----- Original Message -----
From: "Lisa Paleczny" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 11:52 AM
Subject: Mouse/Gerbil Question
> Hey again list,
> I know if you had a pinky mouse a mother gerbil could foster it. I was
> think would i be able to put one of Dot's pups (when it is older) with a
> mouse? I have a lonely mouse, and I would like to put a gerbil with it.
Now
> everyone don't go off on me! I could use the split cage thing. my mouse is
> very friendly. Should I give it a try or no?<
No, this works only if they are raised together. Im sure there are
exceptions, but I wouldnt risk it, A gerbil could kill a mouse, and it can
be unexpected... Eg: they could get into a little tiff over who gets the
last cherrio in the food bowl but the gerbil doesnt realize its "warning
nip" could be a deadly bite to the mouse.
Generally speaking, you shouldnt mix species because:
1. they have different behaviors
2. they have different diets
3. they may carry illnesses that are just "colds" to them but could be
deadly to the other species.
If two species like this are raised together from birth though, there are
rarely any problems becuase they grow up knowing how to treat eachother.
There was actually some studies done where kittens were raised with rats and
the kittens grew up to hunt only mice and treated rats as kin. I have mice
raised by gerbils and they ACT like gerbils and can only live with other
mice-raised-by-gerbils or with gerbils-raised-with-mice but can't live with
mice becuase they don't know mouse behaviors and they cant live with gerbils
unfamiliar with mice.
AG
