8/24/99 This afternoon, when I went to check on my gerbils. I found Sunny-Boy all bloody with bite marks on his tail and rump. I then washed off Sunny boy with cold water and He looks better. He has two or three bite marks on the rump and a few on his tail. I didnt see any on his feet. Creamy was in worst condition when he fought with Kleebler and then again with Nabisco months later. Hopefully Sunny-Boy will heal just like Creamy did. I should have taken him out earlier, instead of hoping that they would settle their dominance issues. Now Sunny-Boy is in a tank with Newton.
This is how Sunny-Boy looked when I found him. When gerbils fight they bite the rump areas by the base of the tail, back feet or neck areas rolling into a ball. If you notice any signs of aggression that doesn't seem to decrease, immediately separate them.
Here he is after I washed him off.
This is how he looks, after getting dry.
Hopefully, Sunny-boy will be OK.
Who's Who. Part three.
Newton has recovered nicely, from not receiving enough milk as a baby.However, his paw is bent and he is small. Fig Newton has the same markings as his mother Cookie. In the first picture, he is sitting on top of a cardboard dry cleaner tube.The second picture is his mom Cookie eating a piece of Italian bread.
9/2/99 Pookie and Peanut had 2 babies today. They are both an unusual color, they are purple. I don't recall having purple babies before. Peanut and PookieČ were put together August 2,1999. Prior to this, Peanut was with Cookie, Sunny-D, Sunny-boy and Newton. Therefore, she was suppressed. Im surprised she had babies so quickly. If gestation was 25 days then they mated on August 7 , This means it only took 5 days for Peanut to become unsuppressed. I thought it would take longer.
9/12/99 PookieČ and Peanut's two male babies are Black and Black pied.
9/16/99 Here are PookieČ and Peanut's 2 babies at 14 days old.The pied one has nice markings on his rump. Perhaps due modifying factors from his parents - PookieČ and Peanut. PookieČ has white paws and a nice bib. Peanut has some spotting on her rump.
9/17/99 Sunny-Boy's wounds have healed and his hair has grown back.
Sunny-Boy and Newton are in a Twenty gallon long aquarium, set up with big cardboard tubes in different ways. These tubes simulate burrows and passageways for exploring. I would not use this set-up with tanks containing many adults because of the risk of territory disputes.
9/25/99 Today I went to a garage sale (Flea Market) that had 2 gerbils for sale. The sign on the tank said "Gerbils for 8 dollars, kids have guinea pigs now". They were 2 males, a PEW and a Black. The PEW's nose was all bare (cedar was used) and he was swaying. This was the first time I saw a gerbil sway. I asked how much they were and the owner said 5 dollars. I walked away and then came back and said would you take 4 dollars for them. He said no he just spent 5 dollars on the food. So then I said to him If you don't sell them or if someone else buys them. To change the litter from Cedar to Aspen or even Pine because the white one was allergic to the Cedar. The owner then said "you sound like you know what you are talking about, Ok you can have them for 4 dollars." Therefore, I bought 2 gerbils, a ten gallon tank, a bag of gerbil food, a metal bowl, a water bottle and holder all for 4 dollars. After I bought them the first thing I did was dump out the Cedar shavings and put paper in the tank. When I got home I rinsed out the tank with the hose and gave them Carefesh litter. They are in my shed outside because I don't want to risk exposing my gerbils to anything contagious. When the PEW gets better I will rehome them with instructions NOT TO USE CEDAR because the white one is allergic to it.
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