Digging

If you have owned gerbils for any length of time, you have probably noticed them digging madly in a wall or a corner. If you're like me, you've probably taken this to mean that they're trying to get out. Let me assure you that this is not the case. Actually, this type of behavior is called "stereotypical digging" and is perfectly normal. It's actually caused by a gerbil's natural instinct to burrow¹. In nature, gerbils construct a burrow consisting of chambers connected by narrow tunnels. When they are placed in a tank or cage, this instinct compels them to continue to dig regardless of whether or not they actually get anywhere.

If a gerbil has learned the behavior of stereotypical digging, they will likely continue it throughout the rest of their lives. However, there are a couple of things a person could do to prevent gerbil pups from learning this behavior. The first thing you could do is to fill your tank up with dirt. In at least a couple of tests, people have found that the offspring of the gerbils who were placed in a dirt-filled tank did not engage in stereotypical digging, at least until they were placed in a tank with normal bedding. This tactic has several disadvantages, however, not the least of which is the fact that you won't be able to see your gerbils most of the time, and if a gerbil dies you may not know it until they start to smell. Another disadvantage of this method is that the adult gerbils will continue to stereotypically dig as soon as they reach a wall or a corner². Another tactic you can try (and this is a bit more feasible) is to create a tunnel leading to a chamber. In a 1997 study, Dr. Christoph Wiedenmayer found that in the wild, the children of gerbils who had constructed a chamber with a tunnel leading to it would not dig themselves, since their parents had already made the burrow for them. Inspired by this idea, Dr. Christoph Wiedenmayer raised gerbils in laboratory cages that had tunnels leading to chambers, and found that the gerbil pups did not dig³.

Thumping

Every now and then you will see a gerbil make a rhythmic thumping noise with their hind feet. There are two reasons for why they do this. The first is that they are warning other gerbils of danger. Gerbils can be spooked by many things including a loud noise, a sudden movement, or an unfamiliar animal entering the room⁴. Once one gerbil starts thumping, it is not uncommon for other gerbils to perk up their ears, or even start thumping themselves⁵. The other reason that gerbils thump is sexual excitement⁶. Think of it as a mating dance if you will. Although there is no real way for humans to tell the difference between the two main kinds of gerbil thumps, gerbils are certainly able to tell the difference⁷.

Sometimes you will see very young gerbils thumping a lot. They usually do this for one of two reasons: 1) They are scared much more easily because, unlike their parents, they have not yet learned which dangers are real, and which are imaginary 2) Basically to show off. This excessive thumping often exhibited by baby gerbils is usually ignored by their parents⁸.

Grooming

Gerbils usually groom themselves with their tongues and their mouths. When your gerbils groom each other on a regular basis, you can take it as a sign that all is well in their clan⁹. In the grooming process, gerbils will often wrestle each other, with the loser being held down and groomed enthusiastically¹⁰. This behavior is quite normal, and can be fun to watch.

Sleeping

In a normal family group, gerbils will sleep together in big heaps¹¹. Although one gerbil may sleep alone occasionally, be sure to watch and see if any single gerbil is consistently sleeps away from all of the other gerbils. This may be a sign that all is not well in their group, and fighting may not be far behind.

Marking their territory (rubbing their stomach)

If you lift your gerbil up, you will see that they have a narrow patch on their bellies with no skin. This is where their scent gland is located¹². Every gerbil has a scent gland that produces oil with a scent that is unique to them. Gerbils will use this scent gland to mark everything that is theirs (pretty much everything in their tank) and any family member that will let them get on their back¹³. Gerbils will begin marking their territory almost as soon as they are moved to a new location, be it a new cage, or a temporary play pen.

Fighting

There are really two kinds of fighting among gerbils: play fighting and real fighting. Play fighting is common among gerbils, and especially among pups¹⁴. This is just horseplay and occurs frequently, even in the best of families. Gerbils will often pounce on each other, chase each other around the tank or even stand on their hind legs and box with each other like kangaroos. You should always be on the lookout, though, for real fighting. When gerbils engage in real fighting, they become very violent and the loser of the fight is often killed¹⁵.

• Why Gerbils Engage in Real Fighting:

  In the wild, gerbils live in small family groups or clans. There is only one dominant pair of gerbils that mates regularly, and a number of subordinate gerbils that care for the young. When one or more of the subordinate gerbils wants to move on, they will move away from the clan and start their own family. When kept by humans, thought, gerbils are not able to move on¹⁶. This can lead to fighting. Gerbils can fight for one of several reasons:
  

  1. A previously dominant gerbil becomes older (usually around two years of age) and other, younger gerbils will fight them for dominance of the clan.
  2. When gerbil females reach about six months of age, they will become aware of their subordinate roll in relation to their mother and, seeking to become dominant, they will fight with their mother in an attempt to "drive her off."
  3. When two many mature males and females are kept in a tank together, they will often fight with other gerbils in an attempt to become part of the dominant pair.

• How to know if your gerbils have been fighting¹⁷:

  There are a few things you need to watch for to see if your gerbils have been fighting :
  

  1. One of your gerbils suddenly loses weight. This could mean that the more dominant, aggressive gerbils in your clan are keeping your less aggressive gerbils from getting any food.
  2. Your gerbil has bite marks on their tail, rump, or head.
  3. One of your gerbils stops sleeping in the nest all together.
  
  If your gerbils are exhibiting any of these signs, it could mean that fighting is imminent, or that it has already occurred.

• Preventing your Gerbils from Fighting:

  There are, however, several things you can do to prevent fighting among your gerbils¹⁸:
  

  1. Keep only one nesting box in your tank for your gerbils to nest in.
  2. Never keep more than one breeding pair in a tank at once.
  3. When a mating pair produces a new litter, remove all but 1 to 3 of the pups from the last litter to prevent overcrowding, especially if you're using a smaller tank.
  4. In same gendered groups, never keep more than two females or four males in a tank at once. Some people have had success with keeping up to seven males in a tank together, but you need to be cautious when keeping more than four males together at a time.
  5. Always use the "split cage" method when introducing two gerbils into the same tank.
  6. Don't keep your gerbils in cages that are too large or complex. If your gerbils go for more than a day without seeing each other, they may forget the scent of the other gerbil and begin to see them as an unfamiliar, hostile gerbil. Also, when tanks are large, gerbils may try to establish their own "territory" and start to attack other gerbils who trespass on it. In the wild, there is actually a lot of fighting that occurs on the "borders" between gerbil territories.
  
  If your gerbils do start fighting, be sure to remove the aggressor, and not the victim. If you remove the victim, then the aggressor will probably begin picking on someone else. Be sure to remove the victim only when they need immediate veterinary assistance.(3) Although it may be hard to tell who the aggressor is, you can usually tell who they are because they are usually the only one uninjured (or will only have injuries around the head and mouth, since it is the losers who are bitten on the rump while trying to run away).

• First Aid for Fighting Gerbils:

  It is usually not necessary to treat gerbils who have been in fights. Unlike other animals, such as cats and dogs, gerbil wounds rarely get infected and usually heal within a few days¹⁹. Sometimes, however, if your gerbils have been fighting especially roughly, your gerbil may come down with one of the following conditions that you really should treat²⁰:
  

  1. Anorexia - A gerbils that is injured will often experience a loss of appetite, probably caused by the trauma of being rejected by a member of their clan. If this happens, you may want to try giving your gerbil a variety of different foods and treats in an effort to get them interested in eating again.
  2. Hypothermia - Gerbils that are severely injured often become cold from immobility. In this case you need to warm them up. You can do this by holding them in your hands or by putting them on a hot water bottle. Another option is to put a heating pad under their tank.
  3. Dehydration - in some cases, a seriously injured gerbil will experience dehydration either from not drinking or in some cases, from serious blood loss. In this case, you want to offer them water with a dropper. If this does not work, you may want to talk to your veterinarian about injecting them with a saline solution.
  4. Infection - If you are very worried that your gerbil's injuries will become infected, you may want to wash them with hydrogen peroxide and apply a topical antibiotic. Although Neosporin has worked well for some gerbil owners, you should probably consult a veterinarian to find out what works best²¹.
  
  Remember that each of the above suggestions is only first aid. If your gerbils continues to manifest these symptoms over the course of a few days, it is best to consult your veterinarian.

Escaping:

While most gerbils are perfectly content to live in their tank, there are a few whose curiosity compels them to see what lies beyond the great divide. Most of the time you can prevent your gerbil from escaping by making sure that the lid of their tank is always on. There are time when, despite your best efforts, gerbils will still get out.

• What to do When a Gerbil Escapes:

  There are several things you will want to be sure to do when your gerbil escapes²²:
  

  1. Close all of the doors, windows and any other exits to every room in your home.
  2. Put your other pets such as dogs and cats outside, or in a small room that you are absolutely sure your gerbil is not in.
  3. Start looking for your gerbil.

• Finding your Hiding Gerbil:

  Gerbils who escape usually do not travel far from the comforting smell from their home, so you should usually start looking for them in the room where you keep their tank or cage. Move around the room slowly so that you do no accidentally step on them, and carefully look under every item and piece of furniture in the room. If your gerbil is not in the room where their tank is kept, slowly search the other rooms in your house, beginning with the ones closest to your gerbil's room. If you still can't find your gerbil, place exactly five sunflower seeds (although you can use more or less seeds) and a small bowl of water on the floor of every room in your house. Then check back frequently to see if any of the seeds have been eaten. If you find empty shells, you know your gerbil either has been or currently is in that room. If you still can't find out which room your gerbil is in, you can also try the "gerbil trap" method discussed in the next section.

• When you Find a Hiding Gerbil

  Once you find a hiding gerbil, it is usually not wise to simply try and grab them. If you do, then they will probably just run and hide under an even more hard-to-reach place than the one they are currently in. What you want to do is sit quietly next to where they are. Being naturally curious, your gerbil will probably come out and investigate. If they recognize you as the source of their food they will probably come right up to you. If they do, you can simply put your hands down on the ground, pick them up and place them back in their cage. Many times, younger gerbils will even come up to their tank if you place it on the ground outside where they're hiding. Another technique you can try is to place a small plastic pipe near where they're hiding. Experienced gerbil owners often keep PVC pipes handy for just such an occasion, although you can also use a shoebox if you don't have a plastic pipe handy. When the gerbil comes out and crawls into the tube, throw a blanket or towel over it, quickly place your hands over both sides and take the gerbil, blanket and all, back to their tank²³. If none of these ideas work, you can try is to set up a gerbil trap. To do this, take an old can or bucket (tall enough that the gerbil can't jump out of it) and put a towel over the top. In the middle of the towel, place all sorts of tasty treats that your gerbil loves. Then place ramps on the side of the can so that your gerbil can easily get to the treats. If you placed your towel correctly, the weight of the gerbil should be enough to pull them down into the can. This way, they can easily get into the can, but they can not get out again without your assistance²⁴.

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  ¹ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ² National Gerbil Society. 2003. "Gerbil Help." United Kingdom: National Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.gerbils.co.uk/).
  ³ National Gerbil Society. 2003. "Gerbil Help." United Kingdom: National Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.gerbils.co.uk/).
  ⁴ Gerbil FAQ. 2004. "Gerbil FAQ: Revision 16," Retrieved 2-22-05 (http://members.nanc.com/~mhaines/gerbil.html#section5.1).
  ⁵ Gerbil FAQ. 2004. "Gerbil FAQ: Revision 16," Retrieved 2-22-05 (http://members.nanc.com/~mhaines/gerbil.html#section5.1).
  ⁶ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ⁷ Gerbil FAQ. 2004. "Gerbil FAQ: Revision 16," Retrieved 2-22-05 (http://members.nanc.com/~mhaines/gerbil.html#section5.1).
  ⁸ Gerbil FAQ. 2004. "Gerbil FAQ: Revision 16," Retrieved 2-22-05 (http://members.nanc.com/~mhaines/gerbil.html#section5.1).
  ⁹ Gerbil FAQ. 2004. "Gerbil FAQ: Revision 16," Retrieved 2-22-05 (http://members.nanc.com/~mhaines/gerbil.html#section5.1).
  ¹⁰ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ¹¹ Gerbil FAQ. 2004. "Gerbil FAQ: Revision 16," Retrieved 2-22-05 (http://members.nanc.com/~mhaines/gerbil.html#section5.1).
  ¹² Gerbil FAQ. 2004. "Gerbil FAQ: Revision 16," Retrieved 2-22-05 (http://members.nanc.com/~mhaines/gerbil.html#section5.1).
  ¹³ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ¹⁴ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ¹⁵ National Gerbil Society. 2003. "Gerbil Help." United Kingdom: National Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.gerbils.co.uk/).
  ¹⁶ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ¹⁷ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ¹⁸ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ¹⁹ National Gerbil Society. 2003. "Gerbil Help." United Kingdom: National Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.gerbils.co.uk/).
  ²⁰ National Gerbil Society. 2003. "Gerbil Help." United Kingdom: National Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.gerbils.co.uk/).
  ²¹ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ²² American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ²³ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).
  ²⁴ American Gerbil Society. 2005. "The Gerbil Care Handbook." Rutland, Virginia: American Gerbil Society, Retrieved 2-22-2005 (http://www.agsgerbils.org/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/).

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  Page last updated: Wed. Sep. 21, 2005
  Page made: Wed. Sep. 21, 2005