My gerbils fought and one got bit. How do I safely introduce them?

I recommend separating the male and female now before the female gives birth to avoid potential cannibalism of the pups by the male. Other than the female having an obviously distended belly, females have a shorter anogenital distance than males and lack a scrotum. For the pregnant female, I would not try to house her with other females until after the pups are weaned at 3 weeks of age (also to prevent cannibalism). When ready, the split cage method is recommended for introducing males or females that are not from the same litter. It involves keeping the 2 males (or 2 females) separated by a divider (plexiglass with holes drilled placed corner to corner dividing the enclosure into 2 triangles works well) and switching the gerbils 4-5 times a day for at least a week to get them accustomed to each other' ascents. After a week remove the divider only when you are able to carefully monitor them for fighting for 5-6 hours or longer. Generally they cannot be safely left alone together until you see them grooming each other and sleeping next to each other. Even then, if you notice any bite marks/wounds on either gerbil, separate immediately and do not attempt to rehouse together. Best of luck!

This behavior is called barbering and it’s very common among gerbils. There is usually one aggressor and one victim, just like you are describing. I would recommend separating the gerbils if at all possible. It may be a good idea to just have two in each cage so they won’t be lonely, but it may be safer for the one being attacked. Also be sure to offer plenty of food and water in space so the gerbils don’t feel like they have to compete for resources. If the injuries are severe you may want to take Ghost in to be checked out by the vet and make sure he doesn’t need any antibiotics or pain medication. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

I am sorry to hear about your mice! If they are still fighting you can try putting them in cages directly next to eachother or place one in a smaller cage inside the larger cage to allow them to smell/see eachother and get used to eachother again without the possiblity of fighting. Also adding another feeding bowl and water bottle to provide several locations for resources so less likelihood of competition may help.

Unfortunately yes, it can be very common for hamsters that are housed together to start fighting. This can occur even if the hamsters have always been together. I would recommend keeping them separated for a couple days and then trying to re-introduce them again like you did last night. Hopefully they will be able to get along with each other in the long run. If not, to keep them safe, you'll have to keep them separated. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Poor Stephen. You can gently cleanse the area with a q-tip and warm water, but hopefully, it should heal on its own. It's hard to apply ointment to these little guys as they can just lick it off and get diarrhea. If he seems to develop any discharge or inflammation, I would have him seen by a vet.

There is a good chance that 2 adult male hamsters will fight and induce significant injuries. If you would like to try to introduce them to each other regardless, I would start with a completely clean cage with fresh bedding and keep them on either side of a mesh divider so that they can see and smell each other without being able to fight. I do not recommend putting one into the other’s cage as the original hamster will likely become extremely territorial. For 2 weeks or so, you can remove the mesh divider for short periods of time while you are carefully monitoring them and offering plenty of enrichment in the form of shelters, toys, food treats to keep them occupied. If you notice any aggression, I would give up and keep them separate from then on. If after several supervised periods alone (about 30 min each time) over 2 week you do not notice any signs of aggression, you may remove the mesh divider but examine them carefully each day for scabs/wounds especially on the rumps, genital area, hind legs. Good luck! They are very cute!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like bite marks. If it has already scabbed over then it is likely going to heal on its own. They may be too different from an age standpoint and it may be best to keep them separate to avoid a similar situation in the future. Good luck!