I used to keep gerbils as a kid and I remember how sweet and aparently inteligent they were. Also, pretty fierce. My first dog had a pair of tiny white scars on the tip of her nose from the first and only time she tried to put her nose up to the bars of my first gerbil's cage.
Gerbils are frighteningly intelligent. I got a book when I got my first one & it said they're smarter than rats. But then again the guinea pig book told me they were intelligent too, and they're not, so I ignored it.
After two days of watching the gerbil we came to the conclusion that not only are they smarter than rats, they're a lot smaller and faster, and that we were doomed.
Gerbils are extremely inteligent. Just try looking into their eyes and you can *see* it.
They're a desert animal (Which makes them a lot cleaner than mice or rats.) and so despite the physical similarity to mice and rats, they have a very different lifestyle, and it's one that requires both speed and brains. In the wild, from what I understand, the only animals that prey on them are birds, so they're pretty fearless of anything else. (As my dog discovered.)
Fortunately they're pretty social, and when they get away are smart enough to return to their cages for food and water. Any time I had a gerbil escape as a kid, putting an old wire cage on the floor with food and water and bedding and they'd usually be in it within a few hours.
Oh, and they love to chew, and they like to play. I'd give them small boxes with a random hole or two in them, and they'd play in it for days until they chewed it up.
I can't remember the last time I didn't have a headache, but this is worse than usual. I think I have to admit something other than the weather is going on.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 07:26 pm (UTC)I used to keep gerbils as a kid and I remember how sweet and aparently inteligent they were. Also, pretty fierce. My first dog had a pair of tiny white scars on the tip of her nose from the first and only time she tried to put her nose up to the bars of my first gerbil's cage.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 08:56 pm (UTC)After two days of watching the gerbil we came to the conclusion that not only are they smarter than rats, they're a lot smaller and faster, and that we were doomed.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 09:34 pm (UTC)They're a desert animal (Which makes them a lot cleaner than mice or rats.) and so despite the physical similarity to mice and rats, they have a very different lifestyle, and it's one that requires both speed and brains. In the wild, from what I understand, the only animals that prey on them are birds, so they're pretty fearless of anything else. (As my dog discovered.)
Fortunately they're pretty social, and when they get away are smart enough to return to their cages for food and water. Any time I had a gerbil escape as a kid, putting an old wire cage on the floor with food and water and bedding and they'd usually be in it within a few hours.
Oh, and they love to chew, and they like to play. I'd give them small boxes with a random hole or two in them, and they'd play in it for days until they chewed it up.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 08:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 08:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 09:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 10:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 10:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 10:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-02 11:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-03 03:36 pm (UTC)Now that you've mentioned it, I've got a headache… Damn you!