Mistaked male/female gerbil pair... what should I do?

Question

When I bought gerbils, I obviously got two because they live better in pairs. I was told that I had two boys, well now that they're a little older I can tell that I have a boy and a girl. I'm not sure what to do because I don't have another cage to split them up and I can't really buy one right now. At the same time, I don't know what I would do if they had babies. I wish I could give one away and introduce a same s*x partner to one of them, but the problem is is that they have to be given medicine every day (an antibiotic for their noses), but that's an even longer story. I'm not sure what I should do.

Answer 1

Is there anyway to divide their cage temperarily, until you can get another cage?

Maybe start asking on the freecycle lists in your area to see if anyone has a spare cage or aquarium available? Aquariums are often really cheap at pet stores because they often use them as loss leaders.

Plastic bin cages - someone suggested this - I'm not 100% sure (hamster owner, not a gerbil owner so you need to verify thiss with someone who would actually know) but I was told  that gerbils will chew out of them. Not having a gerbil, I've never needed to check up on that information to know if it was accurate or not. (for hamsters I love bin cages!)

Answer 2

If you are completely positive they are opposite genders, they HAVE to be separated. They cannot live together and breed and breed until they  die, that would be awful. Find a box or something, borrow a friends cage, or tell your parents either they buy you a cage or your their house will be overflowing with gerbils soon!

Answer 3

If you don't want exponential numbers of gerbil babies, maybe you should consider selling or giving one of them away.  Otherwise, if you are handy...make an extra cage.  The easiest cages are made by taking a tall sided hard plastic storage tub with a lid and poking lots of holes in the lid.  Line the bottom with paper towels, newspaper or pet litter, provide toilet paper tubes or a small box for hiding/nesting, and use shallow bowls for food and water dishes.  It doesn't have to be fancy.  Good luck.

Answer 4

I used to have a male and a female pair, but I was lucky enough to know a pet shop owner who was more that happy to take the babies out of my hand. The pair only had two litters in their life time and sadly one litter didn't survive. I'm currrently left with one of their offspring. But I suggest that maybe you go to your local petshop and ask them if they would take one of them off you? Or find a friend who would take one off your hands. But for now  try to look out for signs of mating (for example the male tapping his foot) and if this happens try to find a temporary cage and seperate them.

Good luck!

Sorry if I wasn't much help!