Gerbils are very sociable creatures and generally they live in peace and harmony.
Groups or pairs or gerbils living together are called ‘clans’ and they can be anything from 2 gerbils up to many more depending on the circumstances. Gerbils do well in a clan and form strong bonds based on power and respect.
However, although they are communal-living, it doesn’t AT ALL mean that they like all gerbils. Anyone outside of the current clan is an enemy.
If they are free-running and meet another gerbil that isn’t from their clan – then gerbils will almost always fight.
Why Are Gerbils Called ‘Sociable’ Pets If They Don’t Like All Other Gerbils?
Good question – and it is one that is relevant to the way other rodents are discussed rather than the way other animals are discussed. For example, sheep are sociable, dogs are sociable, horses can be too. All large animals in shared open spaces.
But when we are talking about pets kept in enclosures – we tend to use sociable in a different way. And it doesn’t always follow straight-forward rules.
With small animals like guinea pigs, rats and gerbils – we tend to focus on who they can and can’t get on with – but they will get on with someone. We also always talk about how you can introduce them safely and which combinations do and don’t work. Once they are introduced they can live harmoniously – unlike Syrian hamsters (who we all know must live alone).
Looking online – you can easily find out that two adult male entire guinea pigs won’t usually get on – but that females (and neutered males) can live in giant groups. Rats can live in giant groups of either sex – where you keep adding individuals or pairs willy-nilly; and gerbils get on absolutely fine with their clan – totally devoted sometimes – but individuals or pairs CANNOT be added to an existing clan – ever. (Singles can but only through a split tank introduction – see below).
However, just to make them sound even more unsociable – gerbils can also fight with members of their own clan too. Sometimes – seemingly without warning – and causing serious injuries to each other.
So, Why Do Gerbils Fight?
There are many reasons why gerbils attack each other – and here are some of the common ones and a little explanation of each:
They don’t know each other. As said before – gerbils really aren’t wired to like other gerbils that haven’t been in their clan before; or were in their clan but have been ‘away’ for more than 48 hours – this latter one can be hugely problematic for gerbils who go to the vets for treatment without their clan mates or those who are ‘lost’ for several days after an escape. Also, if you always take out one gerbil of a clan for a run – especially long runs – but not the others, they will smell different when you put them back which can be unsettling in larger groups.
Certainly do not ever let your gerbils play with other gerbils or pets. Unlike other animals – gerbils don’t need to have a friend other than the one they live with. They don’t need to ‘meet other gerbil friends’ or ‘cheer up a lonely single gerbil friend’. They don’t understand it.
There are too many of them. A clan is a delicate balance of who is dominant and who isn’t. With a pair (the best combination for gerbils without a doubt) this isn’t up for debate. If everything stays the same – you are either the boss or you aren’t. However, if you have 3 or more gerbils – then each one has to fit in somewhere in the heirachy – and things can get heated or change at any time triggering a declan – sometimes they ALL fight and you end up with none left together.
There is one less of them. Because a family clan of more than 2 is a tetchy stressful place that has been teetering on harmony from the moment they were born – if you take away one or more of that existing clan at random (I like the black and ginger ones) then you could well totally upset the balance and a previously quiet one seizes the opportunity – causing a massive declan. And it could happen in BOTH clans – the existing one now in turmoil; and the new clan (the black and ginger ones) who may have not got on in the first place. Be very careful when splitting existing adult clans – it can backfire.
There is one more of them. Similarly to a removal – and addition can change the status quo. Think of the addition as a stranger first and foremost. Even if you do a split introduction all properly and they get on ok at first – you are adding a new level into the clan heirachy. Rocking the boat when you didn’t really need to. Over time (if not within a few weeks) this new gerbil will alter the delicate balance of the existing clan which could ultimately lead to a declan.
One of them is ill. Often the Boss is the Boss because they are the strongest and quickest to react to something – keeping the others in their place. However, if that gerbil then isn’t the strongest or isn’t the quickest to react to something – the others notice it. You might not as the human as it could be too subtle – but if there is a determined usurper in the clan – this will be the time they take action – and fighting could ensue over the next few months as the usurper gets more bold.
One of them acts very differently. Sometimes though, it doesn’t have to be the Boss who is ill – especially if the poorly gerbil acts differently to normal – say has seizures, loses a leg, or gets a severe head tilt. This won’t always trigger a fight in just a pair (because the Boss is still the only Boss) but it can unsettle a larger group of gerbils for sure – as they are all interwoven in heirachy – so if this gerbil can’t now act dominant over any others in the clan, those other gerbils move up the ranking.
One of them becomes an adult. Weird one – but often people end up with a single older gerbil – and rather than find them one single friend (best thing to do), they opt for getting 2 pups together – ‘so one isn’t left on their own again when the old one dies’. However, these pups will get on with anyone – they are just babies – the younger the better. They don’t know any different. Until they get their adult hormones that is.
Very often in a trio (2 pups:1 adult) there will be a massive declan within the first year – when the young pups decide they are stronger than the existing Boss. It isn’t anything personal as such – and they would have been sleeping together this whole time – it is just that the Boss gerbil gets all the perks – and in the animal world – the perks are often the only thing worth fighting for.
One of them gets hormonal. Those things worth fighting for include the right to breed. And if you have two adorable males gerbils – who love each other so much – always cuddling and grooming – and you ACCIDENTLY put a toy in their cage from your female gerbils tank – you could spark amageddon. Breeding rights far outrank any friendship in the animal world – especially with males – but females too. Never let clans of gerbils share toys or playruns without a thorough clean or a decent length of time inbetween.
Do Gerbils ALWAYS Fight?
No. It sounds from above that gerbils are just on a mission to have a scrap with anyone – but many many MANY clans live perfectly content lives together.
It is just you hear about all the declans and fights all the time as they are the things that need a reaction. Especially if the owner didn’t see any of the common signs of a declan and can’t understand why they ‘suddenly fought’. Gerbils do not kill each other by the way – although they can really hurt each other.
On a good note – gerbils can make new friends really easily too – with a split tank introduction. I know we said that gerbils hate new gerbils – but that is why we use a split tank – a small tank split down the middle (hence the confusing name).
By safely and gradually making the two new gerbils smell the same as each other – it tricks the gerbils into thinking that they have always been friends and in the same clan. It nearly always works if done properly. (http://www.rodentzone.com/split-tank-introductions-top-tips/)
Gerbils who have been living together happily (without anything changing like listed above) do fight sometimes for apparently no reason too – but all we can do is try to reduce the chances of it happening.
However, we can’t stop them fighting over things like their own health – so we have to watch closely for signs of fighting or declanning (http://www.rodentzone.com/what-are-the-signs-of-a-gerbil-declan/).
So, choose your gerbil clan wisely and cross your fingers!