanning fight would go off to form a new group elsewhere. Epileptic seizures are known to occur in about twenty percent of gerbils. How to Spot Neglect. Gerbil mating rituals involve chasing and mounting, and carefully checking their undersides. If they touch things, then they are probably very anxious and scared. When your gerbils meet, the subordinate gerbil may intensely groom the aggressor. This article will explore some common signs that our gerbils feel overwhelmed and stressed. They will never grow to like each other. 3. Its kept in the same cage until you intervene. A gerbil cowering away from the rest of the group. Its difficult to re-introduce a gerbil into a large group, so starting another clan is your only option here. Otherwise, their fighting may lead to serious injury or death. But if you only have two gerbils, it can help teach them how to get along again. The burrow is the heart of the gerbil social group. Which condition is common in young gerbils that are under stress and is often called stress-induced chromodacryorrhea? You can make your gerbil happy by providing a comfortable place to sleep, great toys to play with, and enough food and water. This is a sign that it is happy and relaxed. But if one becomes depressed, its sleep pattern might change. How Do I Know My Gerbil is Pregnant? If the fighting seems to have subsided, its only a matter of time before it starts again. and more. Its whole body may vibrate when you hold it or pet it. This is normally due to a severe health problem, or worse,, Youve probably seen your gerbils grooming each other from time to time. Headaches, dizziness or shaking. Eventually, the aggressor will get fed up, and will begin chasing the other gerbil. In many cases a propensity to seizures is passed down from . Some of the most common signs of stress include gnawing on fur or cage bars, agitation, and refusal to eat or drink. If you notice the signs of declanning, you have to take action. Among the infectious bacterial diseases that affect gerbils, Tyzzer's disease is the most frequently occurring one. For example, it might become agitated and gnaw on its fur or cage bars. Stress: Gerbils may gnaw on the bars of their cage if they are feeling stressed. Grooming is an important behavior in gerbils. Your gerbil may also be stressed because of your behavior. Once their arguing has reached the point of fighting, it can get nasty quickly. Hey there, I'm Angela. Gerbils communicate their mood through body language and noise. 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. Stressed hamsters are likely to become ill, so keep a close eye on them and look out for them behaving differently - such as developing repetitive behaviour - as this can show that something's wrong. One of the most obvious signs of stressed axolotl is their gills. If you notice these changes, you should consult a vet. When a gerbil lives alone, it gets lonely. [1] 4 Check if your gerbil grooms or washes itself. They have long tails and make great pets for people in apartments because they can be quite affectionate and social creatures. We love to talk about them all! After a week or two, buy a split tank. They spend almost every waking moment digging, playing, and investigating. If your pet is in or next to its burrow or is in a corner, it may bite. When a gerbil encounters another familiar gerbil, they will greet each other by touching or rubbing noses. An exercise ball achieves the same thing. [Gerbil Tail Slip Prevention Guide]. We are going to be discussing the signs or symptoms of a stressed gerbil in this article. Sometimes we may not even realize that theyre going through a tough time until its too late. However, there are many signs of stress in gerbils, some of which are much easier to understand than, Youve probably seen your gerbils grooming each other from time to time. This could be because something in their environment is causing them to worry. These are unlikely to appear, though, unless your gerbil has reason to be depressed. Its like a wrestling match. Same-sex siblings get along well, so this could be an option for you. They may be fairly superficial, but you should still take note of them. But in captivity, this is physically impossible. One of the best things you can do for your gerbil is to ensure the sand is not dusty. As younger gerbils grow in size and confidence, they may challenge the authority of the dominant gerbil. Just keep treating it with kindness and giving it everything it needs. But when stressed or scared, gerbils will poop a lot, usually wherever theyre standing. The signs listed below are the most common ones that you should look out for: This is one of the first signs that something isnt quite right with your gerbil. When they are not play fighting, they will exhibit friendly behaviors such as sleeping together and grooming each other. It looks like theyre licking or nibbling at each others fur. This is like a great insult, or a great challenge, to the dominant gerbil. You can help a depressed gerbil to recover by spending time with your pet and showing them affection. To tell the difference, you need to look closely, Like all animals, gerbils need to blink to keep their eyes moist and clean of debris. Gerbils are communicative animals. It may be sitting in a tunnel, for example. The pair may then push each other around, trying to gain the upper hand. This gerbil could be one of its previous cage mates or a new gerbil. If a gerbil gets bored, this could quickly lead to stress. Most humans do this too when we feel anxious! There are other signs of fighting to look out for, too. They will remain stressed out and will eventually fight again. You can do this by speaking softly to it and providing a calm environment. Headaches, dizziness, or shaking. You will notice frequent fights, during which one gerbil tries to pin the other. It is forced to stay in the same gerbilarium as the winner. There are many things you can do to make sure your gerbil stays healthy and stress-free, including: However, even if you do all these things, your gerbil may still show signs of 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. Start again from step 3. Some gerbils are confident, whereas others are more submissive and timid by nature. Other things include: Aside from this, your gerbil may naturally be more unhappy than others. If it doesnt have one, get your gerbil a wheel. Its triggered by stress or illness. Loud squeaks are a sign of threats and fighting. My gerbil felix is about 3 months old, and has been moved in for over a month. Gerbils play fighting, however, is an entirely different thing. They can also give you tips on your gerbils environment and advise you of changes you can make. 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