Mike Lynch wrote:
> Our boys will let us pet them for short periods,
> usually when they are eating a treat. We just gently
> stroke them between the ears down to their shoulders
> with one finger. Of course, as with anything with
> gerbils, they usually soon think of something they
> would rather be doing and scamper off. There are also
> times we try to pet them but they just tilt their
> heads back to investigate the hand and its
> possibilities ("You got any munchies there, Mom?").
> 8-)
>
> =====
> Elaine Lynch
> Bilbo and Sam
> AGS member
> We will miss you Frodo.
>
Their grandfather Rascal is a bit unusual in that he will often let me
pet him if he's just lying around, relaxing in his nest. He'll actually
stretch his head out for me to pet him better! Their father has been
known to do this too, though not as often. In fact that's how I wound
up keeping him ... little Sherlock was watching his father Rascal get
petted one day, and he decided he wanted in on it. He scootched up
close to Rascal and laid his head out right beside Rascal's so he'd get
petted too. He won my heart in that moment. :)
Many of Rascal's descendants show that behavior, though none nearly as
often as Rascal himself. Not really typical gerbil behavior - it's been
my experience that most gerbils don't like anything descending on them
from above. I suspect it's more a learned behavior than anything
biologically inherited.
--
Tana and The Little Rascals
http://members.home.net/tlr-gerbilry
