I think declanning

[deana]

today Skittles and one of the sons were chasing the other one relentlessly and he was crying and running trying to get away from them, I have separated them now, and going to keep it that way. when I get another tank I will split tank Braveheart and Binky. Do you think it can be done in a critter trail? I don't want the one to be alone for too long. Just a thought but probably not right? there was 3 in that cage and I have 3 in another as well I wonder if it will happen with Nibbles too? Obvisiouly the two brothers aren't going to get along now, Do you think the lone one will be ok by himself? He is just 7 months.

[Die Fledermaus]

7 months is a young age to not try another intro. I have already discussed easily getting a split screen in another thread here.

How can you split screen a Crittertail? Gerbils should not be in cages anyway.

Good luck. Intros can be weird: sometimes they go very easily; sometimes they fail even after several days of split screening.

[deana]

by putting a devider in it but I tried it , it was too small, so he is alone. I know they shouldn't really be in cages I am converting now, but it takes time when you have so many. Next week I will do two more and get a screen to start the process of introduction in th emean yime just keep him busy when he is awake is all I can do now, I'll look at your thread

[Die Fledermaus]

I have had here for several weeks Polly, alone; I already posted about her failed intro to little Marge who is now with Doreen. I just have not had the time to get it done. But this relatively short amount of time should not matter.

Keep us posted on how things go.

[deana]

Yeah I will as soon as I get thetank, it suggests a 20 gallon I am getting 10, they want to much for larger amd ten gallon is fine. It is very early Sunday morning can't sleep, but one more day before I can start, the gerbils are about 2 months apart I believe everything will be ok

[Andrea]

10G is fine for a split b/c you want them to HAVE to interact with one another. I usually use my 50G split first, then down to a 20G split, then to the 10G split with my intros.

I had a declan just before i left last weekend, no blood shed but Mercedes decided she's now the boss of the tank, and wants to kick her sisters kid out! So poor Alero has been getting chased and picked on, i tryed split screening them in hopes things would calm down, but it didn't work they are done.
Alero is now in my 45G split with Capri, who recently lost her second tank mate.
So I have 2 split cages going right now.

I think pairs do SO much better then 3-somes or more. I've tried over the past couple of years to keep more then 2 together, and well they have ALL de-clanned at some point in time. My breeder friend thinks it's b/c I give my gerbils to much space (20G tanks), which it just may be.
I do have 1 more 3some, Chevy (who's 2.5) and two 7 week old males, this is kinda my last try.

If you have a Craigs lsit in your area, or other free classifieds, post you are looking for 10G or bigger aquariums, and how they DON'T need to hold water, for Free or a cheap price.
That's what I did and ended up getting my 45G for free, and my 50G with a 15G for a case of beer ($20).
I've also had 10G tanks given to me. It's the best way to go when U have many animals and not alot of money.

[deana]

Thank You Andrea eased my mind. I can get tanks for 7.45 at petsmart and that is what I have been buying, I am going to buy two more Tuesday since tomorrow is Memorial day. I have one more that have 3 gerbils in it, I wonder if they will do this too? They are female, mother and daughters. If this does happen I don't have another female to put her with, I hope it doesn't happen

[deana]

I got two tanks yesterday converted two females into one, and split th eother one for uno and Braveheart, today they are already sleeping next to each other. I switched some bedding to each today. And again sleeping next to each other. I will do this for a week switching bedding and putting them in each others side of the tank, just did that lol so I won't forget, they are in there saying whats going on so cute they are. they are 2 months a part in age so I think it will go quickly now since they are sleeping close to each other, more later on Deana

[Die Fledermaus]

Glad to hear it is going well.

I still remain mystified with intros: some never work even with lengthy split screen time; others work right away without a split screen. At this point, I can tell almost right away by watching.

[deana]

I think they are going to make it, uno was alone for about a week before I could get the tanks, and then Braveheart was taken away from his mother, I think they are lonelt already. I had to put books on top of the tank because uno jumped into the other side, the screen was up a little because of the water bottles got him quick too so now he just jumps and is so cute. They were asleep next to each other again this morning, I switched bedding and then later on switched them too I am going the full week just to be sure though. They are hard to catch in a small place ;( but I get them, it has to be done, I give them a little kiss before I put them down. Next month I won't have to buy two wheels or water bottles because I have double now, so it will be a little cheaper, I thought I had 3 more but I have 4 to do still. And now it is time to clean the cages and some tanks, but not uno's not for awhile until they get used to each other.

[Die Fledermaus]

Heard some interesting intro advice from famous pet expert Warren Eckstein on his radio show.

Ball up and old sock of approxinate shade of the gerbil; in other words, do not use a white sock if the gerb to be intor'd is black. Leave that sock in with gerb to be intro'd, and then rub it on him. Put that sock in with the other gerbil for a few days. Then, when on neutral ground, the actual new gerb's smell may not be a concern. Make sense?

[deana]

it could work, but I think I wil stay with what I am doing now, if it doesn't work I may try that.

[deana]

I put the two of them together the other day in the walk a bout, and the older one chased the younger one, and he ended up jumping out, My son was able to get him quickly. So I put them back in thier tank and they have been like ever since. They sleep by each other but they don't get along enough I don't think to put them together, I will get a 20 gallon tank and keep them like this if I can't get them together next week. I need to clean the cages and I don't want to disrupt the scents with them but I don't know what else to do at this points.