Your COMPLETE GUIDE to bonding gerbils: The split cage method

[@SliceOfWildlife]

Heather- Thank you for taking the time to make such a thorough -- yet understandable -- video guide. I recently became a gerbil owner, and it came as a complete surprise. While shopping for dog food, the pet store we were at was attempting to get rid of the final gerbil from last month's "inventory" 😤 with a big 'Free!' sign on the tank. To make a long story short, it was inches away from going home with a customer who thought it would be just fine to let it live in a tank with their snake. I (along with my entire family) are total animal people and were worried if we didn't take her, she would be at continued risk of going into a bad situation as an impulse pet. Your channel has been absolutely invaluable in learning about gerbils and how to give them the best life. I ended up going elsewhere & getting another female gerbil of a similar age in hopes they will bond & have a happy life in a pair. After quarantining per your recommendation, we are now on day 3 of the split tank method, and seeing some really positive signs & grooming. While I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will continue to go well, your videos have really helped me remain realistic, patient & flexible. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for your hard work & guidance. While I never thought I would be a gerbil owner, I also never knew what absolutely incredible creatures they are. In a short time, they have brought so much joy. I'm always thinking about them & what else I can do to make their little worlds better. xoxo

[@PetConnectionInternational]

awh that's amazing! Thanks so much for rescuing the little one, you did something truly wonderful for her, and I'm sure she knows that she's found an amazing home with you 💚 I hope your bonding has continued to go well for them 🤞

[@SliceOfWildlife]

@@PetConnectionInternational Heather- It has been 3 weeks since my original comment. Every day I have increased their time together -- though honestly, I've probably been a little *too* cautious. Since I have no experience with gerbils, I feel like I've had moments of overanalysis & separated when it wasn't needed (ex: "Oh no! That grooming seems a little rough, maybe it's aggression?!" etc). Feels like I'm starting to get a better sense of what their 'normal' is that comes with time & experience watching them. Hit a milestone yesterday & I could cry... they had their first cuddle for a bit! Kept them apart overnight, and when I got up this morning I removed the divider. They instantly ran to each other, groomed, & made a little burrow. They have spent the past 12 hours wrapped around each other cuddling, waking up every so often to play or eat & then it's right back to cuddle-sleep. Oh Heather, it is such a good feeling to see them bonding & happy. I've been totally worried that it wouldn't work out. I will continue to follow your advice/steps & keep my fingers crossed for continued positive progression. Again -- THANK YOU. You made everything so understandable & your guides & advice (especially about taking it slow) have been such a source of help & reassurance. When I have a bit of time, I'm going to make a quick video, because it turns out you have a MASSIVE fan in this house (& I'm not just talking about myself!). The other day I rewatched your guide & didn't realize auto-play was on. When I came back into my room, my cat Koda was on the bed, glued to the computer screen watching. He was 'enthralled' to say the least. Had to whip out my phone & record it. I've been letting him watch one of your vids every day, his reaction is so funny. I sent a small token of appreciation via your Linktree. Thank you for all you do! ❤🐾

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Oh that's such wonderful news!! I'm so happy for you and your new tiny best buds 🥰🥰 It just makes your heart sing seeing them snuggle up doesn't it? And I would love to see your wee cat enjoying the videos, that sounds hilarious 😆 never considered that my videos could be a bit of cat TV too! And thank you SO much for the donation, I really really appreciate it! That'll be going towards some new supplies for Luna & Misty's upcoming tank upgrade, so they very much appreciate your donation too! Thank you again from all of us 🐹💚

[@ChristineKwasny-h3k]

Thank you for creating this very informative guide! We were left with a rather young adult male and wanted to get him a new friend. We were able to find a 7-week-old male and after following your advice, they are very happy together. We had alot of questions and didn't want to make the process more difficult, stressful, and potentially dangerous. Finding your guide made it very easy to make a positive introduction. Thank you!!!

[@PetConnectionInternational]

That's wonderful news! Thank you so much for sharing, I'm so glad the guide could help 🥰

[@dubliners0999]

I have been waiting for this video! It's easily the most comprehensive and accurate set of instructions I've ever seen for doing a "split cage" method. Thank you so much, Heather. So very, very helpful to the gerbil owner community. :)

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Awh thank you 🥰 that was my whole aim with this video, it seemed like it was really needed, so I'm really glad you're finding it helpful, hopefully it'll help lots of gerbs find new friends too 💚

[@dubliners0999]

​@@PetConnectionInternational I originally separated my 2 brothers because the passive one was 10 - 15 grams lower in weight and wasn't using the food dish, water bottle, or wheel. The passive gerbil also slept away from the dominant gerbil. Did I act too quickly in separating them and then trying the split cage? Should I have waited for actual fighting? I did try scatter feeding and 2 water bottles.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Well sleeping away from each other could be a sign of declanning, and realistically there's always going to be a better chance of repairing a relationship if there hasn't been fighting. It sounds like you're really on the ball and super aware of what's going on with your gerbs, I think they're in really good hands 💚

[@TheGerbilVine]

Great video and tutorial! Love all the gerbil footage, I think its helpful to be able to see the gerbil's behavior rather than just talking about it. Very happy things worked out with Luna & Misty :) !

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Thanks! And thanks very much for helping out with the clips! I'm glad I've been able to gather examples of all the behaviours together, hopefully it'll help some lonely gerbs find new friendship 🥰

[@PetConnectionInternational]

DISCLAIMER: the fight wasn't in any way intentional, it was a mistake I made during my first bonding. For more information, see this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYPPfIhmmLeiiMU Download the written version of this guide here: ➡ bit.ly/3gUC3vJ For help with making a split cage divider, check out this video next: 🎬 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXuncot8btqqors ⚠️ PSA: Luna's since had a couple of injuries involving the towel (she got a bit stuck in between her teeth and had a toenail ripped out by it) so I'd strongly advise against using fabric towels and using paper towels instead, you can still transfer the positive association and smells with this if you reuse it 🙂 I really hope this video & guide can help you guys out with your own split tanks, they only took me around 80 hours to make 😅 but as long as it's helpful for even one person and their gerbs, it was 100% worth it, good luck out there! And remember, I'm always here (or on Facebook/my website) if you need more help or support 💚

[@captainfunky1590]

I absolutely love your channel! Fortunately my boys came already bonded from the rescue they came from. I'd be so stressed having to attempt bonding aha. Your videos are great. Thank you for all the effort and work you put into them!

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Awh thanks 🥰 I'm glad my channel can be helpful to you and your fur babies ☺️ Bonding definitely is stressful, especially the first time and when there isn't clear guidance on the whole process 😅 but hopefully if you ever need to go through it yourself I can be here to help x

[@MadJaz]

I'm here from the VidIQ stream and I realized that this is the PERFECT channel for me! Looking forward to new content soon!

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Awh thanks, I hope the videos can help ☺️

[@dubliners0999]

Thanks!

[@PetConnectionInternational]

oh wow, thank you so much! I really appreciate the support 💚💚

[@syj6489]

thank you for your great tips! my gerbils which were brothers, same age, they fought against each other with minor injuries.😢 I quickly separated them and tried split tank method, however it seemed like that it didn't work at all...because they were super stressed. but still I tried and tried for a month, changing their room every day, buying a whole new home, new food, following your instruction(every single one...), and... it worked!🎉🎉 in my case, along with everything you told us, chinchilla powder bath worked. it help them to be cleaned and decreased their own scent, so they were less likely to treat each other as an enemy. ☺️ anyway, thank you again! now I will enjoy the peaceful moment for now..

[@PetConnectionInternational]

awh that's great! I'm glad you were able to get them back together ☺️ when you say "chinchilla powder" are you using quartz based sand? or powder/dust? I only ask as dust/powder can irritate gerbils' sensitive respiratory systems

[@saml.694]

Great advice! I usually switch them 3x per day for 7 days, maybe longer and watch them closely when putting them together. (I also tend to let them sniff each other while switching them after a few days while I hold them. I agree that girls need more caution and play dates recommended with a longer period of using the divider.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Thanks ☺️ I did the hand sniff thing and 3x swapping during my first bonding too, but I found them to be unnecessary, just added steps that don't really make a difference to the bonding process, and the 3x swaps I find to be added stress on the gerbils, while making no difference to the amount of scent swapping or the speed of bonding. And the meeting in the hand thing didn't actually tell me whether or not the girls were ready to meet, they were fine in my hands, then Luna attacked Pumbaa on the walk-by meet. I think watching how they interact through the divider and how they act after swaps tells us everything we need to know tbh Of course the hand meeting wouldn't be that big of a deal for the gerbils I don't think, but it does add a bunch of extra unnecessary faff for us 😅 I talked about them a bit more in my bonding mistakes video if you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYPPfIhmmLeiiMU 🙂

[@gutterpuppy340]

Hi! Thanks for this video. It's been really useful. We're about a week and a half into our split tank intro of a new 10 week gerbil to our lonely 1 year gerbil who's best friend suddenly died a few months ago. Our existing gerbil was living in a 4ft tank alone and obsessed with his wheel, so is seeming very distressed at the small, bare, 135L bin theyre in, but other than mesh climbing and frantic digging from him signs seemed fairly good from both gerbils - general disinterest, no nest destroying, sniffing through the mesh etc. There has been some chirruping and foot stomping occasionally but we also have a puppy and think maybe the stomping is related to him disturbing them sometimes. We've done two play dates which were kinda positive but only lasted a couple of mins before ball-ups looked like they would occur but this morning's play date was an instant ball-up. We separated before there were any injuries and they're now just ignoring each other again and sat in each others nests as we swapped them whilst separating. I don't really know what to do now though! Do I start over again? Do I call it a day and put them in a perma-split and buy a detolf? Any advice is very much appreciated! :)

[@PetConnectionInternational]

A week and a half is still pretty early, you could maybe give them another week or so with daily swaps and try again. You could also try doing playdates on the other gerbils' side if the side you're doing it on now isn't working, or possibly try removing the divider temporarily for playdates but have a carrier on hand for when they need separating. They may just not be compatible, but it's worth trying a few different things first to see if we can get them to be friends

[@gutterpuppy340]

@@PetConnectionInternational Would you recommend another week in the same bedding and tank, or would you recommend cleaning out and starting again with fresh bedding?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@gutterpuppy340 same bedding, we want to keep all their scents there and mixing together for that scent association

[@gutterpuppy340]

@@PetConnectionInternational Okay, great. Thanks! I had some advice from a gerbil group that after a ball-up I should remove all bedding, reset them apart for a week or two and start from scratch. Just wasn’t sure which approach was better! I’d rather try to persevere with them as is for now as the less time I can have them in the smaller bin the better! I miss seeing Oogie in his wheel and tunnelling about!

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@Gutter Puppy with mine I didn't, I just put them back in the split and gave them a good few days of being completely separate before trying again. You could start again if you wanted to, but I don't think it's necessary personally as you separated immediately, if they had injured each other I'd definitely do a full reset, I don't think it's strictly necessary in this case, but it is an option

[@Angeli2209]

I watch ur vids every night before I sleep! I have 2 gerbils and I love them sm, 1 is very gentle and the other is very hyper and ends up climbing my shirt 🤣

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Gerbs do tend to enjoy the human climbing frame 😆

[@victorc4_1234]

Tysm for this video 🥺 perfect timing too, one of my 2 gerbils recently passed away so I got 2 new ones so Marty won’t be lonely and I have them in a split tank. I don’t really know where to go from here but when I watch your video I’m sure I’ll gain a lot of knowledge on the subject ^^ thank you for helping all the gerbil parents out there❤

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Awh I'm sorry for your loss 💚 but I'm glad you've got new friends for Marty, fingers crossed it works out well for you 🤞 And you're welcome, I'll be here if you need any more help x

[@victorc4_1234]

@@PetConnectionInternational thank you 🥰

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Just to check, the two new gerbils are both young (

[@victorc4_1234]

@@PetConnectionInternational no 😣 about 8 months. Marty is about 2 years

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Oh right, you won't be able to bond them together then unfortunately. As I said in the video, once a pair of gerbils have reached maturity (8 weeks) they tend to treat any new gerbil as an intruder to their clan, so your pair will likely always see Marty as an intruder and are highly unlikely to accept him, and attempting to bond them all together could also cause the pair to fall out leaving you with 3 solo gerbils So sadly you'll have to leave the pair alone and find a new friend for Marty, either someone who's a similar age or a pair of pre-pubescent pups (

[@stephaniexo3895]

Hi! I’m just looking for some advice. I had two sets of gerbils - living in separate tanks. One passed and I tried to split cage the one remaining with the pair. After watching your video it was clear to me why this didn’t work (the other pair were a lot older). Unfortunately I lost one of my older boys tonight. I spoke with the vet who said after a few days I could try the two solo males together in a split cage and they may be more willing to bond, what do you think? Kevin is about 1 year old and Sausage is about 2/3 (I rescued the older pair from a small adoption cage at pets at home who had no info on their ages). Kevin lost his brother about 4 months ago and obviously Sausage lost his brother this evening so I’m going to give him some time to grieve first. Any advice would be welcome.

[@loudo9680]

Thank you so much for such an extensive and helpful video. Unfortunately one of my gerbils has very suddenly passed away. I was wondering if you had any advice regarding cleaning the tank after this happens? Would you do a deep clean as soon as possible or leave some scented bedding behind? Or would you leave it as is while the remaining gerbil settles? And how long is okay to wait before trying to bond again? Thank you so much for all your help and advice through all your videos.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

So sorry for your loss 💚 In terms of cleaning it would depend on what the other gerbil passed of, as it sounds like you don't know the cause I would do a deep clean as soon as possible, just in case it was something contagious For bonding I would start looking for a friend right away as it can take a little while to find one, but don't introduce them until your current gerbil has made it through at least 2 weeks without any signs of infection, just in case they do have something x

[@triple_b6154]

is re-bonding possible? My gerbils have been friends since I got them 2 years ago, but recently 1 injured the other so I separated them, and when I tried to put them together again they attacked each other. What should I do?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Sometimes it is possible by following the split tank method, but it's very risky after they've injured each other as they're highly likely to fight again. The safest option is to bond them both with new friends

[@HiHonigkuchen]

I’m getting pups from breeder that are not from the same litter. One litter is one week younger than another. Do i need to do the split cage if they’re are pups around 45 days old? (Male) Or can I tell the breeder to introduce them beforehand?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Why can't you just get a pair of siblings?

[@Cedar_Blossom1830]

If you already have two gerbils, and you want to get another one (all male), can we still do this to bond all three? And is it okay to do so?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

No, as I said in the video, once a pair/group of gerbils have reached maturity they will treat any new gerbil as an intruder to their clan and possibly attack them, or the new gerbil could destabilise the bonds in the clan leaving you with 3 solo gerbils If you want more gerbils, you'll need to get a new enclosure for the new pair

[@sassypetshop]

Currently educating myself on this topic as one of my gerbies has passed from a stroke I presume. He was only a little over a year and his brother is such a sweet thing. I do not have any close breeders nearby so the youngest gerbil I can get is from petsmart and I am not entirely sure how old they are, do you believe it would be better to bond my ~1.5yo male with 2 younger males or try finding a single male being sold. I am not up to splitting a bonded pair so if I did have to bond 2 boys with him what do you believe the likelihood they will stay bonded be? Oliver was really sweet when Graham was passing, grooming him and keeping him warm, they rarely had fights unless it was over a special treat and it was just little squeaks so I would say he is rather passive.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

I'm so sorry for your loss 💚 in regards to your question, if you're not sure of the age of the pups I wouldn't risk trying a 2-1 as if they're even slightly too old they may have already formed their clan and an attempted bonding could destabilise things. I think in this situation you're probably better off finding a solo, if you think Oliver is quite laid back then he may have a good chance at bonding with someone new 🙂

[@DownTownMoggy1]

what do you do if your gerbil that you have got now isnt hand tamed? Also my gerbil ralph is like the pumbaa

[@PetConnectionInternational]

I'd use a tube or jug that they'll climb into by themselves to swap them, and on meets try and grab the one that is tamed if you need to separate them 🙂

[@DownTownMoggy1]

ok thankyou so much :)

[@amandas4019]

Hi, I recently lost one of my boys. The remaining Gerbil is approximately 3 and a half years old. There is a single male gerbil of around a year old locally looking for a home. Given my Gerbil's age I'm not sure on the best course of action. Should I try pairing him with the other lonely male, should I get two male babies who can keep each other occupied or should he be left on his own at this stage? He's not as active now as in his younger years but has no health problems I'm aware of. There has been no noticeable change in behaviour since his brother died but I know he likely feels lonely now. Any advice would be gratefully received.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

It's up to you, I'd always be inclined to try and help out a single first, so they're not left alone either, even if the bonding doesn't work they could always be set up as neighbours for some social interaction, it helped both Pumbaa & Luna when we had to cut the bonding short bc of Pumbaa's health declining. I wouldn't want to leave him alone, but given his age I'd be inclined to try and do the bonding in a full size tank with reasonable (6 inches ish) bedding, not too deep to impair the bonding though. And then add in a wheel each and lots of enrichment, just so that he's not too deprived, and take the bonding slow, don't attempt meets until at least 2 weeks in due to the larger space and deeper bedding

[@amandas4019]

@@PetConnectionInternational thank you for the advice. I have contacted the owner of the other male and he has already been rehomed unfortunately but I'll keep looking.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@amandas4019 awh that's a shame, fingers crossed you find someone soon 🤞

[@Bluspethouseandriding]

Hello, I about 1 month had a declan between my pair of gerbils. I have been switching them back and forth between 2 cages after giving them 2 weeks to themselves. How should I move from here. 1 cage is a 10 gallon the other is a 75 gallon. How should I go about reintrodtion?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

You're best bet is to set up a proper split inside one of the tanks, I'd suggest the 75 as the 10 is a bit too small, even for bonding. Then follow the split tank method, I wouldn't even think about attempting an introduction until at least 3 weeks in that size tank, and only if you're seeing lots of positive signs. Be extremely careful on meets and split at the first sign of tension, you want to stop it before it gets to the point of a fight, it may take a month or more to get them back together if at all, but fingers crossed you can get them to be friends again 🤞

[@FunkyNinjaDizzle]

Great content thank you. How long should the swapping of sides be, I may of missed this info but couldn't find it. I have a pair of new 8 week old gerbils and a 5 month old gerbil who recently lost his buddy, I tried to find a lone gerbil for the bonding to no avail so I bought a pair, they have been in a split tank for 24 hours now and the initial signs look good, no aggression to speak of etc but reading through some of the comments I'm unsure how things will pan out, last thing i want is for the new bonded pair to fall out. Thanks

[@PetConnectionInternational]

In your case with babies, I'd do it for at least a week. For 1-1 I'd say it depends on the size of the tank, in a small tank a week minimum, in a large one at least 2-3 weeks

[@FunkyNinjaDizzle]

@@PetConnectionInternational thanks for the reply, they are in a small tank, like just over a 100 litres. I meant when swapping them to the other gerbils living quarters, how long should that be for, 30 mins, 1 hour? I've been swapping them for around an hour then putting them back on their own side. Thank you

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Oh I see the confusion, they get swapped once per day, so they completely change sides and stay there until the next swap, otherwise one side will be the territory of one, and the other side the territory of the other. The idea is to have them spend equal time on both sides so they spend time in each others scents and all of their scents get mixed up which helps them to identify each other as members of their own clan As you're only 24 hours in, I'd suggest swapping them over now and leaving them until tomorrow before swapping them back, and repeat that for around a week before attempting intros, so if the babies are on the left side one day, they should be moved to the right side the following day, then back to the left side the day after that, and repeat like that, they're completely changing sides, rather than just visiting if that makes sense

[@FunkyNinjaDizzle]

@@PetConnectionInternational thank you that makes total sense. When it eventually comes to playdate time, is it preferable to be in a neutral territory like a playpen or one of the spit sides? also should I introduce both the new gerbils to the existing one at the same time or 1 at a time? Thanks again. Please let me know if you have a donation / coffee link otherwise Ill just purchase some merch 👍👍

[@PetConnectionInternational]

I tend to do it on one of the sides, whoever is least bossy is the one that stays put, I do it deliberately to try and level the playing field so to speak, so the bossy one is a bit displaced, while the relaxed one isn't. In your case I'd try the pair on the singles side, if that doesn't work you can always give a neutral space a go, I have heard it work for some people. I generally don't recommend it in the first instance because the whole point of the split tank is to make the space and the gerbils all smell the same, so a neutral space removes them from the smells, but it is something that can work, as you're doing 2-1 I'd be tempted to try that as a second option, failing that I'd try swapping them over then removing the divider for a meet. But fingers crossed it goes well for you before having to try lots of different variations 🤞 ah thank you, that's very kind, there's links to everything in the video description, there's a donation option for the gerbils on my linktree and I have supers turned on here on KZbin 🙂

[@dubliners0999]

Although my first 2 tries with split cage didn't work with my 2 brothers (one's a bully), I have some time off later this month and am going to try again. Tonight, I put one gerbil in a small travel cage and put that in my other gerbil's cage to see if they were curious about each other. They did sniff each other's faces, but one gerbil chewed the bars of his cage (of course, they all do that with the travel cage when I go to change their cages, so I'm not sure if that is a sign of stress or dominance). The more dominant gerbil seems lonely even though his cage is pushed up against a girl gerbil's cage, so it seems as though it's worth a try. Fingers crossed...

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Yeah it does seem like it could be worth another go. Biting the bars is usually just a "let me out" thing, rather than anything to do with the bonding. Hopefully it works this time 🤞

[@Zuurstok]

Do you think this method can be approached differently with one adult and one pup 7/8 weeks? If they are put in the split take both on one side together and it goes really well, do you still recommend splitting them up again after a few hours? My idea would be to leave them together at that point if it just goes really well. Would love to hear your thoughts on it.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Yes, you can do it with a pup too 🙂 I just prefer not to because I don't like the idea of separating a pup from their siblings in case the bonding doesn't work, whereas with 2 gerbils that are already solos there's nothing to lose by trying the bonding. But lots of people do bond with a pup and it may have a higher chance of being successful as the older one wouldn't likely see the pup as a threat. For the meets, lots of people have a rule of leaving them together once there's snuggles, I just personally don't feel comfortable leaving them overnight until I'm really extra sure that they're okay and I've had that extra bit of confirmation with a second long successful meet, but if you feel comfortable leaving them together once they've had a really successful day then you can do that, lots of people do it successfully 🙂

[@Zuurstok]

@@PetConnectionInternational Thankyou for the reply! It’s good to hear other people’s experience 😄

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@Zuurstok no problem ☺️ yeah there are lots of little differences in the way people do their split tanks, it doesn't need to be super strict, I've seen loads of different variations work successfully, as long as the essential elements are there of keeping them separated with a divider for a bit, while they swap sides and swap scents and meets are done carefully and under strict observation while watching for positive/negative behaviours, those are really the core things, the specifics can vary a little and still have a chance at being successful 🙂

[@Zuurstok]

@@PetConnectionInternational Yes, I noticed it also depends on the country which bonding method is used. But it’s good to see what different ways also can/are successful

[@RebeccaWall-mm7pc]

Hi, thank you firstly for this great video. I hope it's okay to ask a question on here. I've been split caging my gerbs for 4 days now, swapping once a day as in your video. Unfortunately one of them managed to climb really fast (basically flew) over the divider when I went to feed them today. They did ball, but did not hurt each other (on my poor fingers, but that's better than them!). Obviously they went straight back to the split, and are now sniffing each other through the divide and sleeping in each others nests. I just wanted to ask if you think it'll still work? I'm not in a rush to introduce them again as I don't want to stress them or lead to another fight... Maybe you have some advice please? Thank you for your time.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Yeah, definitely give them some more time, I'd probably give them a solid week after that honestly, that's about how long I waited after my ball fight with Luna & Pumbaa before starting meets, and they bonded fine 🙂 Just be extra careful to try and not let it happen again, maybe just keep the lid on unless you're actually sticking your hand in to feed them, and don't take your eyes off of little climber for a second You also may end up needing much shorter meets with them too, with Luna & Pumbaa after their ball fight I only got like a minute in to the first meet before Luna started side arching, so I split them and very very slowly extended the meet times, as long as neither of them were arching or being too tense, if they were I'd separate them, better to be safe than sorry And I hope your fingers are okay after their ordeal 💚

[@RebeccaWall-mm7pc]

@@PetConnectionInternational Thank you so much for your reply! I will give them another week at the very least and then see how they are with each other. Definitely will be keeping my eye on the climbing one, I am usually incredibly careful so I am kicking myself that it happened. I am just glad that my error hasn't completely ruined their chances at becoming friends. My fingers are okay, I would rather take the hits then have them hurt each other, that's for sure! Thank you again for your reply, I will keep at it and keep an extra careful eye on the climber ❤

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@RebeccaWall-mm7pc no problem, good luck! ☺️

[@sireenaaneeris]

So I have three gerbils. Two of them are brothers that are a few months old. I now have a third gerbil that’s ever so slightly younger. I’m not sure if they will all get along. I feel really bad that the newer one currently doesn’t have any friends. What should I do if they don’t get along?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Don't try and introduce them whatever you do, it could destabilise the bond in the pair, leaving you with 3 solos or the pair will immediately reject the solo and attack them, please do not introduce 2-1 adults If you want to get the solo some company, you'll need to get another single for them to bond with and introduce those two 1-1 using the split tank method

[@sireenaaneeris]

@@PetConnectionInternational thank you for the advice. I would like to get the new one some company but my mom said no. What should I do then should I spend more time with him and hopefully it will make him happy or should I give him to a trusted place? (Edit: I’d also like to add that I’m already spending a lot of time with gerbil number 3 and he is doing great. I am doing everything I can to keep him happy)

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@sireenaaneeris that's wonderful that you're trying so hard to keep him company, I'm sure he appreciates having you around, but unfortunately human interaction can't fully replace gerbil company, we can't groom them like another gerbil would, can't cuddle with them while they sleep, can't be with them 24/7, can't communicate in ultrasonic frequencies, it's just not the same as having a gerbil friend. I do think the best bet would be finding him a really good home with someone who can give him a lovely gerbil pal, I know it's heartwrenching, but if your mum won't let you give him the company he needs, I think the kindest thing for him would be to find him somewhere that can x

[@sireenaaneeris]

@@PetConnectionInternational ok thank you. Is their some sort of group that I can get In contact with? I want what’s best for him

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@sireenaaneeris there's a few rehoming groups on Facebook, search for "gerbil rescue" and I think there's a few depending on where you are, there's also general gerbil groups that may accept rehoming posts, not all of them allow it though, so check first, but there are lots of good owners there 🙂

[@Kat-hk8mb]

Hey, thank you for the videos on split cage. I was wondering on a few questions. Iv only ever had the one gerbil, he's about 10 months old now. Do you think it's too late to find him a brother? How long on average would you say it takes to do the bonding? I work 12 hour hour shifts and live alone so will that be an issue? If I see snuggles will they both be okay in a cage together without a outside play zone? Pumpkin just stays in the cage and seems happy with that. I just really want to find him a brother now. I hope that make sense! Thank you😊

[@PetConnectionInternational]

It's never too late to bond, I've recently bonded my 3 year old girl to a friend, as long as they're healthy it's definitely worth a shot 🙂 with time it varies, my first 2 successful bonds were together after a week-10 days then took another couple of weeks to slowly upgrade, with my most recent one it took 5 weeks until I was able to get them together (around 3 weeks of very short meets & some days off when there was issues) and it took another 6/7 weeks until I got them fully upgraded as we did have an issue with one of the upgrades and had to go back to low bedding & start the upgrades again. So it really can vary quite a bit, the size of tank can have an impact too, a smaller bonding tank may work faster but if the bond needs a bit longer you're kind of pressed for time because they can't stay in a small tub for too long, with larger tank (like my most recent one) it can take longer anyway, but if they do just need more time to bond you can take it as slowly as they need because they won't get as stressed in a larger space so you're not as pressed for time. Having done both I definitely prefer the slow and steady approach in a larger tank, much less stressful for the gerbs and me Once they've snuggled you can start letting them have a sleepover and if it's successful, slowly upgrading. But free roam can cause issues, so it should be completely avoided at least until they're fully upgraded and have been settled that way for a few weeks, for my most recent one I'm planning to wait until after their first tank clean (I do every 8-10 weeks), just because they took so long to bond & upgrade and free roaming can easily cause fallouts. You should also make sure everything is new and unused by either gerbil for free roaming too, if that's not possible then thoroughly spray with white vinegar & water solution and let sit for 20 mins before washing off, any used substrates will have to be thrown away and replaced with new ones though as they can't be cleaned If you're away at work a lot, you'll need to plan playdates & upgrades around times when you're home to keep an eye on them, their first day or two together they need watched constantly to make sure there's no issues. In your situation I would definitely recommend a larger tank for bonding so that if you do need to delay meets for work they wont be stuck in a tiny tank for too long

[@Kat-hk8mb]

@@PetConnectionInternational hey sorry for the very long reply. I have today done the first play date with my gerbils. I have my original one (pumpkin) and two brothers (bill and ben) to make a little family. They have all been next to eachother now for about 2 and a half weeks and today I have taken the devider out. They seem to just run on the wheel or chew their toys. But iv noticed pumpkin is wanting to groom them every few minutes. Bill will walk off and carry on playing when Ben will let pumpkin do it. He just stands there and takes it. But he now and then does tiny little tweets but doesn't try and run or fight. Is this all good signs?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@Kat-hk8mb how old are the brothers?

[@Kat-hk8mb]

@@PetConnectionInternational they are a year old and Pumpkin is a year next month

[@Kat-hk8mb]

@@PetConnectionInternational they have all just been running on wheel or chewing on their toys and grooming so far

[@AAa-cx2lo]

Hi Heather, my gerbil doesn't dig like it usually did, she liked making a lot of tunnels but now it prefers to be in its home, less active. is it to worry?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Has the temperature changed recently? Is she maybe coming out at a different time of day?

[@azad2096]

@@PetConnectionInternational Hi Heather thanks for your answer!! well, the temperature we maintain as normal as possible for the gerbils. Its weird because the other gerbils are acting normally, playing, digging, but our Luna does not, it's like she wants to go inside a hole as fast as possible. Can affect the fact she lives alone at her side and she feels sad??? We tried bond them there is no luck they attack each other after one hour.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@azad2096 yes being alone could be causing depression. When you say they attacked each other after an hour, did you just put them together straight away? Was that their first playdate? What exactly happened?

[@azad2096]

@@PetConnectionInternational yes we tried the neutral space. many times They run, watch and dont attack in neutral space, they smell each other, but then they keep distance, everyone in a different side. Then we try bond, they smell and can be together some time, until grooming time. Luna wants groom but Shine does not accept it, both are territorial and then attack. We feel bad for our Luna because she was really active, loved making tunnels and now not much, only leaves the hole for eating :( what do you recommend?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

I recommend trying again with a proper split tank method, following the steps in the video Introducing in a neutral space is what led to my Luna attacking Pumbaa, but going through the split tank process properly, with carefully controlled (and separated if necessary) playdates on Pumbaas (calm gerbil) side got them together happily When doing the split tank method, don't let negative playdates continue, if Shine starts getting uncomfortable with Luna bothering her, separate them and try for a longer meet the following day - and make sure to do the playdates in the split tank, not a neutral area, as I explained in the video it can cause extra stress and may be why yours keep fighting But make sure to follow all of the steps in the video carefully, don't rush through, just take your time and monitor and manage all of their interactions carefully

[@Cedar_Blossom1830]

How do you wheel train a gerbil? My gerbils don't use there wheel. I tried a saucer, and a regular wheel, though they never use it.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Not all of them will use a wheel, my current pair only use theirs as a toilet and bedding storage 😅 But you can show them how to use it by using a treat just in front of their nose and rewarding them when they move the wheel

[@MC-gb4zn]

@@PetConnectionInternational lmao mine don't have the brain capacity to learn how to use the wheel XD

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Awh poor wee sausages 😆 I'm sure with a bit of hard work they could totally get into NASA

[@MC-gb4zn]

I have noticed if I let my gerbils free roam their room, one of them seems to want to display more dominance than usual. If I put them in a smaller enclosure to play it doesn't happen as often.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

That's a great observation! I have suspected space may be a factor with mine too, so I'm trying to slowly upgrade and see if that makes a difference 🤞

[@Mebys983]

I have a question but its not entirely linked to the video. Im currently looking after two male gerbils, one is epileptic and anxious, and one is nice and calm. The epileptic one digs a lot, bites a lot and is very sensitive when you stroke him. The calm one sleeps a lot and sometimes gets into fights with the epileptic gerbil. One time, i had to get someone in my house to grab the anxious one and put it in one of those balls to calm it down, (we werent given any tunnels or pens for them to go in.) If you have any advice to help me to make them more friendly and stop being such little beasts when i give them food! Thanks for reading. x

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Do you have any idea what causes the fights? X

[@Mebys983]

Usually food or if one is blocking the other one in the coconut they sleep in.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Okay, that sounds a lot like some of the issues I discussed in the maintenance tips section of the video, so take a watch of that section and follow the tips. So because they're arguing over single entrance hides, just remove them completely, and only use hides with multiple entrances to stop anyone getting blocked in. And if you're currently using a food bowl, switch to scatter feeding so no one can prevent access, and when you're giving treats make sure to give them both one at the same time so they learn to come to you for food, rather than try and steal And if you're still noticing squabbles, try and distract them if you can, and if you still need more help, try and get some videos of the behaviours including your usual responses, and post them on our Facebook group (link in description), so I can help advise you further ☺️

[@Mebys983]

Thank you so much I will try my best to gain their trust to make them happier! x

[@PetConnectionInternational]

No problem, good luck 💚

[@bekahevick4141]

hi! i just rescued a all white with light pink eyes gerbil, he appears to be blind if not almost blind. you can basically touch his eyes before he notices you there! i got him for one of my other gerbil to bond but now im worried on how it would go!! do you have any advice? hes currently in a 20 gallon long cage setup for isolation (just a few days to a few weeks) i had no idea he was possibly blind when i got him but he does run into things and such (healthy other wise) any advice would be so helpful

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Gerbils don't use their sight very much, it's one of their weakest senses, scent is what's most important, so I'd imagine there'd be little problems during bonding. The only thing I'd watch would be that the short sighted one doesn't bump into the other in the very early days of their meets and make him mad, and make adjustments in their final setup like adding guard rails to ramps and keep the layout the same or very similar between changes including tunnels going from the surface to their hides underground, so he can more easily find his way around. But other than that I think you should be okay, of course if you do notice any issues feel free to come back to me and we'll see if we can figure out some workarounds 🙂

[@lyssanah]

I've been working on bonding my gerbs since New Year's after a fresh clean and sanitize, and last week and today I tried putting them together in their tank as directed. They death balled upon eye contact - two seconds, at most, on the same side. After splitting them, they then sniffed through the divider and ignored each other again. With such quick move to fight, should they be separated? I've also noticed one is extremely sociable and loves being handled, whereas the other is extremely skittish and hates new things like hands or - seemingly - gerbils. Should I keep trying for another month or so, or should I account how quick they are to fight and keep the skittish one alone and try a different bond for the other? Or should their bond with people not be accounted for in considering their personalities?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Was anyone hurt in the fight?

[@lyssanah]

@@PetConnectionInternational Both times both boys were alright, thankfully!

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@lyssanah okay, that's good! What I'd maybe suggest then is to split them for the next few weeks and work on socialising the skittish gerb, maybe if he's a bit more confident and relaxed in the environment it may help the bonding. Here's how I tamed my skittish Luna if it helps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnSndnSvot6Hndk Then once they've had a few weeks apart and you feel like his confidence has improved, you could try again, but keep them separate and swapping for at least 2 weeks, just because of their previous fights I'd be inclined to give them a bit longer before attempting meets It does sound like it *should* be a good match, so hopefully with a bit of confidence building your little trouble maker will be willing to at least attempt to make friends 🤞 If not, let me know and I'll help you figure out next steps. And if you want any help in the meantime I do have a Facebook group linked in the description, you can share videos there too, so myself and the community can try and help you out ☺️

[@Peppa.PIIGGS]

Can anyone help me.. my gerbil has been peeing blood he is a very heathy 2yr old gerbil (male) it has happened for 2 days or so and my mum and dad are saying not to go the the vet because it is expensive what should I do?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

That could be any number of things, all of which need treatment. When it was my Pumbaa it turned out to be a UTI which resolved with a simple course of antibiotics (fairly cheap treatment), that'll usually be the first thing the vet tries, usually the antibiotics only cost around £15, then it's only the cost of the appointment, so I'd maybe let your parents know that it's not something that will resolve without treatment and the initial course of treatment shouldn't be anything too expensive, it might just be a simple infection and the cheaper treatment may be all you need 🤞 but the sooner they get treatment, the better (and cheaper) the outcome is likely to be. Unfortunately it's not something that will resolve without vet treatment

[@oliver-m1]

what is heat

[@PetConnectionInternational]

This video explains it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnKrioJ4m79lfNE 🙂

[@lemonticbanana9153]

Hello! Thank you for the awesome video :D I am planning on getting a male and female gerbil soon and would love some advice. Since this the first time do you recommend i get to same sex gerbils and once i know how to look after them to then go into male and female. Or do you recommend not trying to bond a female and a male together? Thank you and I hope you are your fur babies are well :) xxxx

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Hi, I wouldn't recommend keeping males and females together, they can and most likely will breed, and they can have a new litter of 6-8 pups every month, and a few weeks later the pups could start breeding too, so within a matter of months you could easily find yourself overwhelmed by nearly a hundred gerbils, I've covered a story on that before where the RSPCA had to step in to help because there were so many gerbils that were constantly breeding, and all that breeding really isn't good for them either, so I really don't recommend it. Best to stick with same sex pairs, and if you're new to keeping gerbils, start with a pair of siblings as they're more likely to have a stable bond 🙂 xx

[@Icey_FoxVB]

What if I'm using a wired cage?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

What do you mean?

[@Lowee_18_2]

@@PetConnectionInternationalI think they mean one with bars around it

[@honeymew9221]

I gotta ask, why is pumbas belly so large? none of my gerbils look like that.. is she sick?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Yeah she was, she had a mass in her tummy. We decided not to operate and had her pts in July

[@honeymew9221]

@@PetConnectionInternational I found the video of "goodnight pumbaa", again, im sorry for your loss. =\

[@annetteclawson1137]

One of my gerbils just passed away, and now I have a lone gerbil.😢 I'm not sure if I will get another one, but I am considering it. The surviving gerbil, I don't think, is young. I'm nut sure exactly about her age as she was an adult when I adopted her.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

I'm so sorry for your loss, it's never easy losing these little guys ❤️ I would definitely get your remaining one a friend, they are social animals and need the company of other gerbils, even adults can bond successfully, I recently bonded my 3 year old girl and I know someone that's successfully bonded a 4 year old gerbil too

[@Bluspethouseandriding]

When I get 2 gerbils that are not a bonded pair how long do I wait to start the split tank method from getting them?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Did you get them from the same place? And do you have any other animals in your home?

[@Bluspethouseandriding]

@@PetConnectionInternational I have not got them yet but I am trying to be ready to get them.I have been trying to find a ethical breeder in my area but I have not found one yet and I am thinking about adopting but have not found where to adopt them from yet. I have 2 dogs and 2 chickens.

[@Bluspethouseandriding]

Basically I am trying to say I don't know but I am trying to be knowledgeable on what to do if they come from different places

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@Bluspethouseandriding well realistically it would depend on how confident you are with where they've been sourced from. If you wanted to take full precautions against any illness transfer then you'd want to quarantine the two in two separate rooms for 45-90 days, making sure not to allow any of your other animals access to those rooms But if you wanted to start bonding straight away, you could quarantine them together in one room in their split tank for 45-90 days, again making sure not to allow any of your other animals access. In this scenario there is the risk that one of the gerbils could have something infectious to pass on to the other gerbil, but by quarantining them both away from your other animals it should help prevent any of the others catching anything (most illnesses don't transfer between species, but some do, so it's worth being careful with all of them) In terms of the bonding itself, it shouldn't matter too much when you start, it's the quarantine aspect that's important to consider

[@Bluspethouseandriding]

@@PetConnectionInternational Thank you, I wanted to be able to know where to start and I am trying to pile as much research as possible before I get a gerbil.

[@pussypretty]

Your videos are so perfect! Thank you very much 🥰🥰

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Awh thanks, I'm glad they can be helpful for you 🥰

[@Gerbilsarefriends]

I have 2 male rescue gerbils, around 8 month old both of them, both have been alone for at least 4-5 months, I've had them in a split cage for about a month now, so far 5 meetings, all 5 have ended up in them balling up within a minute, and then me taking a 2-3 day break before the next meeting, I've been switching their side 2-3 times pr. day for the last 3 weeks. When they're on their split side, I've seen one blink to the other, attempted grooming, there was a little bit of attacking the divider at the start, but that stopped after about a week, I feed them at their divider, their water bottle is at the divider, and they seemed pretty relaxed when split up, a lot of good signs, so I'm really frustrated by them still balling up, so far they haven't managed to bite each other, but I fear I might get unlucky with that on their next meet up. They are housed in a room with 2 other younger gerbils, all 4 are allowed to free roam in that room separately, for about 15-30 mins pr. day, could that be why my rescues aren't getting along? too many scents in that room? or am I taking too long breaks between meetups? I'm starting to get a bit frustrated, they have 10-15 cm of bedding, a wood log to hide in on each side, water bottle and a wheel, and I'm starting to feel a bit sad about housing them with so little to dig in.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Yes the other scents could be a potential cause of issues, especially if they're all free roaming in exactly the same area. If you can, move one tank into a separate room, or at the very least to the opposite side of the room and keep free roaming areas well away from each other. A couple of other things I noticed you mentioned that they've balled up a few times after a minute or so, this would suggest that there's some tension and lead up, if at all possible you should separate them before they get to the point of balling up, if they have multiple fights it makes it less likely that they'll bond, but if you separate them when they start getting tense or side arching, you're stopping it from escalating, I had to do this with Sandy & Moo and it took around 3 weeks of short meets until we finally had a longer more successful one. You are doing the right thing giving them a few days to cool off before trying more meets, after multiple ball fights I'd be tempted to give them at least a week to settle, and stop the free roaming for now so they don't pick up any other scents. Something else I wanted to ask you mentioned they have 15cm of bedding, are you lowering this when you do meets?

[@Gerbilsarefriends]

@@PetConnectionInternational Yes, when they meet, I remove their hides and wheel, and about 50% of their bedding, but you are correct in them being super tense straight away, or at least the last couple of times, side arching for 5 seconds or so, then balling up. I think I'll have to take them into my living room then, but due to it also being my kitchen, and it getting incredibly hot during the summer (Denmark) I've been holding off from doing it so far, but I guess there's no way around it now.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@Gerbilsarefriends I'd lower the bedding even more than that tbh, right down to just a few cms so they can't hide in it. I'm glad you've got somewhere else to move them too, is there any way you could get a mini air con or something similar to help keep the room cool? And when you're ready to try more meets again, if you're still having issues it may be worth lowering the bedding right down while they're split too, that's something I did for Sandy & Moo in the third week of attempted meets to try and help things along. Something else I did find made a big difference is once they were able to get a minute or two together without any tension or arching, I scattered some of their daily food around the place (removing any high value pieces like worms), it really helped to provide a distraction and some positive reinforcement, I found high value snacks only made things worse as once Sandy had finished hers she was a bit forceful with Moo sniffing her mouth trying to find more snacks, but their regular muesli was fine 🙂

[@AAa-cx2lo]

Amazing!!!!

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Thanks, I'm glad it's helpful 💚

[@Lowee_18_2]

Is it worth it when a gerbil is old and will die soon?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

How old are they? As long as they're healthy, yes it's worth it, I recently bonded my 3 year old girl and I know someone that's bonded a 4 year old gerbil successfully

[@Lowee_18_2]

@@PetConnectionInternational 3 years old and when my gerbil died would I have to get another gerbil for the one that is still alive?

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Yes, they need new friends when their other friend passes

[@innafilipchuk3287]

My gerbils we’re together in one tank in the pet store when I got them and they get along

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Gerbils that were in the same litter as have never been separated won't need bonding, you only need to bond gerbils that don't know each other or have been separated. I should also point out that pet stores usually get their gerbils from rodent mills and are treated very poorly, by buying animals from stores we are effectively telling them that we love what they're doing and want them to make more, which encourages them to keep up these awful practices. Many people make this mistake, I did at first, but it's best to never buy animals from stores and instead look to re-home them from ethical rescues instead 🙂

[@gr1mre4per]

One of my gerbils just died he accidentally hung himself in the wheel I found him hanging and I’m absolutely broken but I will not leave the other one alone so I will buy him a new friend tomorrow he’s sleeping now I hope he’s doing okay

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Oh gosh I'm so sorry, that's awful 😔 Do you mind if I ask what wheel it was? Just so I know to warn others I hope you and your wee boy are doing okay 💚

[@gr1mre4per]

@@PetConnectionInternational it was a wheel made of metal I can’t find the exact same on the internet but it had a “V” shape on the sides that’s where he got his head stuck in what I can say is watch out with the metal wheels and buy a wooden one like you have

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@gr1mre4per ah right, yeah I know the ones, they've got a whole host of problems. Something like a wooden wheel or acrylic wheel like the niteangels are definitely better

[@gr1mre4per]

@@PetConnectionInternational yeah you are right also he has a new buddy they are seperated and he’s the sweetest guy ever but morty seems to get used to it a bit by bit but he is extremely attached to me and climbs all over me and sits on my head I really want to know if he’s fine with it like that he’s happy he’s very busy because he must miss the wheel but I will get the same as you I am really greatfull for your videos they’ve helped me so much

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@gr1mre4per awh that's great 🥰 I've actually just gotten the niteangel wheel a couple of days ago and it's easily my favourite now, really easy to clean and easy for the gerbs to spin, it is a little pricey, but I definitely think it's worth the investment, my wooden one got repurposed as a toilet and needless to say it got pretty gross 🤢 Definitely go for the large niteangel if you can afford it: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08FC8Q3TS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share If you can't stretch your budget that far right now though the wooden ones can work for a time ☺️