Ask The Gerbils

Dear Herman,

My gerbil Jessica is very nervous. She stands in the corner of her tank and spends half the day trying to jump out.

I know I’ve only had her for a week, but she worries me. She gets along fine with her tankmate Belle (the little sweetheart), so that isn’t a problem. She darts to her house at the slightest noise. She’s almost been hurt when I try to hold her.

Can you help me? Am I just over-reacting because these are my first gerbils and Belle is the calmest gerbil I know?

From,

-G.


P.S. Tell Hallie I said hi!

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Dear G.,

Thank you for writing!

Gerbils are like people: Each one has a different personality. So Belle might always be calmer and tamer than Jessica.

The good news is that, even if Jessica is always a little bit nervous, you can do some things to help her feel safer. Also, some of Belle’s calm personality may rub off on Jessica over time.

To help Jessica feel safe, don’t chase her around the tank to pick her up. Since she gets scared easily, it might help to pick her up using a cup. Let her crawl into the cup, and then “spill” her out into your hand. As soon as she starts to act nervous, have her crawl into your other hand and then gently lower her back into her tank. This will help her learn to trust you and know that when she wants to go home, you will take her home, where it is safe.

You can learn more about the cup trick here:

http://homepage.mac.com/kyleekay/tip-of-the-week/tip032603.html

I hope that helps! Just remember to be patient with Jessica. She’s still getting used to her new home. :)

Your pal,

Herman