Hi,
It is best to work with them a lot before they have their first litter of
pup, since you will want to give them some space then. Especially if they
do not feel comfortable with you yet.
My first two gerbil were quite wild when I got them. I don't think either
one had been handled at all.
The female Hanna was a rescue. We travel for hours to what we thought was a
reputable breeder. (not AGS registered) Once we got there we were shocked
to find that he had hundred of gerbils, rats, and hamsters. He lived in a
little two bedroom trailer. All the animals were in one room piled floor to
ceiling. The rats were in plastic travel carriers. One rat each, but there
was still no room. He did still have some breeder rats in 10 gallon
aquariums. (When he would get the point and stop breeding I don't know.)
His breeding pairs of gerbils were also in 10 gallon aquariums. Once the
pups were 4 weeks old he would toss them all into a 10 gallon tank. (Not
one tank per litter) The tank that I saw were solid gerbils. I don't think
there was enough room for them to all lay down. He said that it was good
for "family planning" when the tanks were that crowded the gerbils did not
breed.
Their fur was greasy, and the tail was mostly bare. I know that I shouldn't
have taken one of the gerbils, but I did. Matter a fact I wish I could have
taken them all.
When I got home I called the Animal Warden. He went out for a visit. After
wards he called and said that there was food and water in each tank, so
there was nothing he could do. There are laws for dogs and cats limiting
how many can be in a certain size cage, but there are no regulations for
rodents!
My male, Jo-Jo had been in a snake food tank when I found him.
They are two of the gentlest and most loving gerbils I have. They had never
been abused, but never loved or held either. Perhaps they knew what they
had been missing.
Hand training them was very easy. Each morning when I feed them I would
remove all the sunflower seeds from their food. These I would put in a
little cup near their tank. Then trough out the day I would put a few
sunflower seeds in the palm of my hand. I never tried to catch them or pick
them up. They got use to my hand and loved the seeds. After a week I would
slowly raise my hand a few inches each time one of them sat on it. Then I
would slowly lower my hand again.
I just keep progressing like this. Very slowly and patiently. Once they
feel comfortable with my hand moving up and down I will gently give them a
nose rub. I have found that my gerbils love to have their noses and
foreheads rubbed. Some of them will go to sleep, and I have had two that
would purr.
Within two weeks they were very friendly, and loved to be held. Even though
I have good, gentle children I never let them play with my gerbils, until I
have them tame. I have found that it is easier to tame them when only one
person is working with them. Once they are use to human contact the
children can slowly begin to play with them.
I hope this helps,
Janet Morrow
President
American Gerbil Society
