Hi Kathryn, welcome to the list. Usually males get along better in large groups than females, but obviously yours are not reading the literature.
Gerbil fights can get very violent very quickly so keep a close eye on them. I would put the tanks in separate rooms so the boys cannot smell the girls. Make sure that the smell of one tank does not get into the other, e.g., do not share toys or put gerbils from one clan in a container (esp. plastic) that has housed the other. Remove all hiding places in the male tank. Give them only one box in the corner so that they do not develop territories. You can give them cardboard, just flat pieces that they cannot hid in. They may just be re-working out dominance, but if you see blood and wounds take action. The gerbil with cuts on the rump and tail is the victim (do not remove him). The aggressor may have not cuts or a cut on the face. You may to better with your male in smaller clans, maybe 2 and 5 or 3 and 4. Good luck to you, Donna ABC Gerbils www.abcgerbils.com --- "Bates, Kathryn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This is the first time I've been on a mailing list, > so, I hope I'm doing > this right. > :) > > I've got 2 tanks of gerbils, 1 with 7 females and 1 > with 7 males. My > females all get along great.... but, my males aren't > doing so well. The > males have been getting along great for the past 6+ > months, but, all of a > sudden they're fighting amongst each other. They're > in a 20 gallon long > aquarium, plenty of retreats and chew materials, > plenty of food and water. > The males are all related - 1 father and 6 sons. I > thought I got the guilty > party that was instigating the fighting and moved > him out last night, but, > this morning I went downstairs to find the father > dead. I've tried moving > out various gerbils, changing bedding, adding extra > food, extra water, I've > bathed them and cleaned their aquarium, but, still > the fighting continues. > I've had gerbils for years, but, have never seen > on-going fighting like > this. Can anyone offer me any explanations or > advice? I'm afraid the only > solution would be to try and separate them.... but, > I know they really don't > like being solitary???? > > Help! > > Kathryn Bates > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/
