Which Gerbils Are Easiest To Introduce?
One of the hardest types of introduction is introducing a pair of adult females.
In last month's tip, we looked at how many gerbils can live together and which groupings work the best. In this month's tip, we'll look at which gerbils are safe to introduce to each other through a split-cage introduction.
One of the most important things to know is that you should never introduce a new gerbil (or gerbils) to an already established group. You should only introduce one lone gerbil to one lone gerbil. There is only one exception. You may introduce a single adult male to a pair of just-weaned pups.
The reason you can't introduce a new gerbil to a pair or group that already lives together is that the gerbils who already live together have formed a bond. They will view any new gerbil, even one introduced through a split-cage introduction, as an outsider and as a threat.
Summary Of Gerbil Introductions
The chart below shows which gerbils you'll have the best luck introducing through the split-cage method.
Gerbil Introductions
| Type | Difficulty Level |
|---|
| 1 male + 1 male | moderate -- split-cage for at least a week |
| 1 adult male + 1 male pup | easy -- very little split-caging necessary |
| 1 adult male + 2 male pups | easy -- very little split-caging necessary |
| 1 female + 1 female | difficult -- split-cage for at least two weeks |
| 1 adult female + 1 female pup | not recommended -- introduce females who are about the same size instead |
| 1 just-weaned pup + 1 just-weaned pup | easy -- very little, if any, split-caging necessary |
| 1 male + 1 female | moderate -- expect lots of pups |
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