Well, I haven't been a gerbil owner all that long, but I do have
overall experience with animals, and I must say, no one is crazy for
thinking that they have personalities, or that they are trying to
communicate! Even fish have personalities! I could rant out pages
about all the different types I've come across, but since this IS a
gerbil list... !
I believe that once in awhile, you come across an animal whose
personality is compatible with your own - just like once in awhile
you come across a human who's personality is completely compatible
with your own. S.A., when I used to be able to afford to horse back
once a week, in the 3 years I rode, and all the horses my trainer had
me try, there was this one special one that I just clicked with. His
name was Bronze, such a pretty quarter horse he was! From day one, we
just seemed to understand each other. I knew what he wanted, he knew
what I wanted, and there was no need to repeat ourselves!
It's the same way with gerbils. I don't know if it's just me, or if I
just like to think I'm special :) but I always seem to have no
trouble understanding what's going on in their minds. I only have 3
gerbils, but after just a few days of knowing each one, it's kinda
easy to pick out how they will react to me, and other things.
Einstein, my first, a Dove male, really dislikes being picked up, but
once he's settled in my hand, he's quite content to have me take him
outside for a little sunbathing. He stretches right out in my hand
while I gently pet him with a free finger. His little nose wiggles
and his ears twitch listening to all the interesting sounds and
smells around him, but not once is he inclined to leap from my hand.
He could care less about chewing things up. He'll halfheartedly take
a few nibbles out of his cardboard toys to let me know he appreciates
them, but would rather dig tunnels under them than chew them up!
Trinity, named by my husband (we have this all-encompassing deal, if
the creature -human or otherwise- is a boy I get to name it, and if
it's a girl, he gets to name it!) is a regular ol' Agouti, and while
she has no problem with my hand being in the tank or being picked up,
she doesn't seem to like being out as much, and would rather prefer
to be back to someplace familiar. Otherwise she's VERY laid back. She
let me actually handle Eclipse when he was only a day or two old, and
had NO problem with my hand being in the tank. She's my CHEWER. She
chews everything! She's put quite a dent in the PVC pipe I have in
her tank, and shreds the cardboard boxes the day I give them to her,
if not within the hour! I've had to start rationing them out. *L*
She's is constantly moving and rearranging things, and never seems to
be happy with the way things are.
Eclipse, my little 5 week old Slate, is a charmer! Unlike his mom,
he's quite content to sit in the middle of his feeding bowl and
nibble at whatever. (His mom always takes a piece and goes off to eat
it privately.) He's also a bit more of a nest builder than his mom
seems to be, which I find rather odd. He'll pull the bits of
half-chewed cloth (remnants of some courdoroy *sp* pants than I
hemmed) into a bundle, then hollow out a little hole in the middle to
curl up in, or under. Nothing seems to phase him. I can bang doors
(by accident of course!) or run the vacuum, and he just sits and
watches, but when I call him and put my hand in he comes running! He
sniffs me all over, curious as to what I've been up to and who I've
been spending time with besides him. When I sit with him he likes to
perch under my chin. When he gets older I just know he'll be a big
hit with the ladies! *L*
I've heard that the eyes are the window to the soul, and I believe
this to be true. There's a lot you can read in eyes, if you know how.
And that's how I see them. :)
-Jackie & The Copper Dragon Clan
