#-the newer gerbil may want the leader position instead | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wings-of-angels · 7 months

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Passionate, homosexual love letter for you!

“Oh Max, thy strange swag has enchanted me. I dream of your amazing mouse facts, and yearn for the day that I might hear your wonderful jokes again.

Cursed be fate (uni) for keeping us apart (giving me work so I can’t write u so much).

In love (/p), a totally anonymous person.”

BDJSHSISJSOSHSK oh thank you anonymous person whos identity i yearn to unravel (charlie), i am platonically swooning at your words. Truly, how dare fate get in the way of our blossoming friendship 😔😔💞💞

#I HOPE THE UNI WORK IS EASY 💞💞💞#also GIGGLING thank you for this :D it made me smile #ALSO rodent fact:#did you know that rodents can declan ???#(which is when rodents who were previously in a group kick out one or more rodents from the group)#i was specifically researching gerbils so idk how generalisable this is to other rodents #BUUUTTT gerbils have hierarchys with 'alpha males/females' and subordinate gerbils #and sometimes the leader gerbil is challenged which leads to the challenger and the leader fighting #the loser is then kicked from the group #this can happen for several reasons #1. only the leader/alpha gerbil can mate with gerbils. which can make the other gerbils mad and want that for themselves #2. another gerbil wants to become the alpha gerbil. often this happens when the alpha is older or weak #3. if a newer or younger gerbil has joined the group. they may upset the established hierarchy. other gerbils may want to mate with it OR-#-the newer gerbil may want the leader position instead #(ive been calling the alpha gerbil the leader but idk if they actually lead anyone 😭😭 also im not sure if alpha females exist)#BUT YEAH it leads to fighting and the loser being kicked out #sometimes other gerbils will leave with the loser #HOWEVER in captivity when a gerbil is kicked out they cant actually leave the cage so its up to the owner to notice the signs of declanning #the signs are an increase in fights (when the loser doesnt leave cos it cant get out the cage.. the alpha takes their continued presence-#-as a threat to their authority leading to more fighting)#if not dealt with.. it often leads to the losers death :((#another sign is the loser not sleeping in the burrow with other gerbils and eating seperately #theyll also be really exited about leaving the cage and want to get out as quick as possible #if declanning happens ur supposed to remove the gerbil from the cage/tank/gerbilarium and give them a new home #then you gotta introduce them to new gerbils (gerbils get rlly sad if left on their own)#ANYWAY SORRU I WANTED TO RAMBLE ABOUT GERBILS COS I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A THING UNTIL A WEEK AGO

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