# Rats and Gerbils?



## lashes (Sep 12, 2010)

So my boyfriend brought a gerbil home from work. We have 2 female rats already and the gerbil is a female as well. The cage we have for our rats have too big of spacing, so we bought a smaller cage for the gerbil. We'll be getting another gerbil to accompany this one, but I'm just wondering, has anybody ever socialized rats and gerbils together?

We let the gerbil crawl around with our rats a little bit and Amelia didn't really care, Daisy thought it was interesting. She was following it and sniffing it. I assume if they were going to hurt it they probably would have for territorial reasons, so I'm assuming it's safe to let them free roam together when it's playtime.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

TERRIBLE IDEA
NEVER EVER let your rats play with other small animals. Rats are predators and can and WILL kill that gerbil.
Rats can ONLY be with other rats.
Please don't let them play together again unless you want a dead gerbil.


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## lashes (Sep 12, 2010)

Ohh wow. We searched it on google and there was a video of a rat, gerbil and hamster living together in the same cage. I've only had my baby girl rats for one month, they're only about 4 months old, I don't think they see it as a threat.. I'd obviously pay very close attention and care while they're playing together. 

I appreciate the advice, but I think we might still try it.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Cool, if you want dead gerbils go for it.
Thats a really terrible thing to endanger your pets because of an idiot on the internet who had a hamster and a rat. 

No one here will support that, sorry be being mean but I think thats awful what your doing.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

How could you take that chance? They are small animals, if something goes wrong there is less of a chance of being able to save them because they are so small. Why risk it?!? I'm sorry but I doubt you will get anyone on here that will support what you're doing and in my opinion if you don't realize what you're doing is wrong and very potentially dangerous for your pets you shouldn't own them......


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I also wouldn't advise it. One good ratty scuffle and that gerbil will be done.  Right now your girls are young, but once they age a bit they will become more territorial and that's when the gerbil may annoy them, or become more like prey.


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## lashes (Sep 12, 2010)

Okay well they definitely aren't being housed together. The spaces on the rat cage are far too big, the gerbil already displayed that it can fit right through them. I'm not sure what will happen yet but I think we might do a ratty enclosure this evening and maybe the gerbil can play along in it's ball. 

I had bought big hamster balls for the rats and then found out that they don't usually like them, and they don't use them, but the gerbil seems to be fine with it. At least it would be safe in the ball even if my girls felt threatened by it in any way. We might try to socialize them, I'm kind of undecided. Most of what I'm researching so far about having them together aren't from people with experience. The people who DO have experience have said they didn't have any problems at all. So, I'm not sure yet. 

This gerbil was a rescue too, it was good as dead and my boyfriend saved it. I'm aware it's irresponsible to not care properly for a pet, but I'm not doing this in ill intention. I think it would be really cool if they could all be pals. I understand some of you are concerned, and maybe even insulted or pissed off that I want to do this. I beg of you not to be pissed off with me.

I have owned many pets in my lifetime and have cared very well for them. This is my first time with rats, and my first time with gerbils. I understand there could be consequences to my actions, but I'm still far too curious to see if this could be a really cozy relationship.


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## ][stacey][ (Nov 4, 2007)

I have owned gerbils in the past and I own 3 rats currently and before that 4 .. ive also owned hamsters and guinea pigs. What ur doing is idiotic tbh.. would u let a ferret run round with ur rats no u wouldnt it would kill it .. ur girls will grow and will kill that gerbil and u r being cruel even just risking it. U say uve done ur research but its from people with no experience or with experience that say its ok well i have experience please do NOT let these animals play together those that say its fine are clearly very lucky and/or stupid in my mind.

people on here will get mad and offended by your behaviour if thats what u do .. as a person and an animal lover they have every right to be that way aswell tbh/


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## SilentRobert23 (Aug 16, 2010)

By the way: You must RAAAAAAAAGE! Intarnetz are srz bznz.

Is it at all possible that the rats will get along fine with a gerbil that they grow up with? Just wondering.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

It's possible. I would never risk it though.

Just think of it this way : if you want to continue against our advice, if you wind up with a dead gerbil or injured rat, you can't say we didn't warn you.


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## eddricksmommy101 (Jul 16, 2010)

Please. Do not try and justify this.

Put it in this scenario? Would you go to the zoo and sit in the same pen as a lion or a tiger? Sure itd be like "Ooh pretty kitty!" But about an hour later youd be dead.

I feel terrible for your Gerbil.

:l


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

I am experienced with rats and rat behavior... and I have also owned several gerbils. They do not mix, the exception would be when they are raised together. Ie. A rat fosters some baby gerbils, but those gerbils learn to be rats. I have heard of someone having a hamster and rat together for two years, then the rat killed the hamster randomly. They were 'best of friends' too. All it takes is one bite and the rat could KILL your gerbil. Noone is that fast or can supervise 24/7, esp since your new to owning rats... how will you know the warning signs to look for? and thats IF they even give any warning signs. Do you know rats have killed snakes before? I've even heard of a kitten that was killed by 2 rats and partially eaten, it used to play with them everyday. Obviously there are exception to every rule, maybe they will turn out to be quirky best friends.... but are you as the owner really willing to take that risk? Rats are prey animals, when they get defensive 

Theres lots of wrong info on the internet, some website say pine and seed mixes are great for rats. Heres some things I could find warning against it. I'm sure you could find just as much saying do it. But you know the risks, do with that what you will. 

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100605043156AAx6E9a

http://www.practical-pet-care.com/archive.php?2002123116062594

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT1nuRsfFcM (Video of rats + gerbils. But read the COMMENTS!!)

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080306125834AAnIKOn


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## icedtei (Sep 28, 2010)

It's a bad idea. End of story. Just because you have no ill intentions doesn't mean that it's ok.

There's a story about a woman who left her baby carrier on the floor of her friend's place while she went to grab something in the other room. The neighbor's dog, who the baby had grown up with and played with, killed the baby.

Rats are predatory animals, just like rats. They can turn on a dime, and if they do, only bad things can happen.

Also, allowing interaction at a very young age can warp their behaviorisms and make them socially inept towards other animals of their own species, meaning any future introductions will be ****.


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## Arbutus (Jul 31, 2010)

I understand that your curios as to see what happens but its _not worth it_. Please take our advice, maybe if you had owned rats before this we would feel more comfortable because you would know how to work with them but you haven't and you don't understand their mannerisms well enough.
I've known of a rat and a snake that lived together, actually several stories like that, but would you risk that with your rats just because your _curios_? There is to much of a risk that the snake will eat the rat. All because you've heard stories that it has worked out doesn't mean it will for you. There is a one in a thousand or so chance that the snake will not eat the rat. 
Vise versa for you.
It's not worth it, please don't try it if you care for the lifes of your animals.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

I'm kinda shocked that this thread even exists and that you're trying to justify what you're doing after several people have told you it's a horrible idea...


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## hshelton (Feb 23, 2010)

I too am going to have to agree that rats should not be allowed near other small animals. Here is a recent example for you. I do wildlife rehad and had 4 baby birds (one died after a week). I had been keeping them in a cage in my room on top of my dresser. I had pulled the dresser out from the wall because Piper shimmys herself between the wall and dresser to get on top. I was sitting on my computer and the birds started screaming, I looked over and Piper was standing there and had somehow got on top of the cage. I went over to see what was going on to find one of the bird bleeding profusely. It turns out Piper had bitten the back toe of this bird so hard that it had broken the bone in half. Its a wonder that she didn't take it off completely. The bird lived, I was suprised because it had gone into shock. For two weeks that bird couldn't move at all without assistance. The toe turned black and was started to fall off and then it died because of starvation from not being able to feed itself when I was in class. And being that it was schedule to be released 2 days after the accident, and this was 2 weeks, later the bird should have been able to feed itself. This was a complete and total accident and things DO happen. If you honestly care about your animals then you would not even think of attempting to introduce them. It has bad idea written ALL over it.


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## EdieBird (Apr 9, 2010)

Besides the fact that rats can and do kill smaller animals, there's also the fact that gerbils are VERY territorial and aggressive towards other animals. My sister has two gerbil colonies, one group male, the other group female. The males have literally torn apart newcomers, even after weeks of careful intros when they seemed to be getting along. The females are less savage, but more relentless. They do NOT let up on harassing newcomers after initially getting along, and my sister has given up on adding any more gerbils. Once I was holding one of my rats, a good five times the gerbils' size, while my sister had one of the gerbils out, and we passed each other in the hall...the gerbil tried to attack the rat! 

I have ONE rat that I think might not hurt a gerbil, mainly because she thinks anything smaller than herself is a baby she should try to nurse. The others would either think it's a new toy to shred, or just a snack.


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## blenderpie (Sep 10, 2009)

I wasn't going to join this, because I think that the majority of people are trying to guide you towards the right choice.

I'm hoping that you are reconsidering allowing the gerbil to play with them. Like someone else said, they have different behaviors and needs. It would be like trying to house an crocodile with a snake. They're both reptiles, they should be the best of friends, yes? No. It'd be dangerous and irresponsible. 

You should get your gerbil another gerbil friend. 

Just because they've gotten along ONCE, means NOTHING. When I was bonding my three rabbits (two new spayed does to my neutered buck) They got along well for the first play session and the next caused for separation. They eventually became a close family, but they are of the same species. They speak the same language. Unlike your gerbil and your rats.


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## lashes (Sep 12, 2010)

The example of the rat and snake is kind of cool. I think interspecies relations are fascinating. The people that I know that own snakes said that they wouldn't put a live rat in the tank with it moreso for the snakes own safety than the rat's. 

I understand that both can be territorial, but neither have had enough time to establish grounds outside of their cages. I don't plan on introducing more rats later to the ones I have already because I'd like to get snuggly male rats next time I think. 

I appreciate the concern, and I still haven't decided what we'll be doing, so for the mean time everybody can stay calm. I might try to sell the gerbil because I can't lie, it's going to be more my boyfriend's pet than mine as I like the rats, but the gerbil feels too tiny and I'd be more afraid of crushing it myself than the rats doing it for me. I heard that their tails can fall off too. Not that I grab any animal by the tail, but it could definitely get caught on something and that doesn't sound like fun to deal with. 

I really just want the rats as pets because I'm already comfortable playing with them and being their mommy. I think that with all of the warnings you guys have given me, I'm just going to leave it up to my boyfriend. He brought the gerbil home, so it's his own choice.


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## Arbutus (Jul 31, 2010)

....God I just cant.. fathom the way people like you think. It's as if nothing we say gets threw to you and your just going on with your own little agenda only listening to people if they agree with you.
Please, for the sake of your animals, _don't do this_.
I understand if interspecies relationships fascinate you but you don't know what your doing and your a new owner to both these animals. You wont be able to recognize signs of aggression till its to late. Rats are very smart and they will wait for you to leave the room or not be paying attention to do act out. 
I'm sorry if I seem harsh but I beg you to really think about your actions, because what you do determines the life of your pets. Plus, do you have the money to pay for the vet bill if something were to happen? A simple URI in a rat costs +$80, now imagine possible surgery, stitches, antibiotics, etc. And not just for one but three animals.


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## toby (May 11, 2009)

rats will kill gerbils and any other smaller rodent.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Okay, there's nothing more to be said here. Point made. Thread locked.

Edit: Cleaned up some of the posts and unlocked. I know you guys are entitled to your own opinions, but please, keep it civil. Any further personal attacks and/or insults and instigating arguments will result in a warning and/or immediate suspension.


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## Crochunter (Sep 30, 2010)

Wow. I'm new here. THis is the first topic I looked at. I've seen how the staff have handled this, and I am in shock. No wonder other people have left and started their own forums. Calling the person "idiotic", and just lambasting them like crazy. This is not how you treat new members. All you can do is give advice and leave it at that. My gosh. I'll take a look around and see if this is as widespread as i fear.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Crochunter said:


> Wow. I'm new here. THis is the first topic I looked at. I've seen how the staff have handled this, and I am in shock. No wonder other people have left and started their own forums. Calling the person "idiotic", and just lambasting them like crazy. This is not how you treat new members. All you can do is give advice and leave it at that. My gosh. I'll take a look around and see if this is as widespread as i fear.


You have no idea how quickly she would get torn apart if she did this on Goosemoose or Rat Shack. She's lucky we've been this nice to her.


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## Crochunter (Sep 30, 2010)

Sorry didn't see the moderator's intervention before posting. Was still on the first page.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Thanks for the insult though. 
And Jaguar is right, if this had been posted on goosemoose (which I have seen a VERY similar thread there)
It would have been much worse.
This thread was previously locked for that very reason.


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## Crochunter (Sep 30, 2010)

I'm confused. So you're responses like "idiotic" and telling her what a horrible person she is, is Goosemouse and Ratshack's fault somehow? I'm really not getting the point.

You guys are your own people, pointing the finger at other forums does you no justice.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

They have alot more members, and would have been yelled at much quicker. Because as a fact it is a bad idea. And Rat and Gerbil owners would have been and are deeply offended.

And listen those people saying that are not STAFF those are members. They say what they want, we do not have the ability to control what people say only weed our cursing and personal attacks.
Jaguar and I are the only Mods who have spoken on this thread, and I don't recall calling anyone an idiot.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Seriously in my opinion the OP has deserved every word given to her...


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

At the end of the day though... this is an open public forum, the mods are not paid members of staff... they do what they can when they can but they can not be on every second of the day. And regardless of what posts you did or did not agree with, you can not judge a whole forum by one single thread. In this instance I feel the OP was given lots of direct advise from both experienced rat and gerbil keepers and even links for research *multiple times*. She asked for our opinions, we gave them. I do feel about 80% of what was said was deserving, and it shouldn't really matter anyway the responses given prove she wasn't even reading or taking in what we were saying anyway. At the same time though I feel our message is more likely to get through to these kind of people if you do present it in a slightly sugar coated more 'professional' way in the future.


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## ][stacey][ (Nov 4, 2007)

My posts were deleted on here I was the one that said IDIOTIC and IDIOT which i also appologised for ( ie appologised as i dont want to offend her but she has to realise what shes doing and leaving it up to her bf to decide after reading everything people have put is silly) but i also said its true.... everyone here gave valid facts about it and valid opinions .. i own rats and have owned gerbils so that is my opinion and im sticking to it.

It was not a personal attack on her even when there was a post from her saying about bullying i said that i am not bullying her and that i know what it feels like.... like i said im entitled to my opinion .. in this case with the gerbil and the rat together .. that is an idiotic thing to do. im not judging her on a whole im just saying in this case that is what i feel.

This whole case was sugar coated at the start but then the sugar went a bit after the non listening of advice from people that know what there talking about.

I also feel the forum is the best rat forum out there that i have experienced and is full of caring friendly people both members and admin who are smart and know what there talking about and i respect their opinions.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

How many forums are you on stacey?

Btw I also was very shocked at this thread...the Mods are supposed to put out the flames of this type of thing, educate the person but not throw more fuel on the fire.

I am very disappointed in this one. Members get very emotional over situations of imminent harm to other animals, but it just seemed like it was personal stacey...you cannot tell someone they are an idiot and not say its not personal. If you said your actions were idiotic that would be different, but once the info was out there, why continue the roast. The reason the threads get out of control on Goose is there is soooo many sections to the forum, a limited amount of mods 
Exact numbers
1197105 Posts in 109863 Topics by *53724 Members*

When things become a problem the Mods intervene and if people do not listen and continue the roast they are punished.

As for Rat Shack? We would never have done something like this, we would not have let it get so far. We even moderate ourselves...if one has put up a post in anger, another will go in and edit it or talk to the other mod. We often discuss posts on there in the Mod Section so that we are more impartial. We do have threads go out of control especially when there is personal insults going on, and the Mods will join in, but you try not to. You are the governing bodies on a forum you have to be impartial as much as possible. Its your job to keep the forum on an even keel not rock it more.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

The number of Members on Goosemoose is what I was referring to, not the people themselves. I am a very active member on Goosemoose and find the site to be infinitely helpful.
I am a member of Brux&Boggle, and RatShack also. 
Trust me I heard it from Jaguar when I said something that was more personal then helpful and the posts have been edited. 

1 Thread this happened in.
Also the last thread. Sorry guys.


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## ][stacey][ (Nov 4, 2007)

I have been on a couple other forums.. but i am a very observant person this is the only thread i actually use now because like i said i feel its the best from observing it.

And i did say her actions were idiotic.. and i said in this case she was being an idiot... i didnt mean idiot as a whole like i said many times. I did not personally attack her but if u feel i did then thats just life isnt it. I will appologise once again if she feels that i was personally attacking her. BUT I still feel the same about this situation.. and im sure many of people here agree with my opinion on her actions, as they are **** right disgusting.

I seem to recall one other member saying theyd report her to animal control ect so i also dont see why my posts on the whole idiotic word and idiot are the ones being picked up on.

If you feel that you dont want me on your forum then say and i will leave.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Yes I did say thay I would report her to animal control if I could. That's the truth and I'm sorry but if you knew someone was fighting two pitbulls or any other kind of dog wouldn't you call animal control if you could? This is the same thing in my opinion. She's causing a potentially harmful situation in which otherwise would never happen. She is knowingly and intentionally putting two animals together that can cause harm to one another after being told several times that it is a bad idea and not to do it. I agree with Stacey completely and if you want me to leave this forum I will too. But I will NOT keep how I feel to myself on a PUBLIC forum that's the point of these things, to speak your thoughts and feelings. I'm sorry but if calling animal control is in the best intrest of the animals safety I'm going to do it regaurdless of who it is, it's not a personal attack on them, it's done every day...If someone who works for animal control read this I bet she would be in a lot of trouble...


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Oh and no you cannot hold what an idividual member or even several members of a public forum say against the forum as a whole, that's not right. It's plublic which means anyone can join and say anything they want and within a certain amount of time anyone can read, that is in no way the forum mods or creators fault. If you have a problem with that you would have to fight the freedom of speech...


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

> [stacey][ ]
> I have been on a couple other forums.. but i am a very observant person this is the only thread i actually use now because like i said i feel its the best from observing it.
> 
> And i did say her actions were idiotic.. and i said in this case she was being an idiot... i didnt mean idiot as a whole like i said many times. I did not personally attack her but if u feel i did then thats just life isnt it. I will appologise once again if she feels that i was personally attacking her. BUT I still feel the same about this situation.. and im sure many of people here agree with my opinion on her actions, as they are **** right disgusting.
> ...


No one said that, This is getting out of hand this no longer has ANYTHING to do with Gerbils.
Locked.


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