Grooming, scratching, and biting or digging at the cage are all normal gerbil behaviors. If you see any of these signs, try to calm the gerbil down by speaking softly to it and providing a calm environment. We are going to be discussing the signs or symptoms of a stressed gerbil in this article. Exhaustion or trouble sleeping. However, if a gerbil is stressed, it might behave in strange ways. If your gerbils are fighting and drawing blood, they are not playing. [Gerbil Tail Slip Prevention Guide]. A) the demands that are made on you by other people B) deadlines, daily hassles, or inconveniences C) a negative emotional state caused by your perception that you are unable to cope with events or circumstances D) the mental processes that people use to make sense out of their environment C My gerbil felix is about 3 months old, and has been moved in for over a month. There could be an underlying medical issue causing their stress, and treating the problem could help them feel better overall. They are easy to spot and frequently display together. Gerbils communicate their mood through body language and noise. Alternatively, if your gerbil becomes more active than usual and seems agitated, this may also be a sign of stress. By doing this, you get each gerbil used to the others smell. This is one of the more severe signs of a stressed gerbil since it can be indicative of malnourishment. But if you only have two gerbils, it can help teach them how to get along again. Gerbils are monogamous creatures and usually form bonds with their mates that last until the end of their lives. Other signs of stress could be excessive scratching, a lack of appetite, fights, any kind of aggressive behavior, illness, or any kind of unusual behavior. Gerbils have many ways of letting you know that they are uncomfortable with the situation. You can see which one is the rejected one by observing its behavior. You might also want to try giving it food or water or playing with a toy. Keeping your pet gerbils healthy and safe is the number one responsibility you have as a pet owner. If your gerbil is unhappy, it needs your help. But do gerbils bite and it hurts?Gerbils are friendly animals that will generally not bite unless. It could also be a trivial fight. Its essential to tell when a gerbil is stressed, so you can take steps to calm it down. Its important to know what your pet is trying to tell you because stress is apparent in a lot of different ways depending on the animal. Captive gerbils find it difficult to exercise as much. Why Is One of My Gerbils Bigger than the Other? This instigates the fight. There are many, Gerbils and rabbits are sociable and friendly animals. Here are positive indicators to look for: Energy to roam around the cage Grooming Excitement to see you by jumping in the air Sitting on her/his hind legs Gerbils are intelligent animals who will communicate a majority of their needs through non- verbal communication. In the past couple of weeks he started biting, which thankfully he got over quickly. Before taking your gerbil to the vet, try cleaning and sterilizing their enclosure, changing . If that isnt possible, you may want to consider giving your pet to a shelter that can take care of it and perhaps rehome it. When they are not play fighting, they will exhibit friendly behaviors such as sleeping together and grooming each other. Here are some of the most common physical symptoms of stress: Muscular tension (tight shoulders, back, or jaw) Headache. How do you tell if a gerbil is stressed? Quality of life decisions should take account of whether your gerbil can or cannot take pleasure in these normal activities. Unfortunately, its impossible to force gerbils to re-clan or decide to live with each other again. A gerbil cowering away from the rest of the group. This will be especially true for the gerbil that has been overthrown and kicked out. This is where they rapidly stomp the ground with their back feet. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology. Some of the group may join it in leaving. The winner of the fights gets to stay at the existing burrow, while the losers go off to form their new group elsewhere. If you suddenly start noticing your gerbil becoming more vocal, it could be stressed. If you cant feed it, for example, it wont have any food. [Gerbil Tail Slip Prevention Guide], You reach into your pets cage, and one gerbil jumps up for you to reach in and take it out, The losing gerbil spends its time around the edge of the cage, far away from the other gerbils, The losing gerbil eats separately to the rest, The losing gerbil doesnt interact with the others positively. inhibit insulin production. It will also be excited to leave the cage, more so than usual. Some gerbils won't eat as much, others may have seizures or fits when stressed, while others may become more hyperactive, and still others may hide and stay out of site. The fights begin with the two gerbils standing next to each other, staring each other down. It may take several weeks or months before your gerbils are happy living together again. Fighting is a gerbils way of saying, get out of here you arent welcome. Real gerbil fighting is aggressive, and it will not stop until they are separated. The other side of the room, or another room entirely, would be fine. Stressed hamsters are likely to become ill, so keep a close eye on them and look out for them behaving differently - such as developing repetitive behaviour - as this can show that something's wrong. They enjoy exploring new places and finding new things. Anxiety or irritability. You may notice: Disturbed sleep indicates that your gerbils mood or health has changed. It looks like theyre licking or nibbling at each others fur. Signs of Depression Here are some signs that your gerbil may be depressed or verging on depression: Lack of appetite Constantly laying down/doesn't move often Not drinking at least once a day Will not care if picked up and held Is limp and doesn't start getting excited/move a lot when held. A gerbil that isnt part of a clan wont live in that clans territory. Stress can put a strain on gerbils hearts and immune systems, making them more susceptible to illness. It can make them sick and can even kill them. Take the gerbil to the vet for further diagnosis and advice. Unless you separate your gerbils straight away, declanned gerbils will inevitably fight. Any stranger gerbil would immediately be detected and fought off. Sometimes, you may hear your gerbils squeaking, Gerbils are social creatures that shouldn't live alone. Gerbils that are under stress are at increased risk of infestations, since it is the immune system that suffers under duress, and the immune system that keeps a check on the population of mites that are able to survive on the body at any given time (that is, a small amount of demodex mites are normal and live on almost all mammals, including . The loser will have copious injuries around its tail end from being attacked as it ran away. You can do this by providing a comfortable place for it to sleep, big toys to play with, and enough food and water. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. When your gerbil is stressed out, it will likely develop more anxiety than usual. Knowing what symptoms to look for is a great place to . Gardening gloves work well for this purpose. The gerbil lacks places to sleep. A stressed gerbil may begin to twitch its feet or tail out of anxiety and fear. Signs of a Tyzzer disease include the following: Rough Haircoat; Hunched Posture; Appetite Loss; Depression; Dehydration; Watery Diarrhea; What are the Best Sand Baths for Gerbils? Along with this, extreme stress may cause seizures (fits) or strokes. Real gerbil fighting indicates your gerbils have declanned. People show anger in many ways, from yelling, screaming, and verbal abuse to rejection, physical harm, and even death. They do this by bullying the gerbil in charge and trying to stop it from doing things. It wont eat anything at all and is likely to be lethargic. Some gerbils bite or dig at their cage walls out of habit. Of course, this description doesnt fit every fight. Once declanning has happened, keeping the gerbils apart is usually the best option. Instinctually, it doesnt understand why the other gerbil cant get away. Gerbil mothers will collect a lot of bedding material to form a nest, and it's in this nest that she will give birth to and look after her new pups. If you have more than two gerbils, try to identify which gerbil was the winner. Its a hereditary trait that runs in families. They can even fight to the death. So, its time for you to step in. In the wild, the loser would long since have gone off on its own, or perhaps with one or two other gerbils, to form its own clan. The same thing happens to humans! Scientists say that it can also occur because of boredom, frustration, social isolation, and other negative stressors. As a gerbil owner, the best thing you can do is cuddle your gerbil when its upset, but remember that if he is acting like this because he doesnt trust you then it could be serious trouble for him. This shows that your gerbil is unhappy and gets no enjoyment from exploring. Some gerbils are prone to seizing when suddenly frightened or exposed to prolonged stress. This is fairly similar to the feeling of panic attacks in humans. It looks like theyre licking or nibbling at each others fur. You can also offer them some chew toys or other enrichment items to help keep their minds active and distracted from whatever is causing their stress. Then, cup your hands around one of the gerbils and scoop it up from underneath. Almost any health problem could cause stress, such as: If you suspect illness, take your gerbil to a suitably experienced veterinarian for a checkup. Gerbils have been described both as nocturnal and crepuscular. Gerbils have tiny hearts that work hard. It has to stay near the other gerbils it has fought with. This is a sign that it is happy and relaxed. All gerbils groom themselves. Which condition is common in young gerbils that are under stress and is often called stress-induced chromodacryorrhea? Most humans do this too when we feel anxious! If this is the case, the best thing would be to keep them in separate tanks permanently. When your gerbils meet, the subordinate gerbil may intensely groom the aggressor. Just keep treating it with kindness and giving it everything it needs. You notice you're irritable with other people. Here is a list of the ten most common signs of stress for aquarium fish. This applies both to the winner and the loser of the fight. It's normal for your dog to feel stressed from time to time. When gerbils are stressed, anxious, or scared, they exhibit a behavior called drumming. I'm currently a pet groomer, and I love it. This is the case for most wild specimens. proliferative ileitis. Body language You can also notice the following body language as a potential warning sign: Strong stress reactions sometimes can be traced to traumatic events. An exercise ball achieves the same thing. being withdrawn. Overactive or underactive stress responses may stem from slight differences in these genes. Gerbils are naturally curious creatures. If a gerbil has a problem with its teeth, they may stop eating. Grooming is an important behavior in gerbils. This is a normal outcome of a fight over territory. Or, a gerbil that was thought to be male will give birth. This is a symptom of keeping your gerbils in captivity. Or concede defeat, and leave the clan to find a new home. It can be difficult to read the body language of pet gerbils. 3. Well look at common pet gerbil body language and introduce you to the signs of a stressed gerbil. This squeak is the fighting squeak. But in captivity, this isnt possible unless you intervene and put the loser in a separate cage. It would find a new home to live in and never see the other gerbil again. Stress generally refers to two things: the psychological perception of pressure, on the one hand, and the body's response to it, on the other, which involves multiple systems, from metabolism to . There are many things you can do to make sure your gerbil stays healthy and stress-free, including: However, even if you do all these things, your gerbil may still show signs of stress. Alternatively, take it from its enclosure and allow it to run around. Stress leads to stronger feelings of anger and irritability. Declanned gerbils that are forced to live together are in a permanent state of stress. Some common signs of stress include: 1 Changes in mood Clammy or sweaty palms Decreased sex drive Diarrhea Difficulty sleeping Digestive problems Dizziness Feeling anxious Frequent sickness Grinding teeth Headaches Low energy Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders Physical aches and pains Racing heartbeat Trembling Gerbils become unhappy when other gerbils die if their enclosure is small or theyre stressed. If your gerbil used to run on its wheel, Why Do Gerbils Tails Fall Off? Just as in humans, stress affects gerbils in a number of different ways. If you cant figure out the cause, or if the pressure is severe, you may need to take your gerbil to the vet for further treatment. Depression. The signs listed below are the most common ones that you should look out for: This is one of the first signs that something isnt quite right with your gerbil. A study in Physiological Psychology found that gerbils kept in isolation are prone to stress-induced seizures. High blood pressure. They will seem content and at ease and spend time together as normal. Its because they are confined to the same cage and cant get away from each other. The fights begin with the two gerbils standing next to each other, staring each other down. Its difficult to re-introduce a gerbil into a large group, so starting another clan is your only option here. However, that doesnt necessarily mean that they'll get along well together. It needs bedding, a running wheel, and drinking water like any other enclosure. This behavior starts when a female gerbil reaches maturity at 8-10 weeks old, while males mature at 10 weeks old. To recognize when your gerbils are play fighting, look for the following signs: Gerbils chasing each other. It could also be a trivial fight. Again, the idea is to keep the babies healthy and free of parasites. There are many signs that a gerbil is stressed. You can spot excitement when your gerbil hops up and down, sprints quickly, and makes loud yips. Gerbils all have different characters. According to the Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, gerbils communicate via ultrasonic sound. Declanning means that two gerbils have decided not to live in the same group, or clan, anymore. Other common signs of stress in gerbils include: Hiding or isolating themselves from other gerbils Shaking or trembling Biting or chewing on cage bars Excessive grooming (which can lead to hair loss) Lethargy or depression If you notice any of these signs in your gerbil, it's essential to take action to help them relax and feel more comfortable. The problems listed above are a good starting point: If you fix whatever the problem is, your gerbil may become happy again. Loneliness can quickly lead to stress. and more. If they touch things, then they are probably very anxious and scared. Aches and pains. The only other things that a gerbil can fight with are its teeth. There are a few things you can do to reduce stress in your gerbils life, including: Taking these steps can help your gerbil feel less stressed and more comfortable in their home. The burrow is the heart of the gerbil social group. Digestive issues like bloating, diarrhea, or nausea. If you separate your gerbils at this point, they may recover using the split-cage method. Each will be on its hind legs, trying to push the other and flailing with its arms. During the day, expect to see healthy hamsters sleeping; healthy gerbils may or may not be running around. Wounds on the back or tail of a gerbil. If you notice your gerbils fighting, act fast. (If this happens, you should visit a vet as soon as possible). A seizure can be identified based on the following symptoms: Seizures are usually not harmful, but in rare cases, they can be fatal. Real fights can result in injury and death. Your gerbil rubbing its face against the glass of its enclosure. How to spot the signs of stress Some of the most common signs of stress include gnawing on fur or cage bars, agitation, and refusal to eat or drink. This means that the loser will want/need to get out of the cage. If the ears are down and pointed back, the mouse is showing a defensive posture, especially if this is accompanied by stiff body language; he's saying, "Back off!". Events, living situations, old age, and more can all contribute to your gerbil being unhappy. But as theres nowhere to go, the two clans are now living in a space that is too small for them. 2. Communication is clearly important to them. After declanning, the same applies, and the loser will be fought until it moves away. So, for example, your gerbil could damage its teeth on the bars of its cage. Unfortunately, many wild gerbils will die in the span of a few months of being born. Some gerbils will have seizures when stressed. Boxing. 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