When do Gerbils Fight

There are two distinct types of fighting: play fighting, and serious fighting. Play fighting goes on frequently among gerbils, especially pups. It is what we always called 'roughhousing'. They will pounce and jump on each other. Then give a wild chase around the tank. In a gerbil-boxing match they will stand on their hind legs and hit at each other. (Much the way you may have seen kangaroos box.)

Gerbils live in small family groups in the wild. There is one dominant pair that mates, and a number of their older offspring that help care for the young. When one of the subordinate gerbils is ready to start their own family they will move on.

When kept in captivity gerbils cannot move on. They are forced to live as we, their humans, see fit. Much fighting can be avoided by following a few rules.

• always introduce two strange gerbils using the split cage method. (details found under "Split Cage Introductions").
  Young pups, sexually mature pairs, and an older male and young pup clan most easily
• never keep more than two adult females together
• never keep more than four adult males together, though some have success with up to seven
• never, ever breed more than one female in a single tank
• when a second litter arrives remove all but 1-3 older pups to keep from overcrowding

There are a few warning signs that trouble is brewing. Your gerbil may lose weight, have bit marks on their head or rump and tail, and most seriously of all stop sleeping in the nest. If you see these signs pressure may be building, and a fight imminent. One way to prevent gerbils from fighting is to keep the tank simple, with only open structures and with only one logical, enclosed box to nest in. When gerbils do fight, they are very violent and often fight to the death. Once blood has been drawn, reconciliation is unlikely.