>
> We have tried to reintroduce Milly back to Molly and Mandy but every time
> Milly would attack Mandy again. We have now resigned to the fact that
Milly
> will have to live alone.
I wouldn't say that necessarily,. unless she has rejected multiple attempts
at re-pairing. Just because this particular pairing went sour doesn't mean
she would reject a new companion. I always try at least three times to pair
up a gerbil before I decide it's a loner. Maybe you can find a breeder in
your area to get a new companion for each of them. Some will let you bring
back a gerbil & trade for another if a pairing doesn't work out.
>
> I have bought her a 20" x 12" x 12" acquarium to call her home. She hates
> it. She has spent the first 24 hours flinging herself straight up and
> crashing against the lid. It is very distressing to listen to.
Does she have plenty of toys to keep her occupied?
>
> She managed to escape when I was changing her over to the new home and she
> ran straight back to the cupboard that the old acquarium is on and spent
> half an hour trying to jump up the cupboard. She then climbed the chair
> next to the cupboard and was standing on her back legs trying to get a
look
> at the other two gerbils. She then started trying to throw herself across
> the gap to get back to them. It was so sad. I had thought that she would
> forget about them, but it is obvious that she hasn't and she wants to go
> back home. Mandy and Molly did catch site of her and got all excited and
> were scratching at the roof to get out to her. It makes you feel like the
> wicked stepmother, keeping them all apart!
Just because they're interested in each other doesn't mean they want to be
back together necessarily. I have confirmed loners that will display
interest in a nearby occupied tank when they're out, but I know for a fact
they're not wanting companionship. It could even have been aggressiveness
they were displaying. I have one male loner in particular that every time I
tried to pair him up, threw himself against the wire barrier, clawing and
digging. He was VERY aggressive toward other gerbils. But he displays
great interest in any gerbil he catches sight of.
>
> Since then, Milly has just sat in her cardboard box in the acquarium like
> she has given up on bothering to get up. What can I do to cheer her up?
> She has plenty of toys and cardboard. I am giving her treats etc which
she
> is eating.
That answers my previous question. It sounds to me like she is lonely. I
would try to find her another companion if at all possible, especially if
this behavior continues.
>
> I feel so bad. Any advice would be appreciated.
Don't feel bad. It happens. I've had fights occur, sometimes I was able to
re-pair them, sometimes not. It's certainly worth a try, as most gerbils
prefer company. My clan is unusual in the amount of confirmed loners I
have. On a sidenote, I have had better luck re-pairing gerbils that fought
than I have had introducing a new companion to a gerbil whose cagemate has
died. In fact, Danielle & Cici are the only pair I can think of that I
managed to do that successfully with. Though I was able to pair them up
after both their cagemates died, Cici has refused companionship since
Danielle left us. Spunky refused company after his father Shadow died.
Stormy has refused attempts at pairing with any of my lone females (although
I am hoping eventually I can pair her with a male for breeding).
>
> Thanks
>
> Beki
>
> _________________________________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
>
