need help with gerbil?

Question

my daughter brought home a gerbil a yr ago and the dumb lady at the pet store told us the way to catch her to hold her was by her tail..wrong we learned the hard way part of her tail feel off and my daughter about went crazy and i know it hurt the gerbil... i later found out that they do this as a way to get away.. anyway the issue is that we have not ever been able to pick her up we have tried everything i can think of from food baby talk just laying my hand in there ect nothing works she does come up and kiss me and she will let me pet her a little bit now but not much how do we get her to let us hold her or is it a lost cause? she is a little over a yr old.. and she isnt afraid of us because she knows my voice and will come to the door of the cage for her kiss and treat...and please dont give me trouble over the tail thing k i know it was not the way to do it but i have never had a gerbil or anything like that and we were just doing what we were told to do... thanks

Answer 1

I think that maybe the pet store employee was meaning to pick the gerbil up by the base of the tail. The gerbil is not supported if it is picked up by the end or middle of the tail. It may be that your pet will always be a bit skid-dish. You are doing a good job by taking your time and giving treats. Keep it up and your pet may learn to trust you and think of you as a good thing associated with treats. Good luck!

Answer 2

A gerbil that hasnt been handled for a very long time or not handled properly in the past will not like it too much at first. You have to look at it in the gerbil's point of view, Its pretty scary for him to see a giant hand going in to grab him all of a sudden, so he's going to bite to protect himself. Here are some tips to make the experience a little less frightening. You can try starting off by putting your hand gently in the cage and letting the gerbit come to you. He will sniff you and get to know who you are. Rubbing your fingers in his bedding will make you smell like him and a lot less threatening. You can also try offering his favorite treat. If he takes it from your hand, he's gotten pretty comfortable with you. When you go to pick up the little guy, be very slow and calm. Gently scoop him into your hands to pick him up. Watch out though, gerbils like to hop out of hands, so dont carry him too high until he is very comfortable with you. At first you might want to pick him up and then immediately put him down and give him a treat. This will make the experience a happier one, and he might even start to get excited to get picked up, because he'll want the treat. Do this several times a day, and gradually hold him longer and longer. Be very patient and understanding with him, it may take him a very long time to be comfortable with you. And never pick him up while he is sleeping, thats super scary. Good luck. Hand tamed gerbils are very very sweet creatures.

Answer 3

I used to breed gerbils and actually you are suppose to pick them up that way. I have had the tail come off like that. No big deal. Most of mine got to were they would just walk up in my hand though and I would not have to pick them up by the tail. If you have not been able to pick her up and she is a year old now, you will never be able to pick her up. Don't try and corner her cause she will feel threatened and might bite. She is just gonna be the type you can talk to and not hold. I know this is not what you probably want to hear, but it has been too long. It's hard to get one of these creatures to change once their this old.

Answer 4

I got mine used to being held by getting one of those little balls that they run around on the floor with. I would put the opening of the ball to the cage door and wait until it climbed in. I then put the lid on and held the ball for 10 min. then let it run in the ball for a while. they then associate being held with getting to go in the ball after. good luck.