----- Original Message -----
From: Deborah DeMaere <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 1997 7:13 AM
Subject: OT - Shaw's Jirds
> Greetings folks,
>
> Forgive the OT post, but these guys are related to our gerbils too ;)
>
> Does anyone know of any Jird people/breeders/lists I could
> contact? Two of my jird trio just turned on my third and ripped
> open his flanks :( - I think they are all just...err...anamorous and
> frustrated.
>
> I isolated the injured boy in a small cage so I can monitor him for
> shock and for infection, but these guys are social too and don't do
> well alone.
>
> With a sigh,
> Deborah
>
Hi Deborah,
If these are the same Shaw's Jirds that we have here in the UK, then what
you describe is probably inevitable. Shaw's are not truly social animals.
They will sometimes live amicably as a pair, but it can never be guaranteed.
A pair of male littermates usually get on OK. Any combination involving a
sexually mature female is likely to fail. Female jirds are extremely
teritorial. Also I would never try putting more than a pair together. The
chances of fighting breaking out are extremely high.
Most of my jirds live alone and seem to prefer it that way. Shaw's are far
more human orientated than gerbils. They like your attention and soon learn
to come up to you and jump into your hand when you say their name. Females
visit males for mating only. Sometimes a pair will live happily together
for a while. Poppy, one of my menopausal females, for example, recently
took accepted a young toyboy. Bramble lived with his son for a few months
until one day I could see problems starting and had to separate them.
You don't say what sexes your jirds are. If they are all males, then I
would keep the injured male permanently by himself. The others two can stay
together for now but you must always be watchful for arguing. If one of the
remaining pair is a female, then I would keep them all separate for now.
When the injured jird has recovered, you can then try putting the males
together. When the female is on heat and wishes a for a bit of, shall we
say, male company, then she will let you know. She will be desperate to get
out of her cage and if you let her free will make for the male's cage. When
she sees the male she will wag her tail furioulsy
I hope this is useful
Cheers
Sue
