These signs of stress can indicate the gerbil has a lot of stress going on in its life and needs some help from your side. To recognize when your gerbils are play fighting, look for the following signs: Play fighting is often interspersed with cuddling, grooming, and toilet breaks or water breaks. Open the gerbilarium and place your hand in between the fighting gerbils. For example, does your gerbil have a big enough cage or space for digging? Between the compartments is a glass screen. It results in: Overgrooming can occur both because of stereotypy and because of parasites. Headaches, dizziness or shaking. Wounds on the back or tail of a gerbil. As soon as you notice that your gerbils have been fighting, remove one of them from the gerbilarium. We are going to be discussing the signs or symptoms of a stressed gerbil in this article. 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. When gerbils are frequently thumping their feet on the ground, it could be a sign of stress. You need to make sure that you are around them and treat them with love and affection so their want for attention will provide that calming effect for them. A seizure can be identified based on the following symptoms: Seizures are usually not harmful, but in rare cases, they can be fatal. Here at Pocket Sized Pets, we love small animals! Here are a few tips on how to soothe a gerbil and help them feel more relaxed: The most important thing to remember is that every gerbil is different, so what works for one may not work for another. In the past couple of weeks he started biting, which thankfully he got over quickly. They can do severe damage when biting down hard. You notice you're irritable with other people. There are other signs of fighting to look out for, too. When talking to your parents, try: Presenting your research about gerbils. As pets, gerbils have an average lifespan of 3-4 years. Gerbils all have different characters. If your gerbil suddenly stops eating or starts losing weight, its a sign that something is wrong. As a gerbil owner, the best thing you can do is cuddle your gerbil when its upset, but remember that if he is acting like this because he doesnt trust you then it could be serious trouble for him. Remove the loser from the gerbilarium. Quality of life decisions should take account of whether your gerbil can or cannot take pleasure in these normal activities. Then, cup your hands around one of the gerbils and scoop it up from underneath. Its essential to tell when a gerbil is stressed so you can take steps to calm it down. You are the only other animal your gerbil can interact with. If they are small, some gerbils can recover without issue. But do gerbils bite and it hurts?Gerbils are friendly animals that will generally not bite unless. They may constantly try to escape from their gerbilarium or run around in circles. Start again from step 3. Alternatively, take it from its enclosure and allow it to run around. Like humans, gerbils digestive systems dont function as well when they are in fight-or-flight mode. Be friendly and spend lots of time with it. Youll need to put the losing gerbil in another enclosure. This is something that happens when a gerbil is stressed for too long and needs the release of this pent-up energy. (If this happens, you should visit a vet as soon as possible). Events, living situations, old age, and more can all contribute to your gerbil being unhappy. This is something gerbils do when they are excited or stressed, as a warning to other gerbils. All it needs is a water bottle, a little food, and a thin layer of bedding. wet tail. A gerbil that isnt part of a clan wont live in that clans territory. So its essential to be able to spot the signs and take action if needed. It's normal for your dog to feel stressed from time to time. Foot stomping and vocalizations, such as squeaking and teeth chattering, can be stress-induced. Your children may have emotional outbursts that are inconsistent with their previous behavior or the current situation. Chest Pain or Discomfort. There are many reasons why your gerbil might be stressed. Gerbils can be infected with several strains of Salmonella bacteria. Signs of a Tyzzer disease include the following: Rough Haircoat; Hunched Posture; Appetite Loss; Depression; Dehydration; Watery Diarrhea; What are the Best Sand Baths for Gerbils? Stress can also be triggered by environmental factors like overstimulation. They will seem on-edge and nervous most of the time. It could also be a trivial fight. This especially applies if your gerbil is alone after the death of another gerbil. Some gerbils are prone to seizing when suddenly frightened or exposed to prolonged stress. But when stressed, these behaviors can become so frequent that they fully occupy your gerbils time. This is where they rapidly stomp the ground with their back feet. Again, it may do this even if there is bedding to dig in. 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. They dont understand the concept of forgive and forget. Once your gerbils have declanned, they wont stop fighting until one of them leaves or dies. So, if you leave your pet alone, it will go stir-crazy. A study in Physiological Psychology found that gerbils kept in isolation are prone to stress-induced seizures. Some common reasons for boredom include: If your gerbil spends a lot of time chewing or digging at the wall, boredom could be its problem. This is a sign that they need to calm down and rest. Anyway, once the chasing starts - you should really be able to see what is going on. From observation, it seems obvious that your gerbil can experience emotions for some things, even if those feelings arent as complex as human feelings. Neither of these is a good sign as your gerbil may die within 48 hours if not properly looked after. The gerbil is no exception. Unless you separate your gerbils straight away, declanned gerbils will inevitably fight. Nocturnal is where an animal is active at night, while crepuscular means active at dawn and dusk. One of the first signs that a gerbil is stressed is that it will start to make more noise than usual. Up to 50% of gerbils may be affected. How Do I Know My Gerbil is Pregnant? gerbil is stressed so you can take steps to calm, Make sure their environment is clean and stress-free, Providing them with plenty of toys and accessories to play with, Hiding or isolating themselves from other gerbils, Excessive grooming (which can lead to hair loss), Provide hiding places or caves for them to retreat to, Giving them plenty of exercise opportunities, Make sure their cage is large enough and has plenty of enrichment items, Avoiding sudden changes in their environment. Fighting gerbils should be separated before one of them gets hurt. After declanning, youll need a new enclosure which has all the features of the old one. If your gerbils are fighting and drawing blood, they are not playing. This looks a little like one gerbil trying to mount the other. The only thing you can do is look for the signs of gerbil declanning. This is normally due to a severe health problem, or worse,. Perpetually biting on cage bars can damage your gerbils teeth. If your gerbil is sleeping or resting far more than this, something may be wrong. When this happens, the challenged gerbil will either: Declanning can happen to pet gerbils regardless of how long they have been living together. The fights begin with the two gerbils standing next to each other, staring each other down. Choose a same-sex playmate to avoid unwanted pregnancies. You can use chicken wire or a glass divider. This can cause nasty wounds. inhibit insulin production. But in captivity, this isnt possible unless you intervene and put the loser in a separate cage. Again, not after intense exercise or when the room is really hot. A gerbil cowering away from the rest of the group. He's been really chill and friendly from the start. It means something has startled your gerbil. This is a normal outcome of a fight over territory. It can also be caused by a change in routine. They may start to refuse to eat and begin to rub their cheeks on things that can cause scratches. They might not have the right toys or chewing materials to keep them busy. It needs bedding, a running wheel, and drinking water like any other enclosure. It varies in loudness and . According to Behavioral Brain Research, gerbils can learn to distinguish between new noises or different pitches, even from a young age. They will instinctively attack anything that comes near them. Glass surfing Flitting around the tank Excessive hiding Changes in appearance Constantly chasing other fish Fin deterioration Loss of appetite Rubbing against gravel or decorations Gasping near the water surface Persistent disease They would never naturally do this in the wild. Once you find a gerbil who shows signs of a respiratory infection, . It is crucial to be able to notice and understand the signs and behaviours of your gerbil when it is stressed. We love to talk about them all! Seizures and strokes are not always fatal. The loser will sleep in some other part of the cage, e.g., in the running wheel or corner. 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. But if you notice this behavior often, something in your gerbils environment is causing stress. Otherwise, their fighting may lead to serious injury or death. Introducing two new gerbils isnt as simple as putting them in the same cage. So, its time for you to step in. Recognizing the signs of stress in our pets cannot be overstated. But in captivity, this is physically impossible. It can be challenging to tell when our furry friends are stressed out. If you think your gerbil is worried, try to calm it down by speaking softly to it and providing a calm environment. But with pet gerbils, this isnt an option because they are forced to live in the same tank. This happens most frequently when you reach into an enclosed space. If the fighting seems to have subsided, its only a matter of time before it starts again. After pushing each other, the pair will fall still. Other symptoms include: 4. Assert its dominance, and maintain its position as the top gerbil. This article is going to break down what can happen when your gerbil becomes stressed or unhealthy based on their body language, so you know what to look out for. Obsessive behaviors are not always a sign of stress. One way to tell if a gerbil is stressed is by looking at its behavior. According to the Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, gerbils communicate via ultrasonic sound. By doing this, you get each gerbil used to the others smell. What are the 10 signs of a stressed gerbil? Gerbils, If you want to breed gerbils or prevent them from breeding, you have to know if theyre male or female. Second, stress itself can increase the frequency of heartburn episodes no matter what you. Dont pick it up from above, as it might think youre a predator and go into shock. Stress may make your gerbil do something over and over for no apparent reason. You may see your gerbil appearing to wink at you. Other signs of stress could be excessive scratching, a lack of appetite, fights, any kind of aggressive behavior, illness, or any kind of unusual behavior. If your gerbil is healthy and its environment isnt causing stress, it may just have an anxious personality. This raises a serious problem. It will stain your pets fur and the bedding it sleeps on. Gardening gloves work well for this purpose. Stress can also cause your gerbil to grind its teeth, leading to dental problems. Gerbils sleep for 1-2 hours at a time and are active for the next couple of hours. Anger is the outward expression of inner stress and is potentially one of the most damaging emotions. 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