Gerbil — behavior (owner-practical care, Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner)
Source: first-hand Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner text, saved to source_file; every claim below is a C1 byte-substring of it.
Claims
Temperament Gerbils are highly social animals that live in family groups in the wild.When introducing a new gerbil to an existing gerbil’s cage, be sure to supervise them, because they may be territorial at first and may take time to adjust to each other.Gerbils have a friendly temperament and are easy to socialize.To avoid stress when handling, do not startle a gerbil or pick it up while it is sleeping.However, it is a good idea to monitor your gerbil’s condition and behavior daily.Because of their small size, gerbils cannot withstand rough handling and are not recommended as pets for very young children.
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Source: pdf-raw/owner-care/merck_gerbil.txt · https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets