>>I have a question about gerbils preening habits. >> >>We used to have 2 males together and one (Viech) preened >>his compagnion so much around the eyes that the poor >>guy hardly had any fur left. >> >>WE finally split them up. >> >>Viech had been alone for several months and we finally >>introduced him to two young males. They've been >>happily together for about 2 weeks, but today I've noticed >>Viech has taken up his old preening habit again. Both >>babies have some fur missing around their eyes. >> >>Viech never barbered any part of himself when he was >>on his own and they have plenty of things to nibble and >>entertain themselves with. >> >>What could be the reason for his preening fixation? I >>don't really want to take his two newly introduced >>companions away, because he is clearly happier. >>But I also don't want the two youngsters to have bare >>heads, either. >> >>Any ideas anyone? > >I have a similar problem with a three month old male >who grooms his cagemate obsessively. >No bald spots yet, though. >I, too, would like to know if anyone else has had similar problems and what >can be done to slow the obsessive groomer. Some are just like that. I found that I have to either live with a bald gerbil and a preener; or keep the preener by themselves. There are meds now for humans that have 'obsessive-compulsive' disorders; but I know of nothing similar for gerbils. I think that's what it would take to get one of these fellows to knock it off. You can always pair up a pair of preeners; then at least they are a 'matching pair'....and sometimes that will make them knock it off; if their bud is trying to clean THEM all the time, they both try to spend all their time working on the other one and it makes them squabble MINORLY and sometimes they will both chill. However, if this happens to be a mixed pair, they will go after the pups with overzeal [this is what I'm blaming for the death of one litter in the past month...]. Deb Rebel's Rodent Ranch
