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How do I know if my gerbil is lonely?
The signs of a depressed gerbil include lack of activity, too much sleep, bar chewing, and floor scratching. Gerbils become unhappy when other gerbils die if their enclosure is small or they’re stressed. You can help a depressed gerbil to recover by spending time with your pet and showing them affection.
Can gerbils die from loneliness?
The short answer is no they cannot die directly from loneliness, but they can die from certain conditions caused by loneliness. Just having a pair or group of gerbils is especially important for their health reasons because they tend to groom each other to keep clean.
Can you have more than one gerbil in a cage?
Because of the social nature of gerbils, the ASPCA recommends housing a minimum of two of them together. If you’re thinking about placing three or four gerbils in one cage, make sure your cage is spacious enough to accommodate them all comfortably.
Do gerbils need companions?
Pet gerbils need friends just as their wild counterparts do. Left on their own, gerbils become stressed and unhappy – playing with humans will not satisfy the full range of their instinctive needs. So, always opt for a pair, or buy your solitary gerbil a friend of the same species as soon as possible.
Can I have 3 gerbils?
You can keep three gerbils together in a trio, but the risk of declanning is higher. Gerbil trios work best if they’re siblings from the same litter. If you’d like to keep a group of gerbils together, ensure that there’s enough space. Male gerbils are less aggressive than females, so they’re less likely to fight.
How do you keep a lone gerbil happy?
6 Ways to Keep Your Gerbil Happy While Alone
- Hold Your Gerbil Every Day. You should be holding your gerbil for 20 minutes at a minimum every day.
- Give Them Holes to Hide.
- Create Something For Them to Chew On.
- Provide a Exercise Wheel.
- Provide Running Balls.
- Get Them to Their Vet Check-Ups.
How many days can you leave a gerbil alone?
If you give your gerbils enough food and water, they should be fine for 2-3 days. But anything could happen while you’re out of the home. Don’t leave your gerbils alone for longer than a weekend.
What size cage do 3 gerbils need?
The surface area should be at least 2,500 cm² (400 sq inch) for a pair or trio of gerbils. This forms a cage with a volume of 20 gallons. Larger cages are even better, especially when you plan on keeping more than two gerbils or intend on breeding gerbils.
Where do you put a gerbil in a cage?
Put the gerbil’s cage in the corner of the living room or the den. Or, place the cage in your room by your desk if you spend a lot of time there. You can also wave, smile, and talk to the gerbil when it is watching you in its cage.
Is it OK to have a single gerbil?
Almost all single gerbils get lonely and bored. Gerbils can socialize either with other gerbils or with you, or both. If you must have a single gerbil, spend plenty of time with it and give it affection. This will keep your pet happy and contented.
How can you tell if your gerbil is lonely?
Every gerbil is different, so you must get to know your pet to be able to tell if they are acting differently or in an unusual manner. Losing appetite – This is a pretty severe sign your gerbil is unhappy or lonely. If you recently lost your second gerbil, the living pet could take this bad and stop eating.
Why do gerbils like to live in groups?
Captive gerbils live in groups because their wild cousins do. This is a behavior that is rooted in evolution. Given that gerbils have only been kept as pets for fifty years or so, their behavior hasn’t had time to develop. There are many reasons why you shouldn’t allow gerbils to live alone.