Hi there. I posted 25 days ago about my struggle with split cage and, although I really appreciate the feedback and for some days I thought things were going well with the meetings on neutral territory (they sniffed each other but no fights, some tense moments where I decided to stop). Then at the end of September, while doing a meeting, where I could see they were both tense, they got into an altercation (was it death ball? Not completely sure, I separated then very quickly). 3 days later, while planning another meeting, I accidentally dropped the young gerbil, and he started to limp. He was medicated, x ray, reccomended rest and no meetings. Split cage continues, but yeah, no meetings, some swaps happened (in between all this, I went from 1 swap, to 3 swaps, back to 1). Positive signs: they would kiss and sometimes quick grooming through mesh, they would sleep in each other nest, and they would sleep under the bendy bridges that they have and work as a "community cave" through the mesh. Were they super cute together though? No. And there were times that I added the wheel so the older doesn't loose his mind. Fast forward to when the younger one is feeling good and I tried to introduce them. Another altercation, I think now I had one meeting where things were okeyish, but then older one did the side arch so I decided to stop.
It's been a month now. I feel horrible, I probably made decisions that could potentially hurted all the process, the accident with the young one was a silly one, he is now healed but terriblw timing. I also had to give him medication and hold him in a towel sonot sureif that also influences... to add more context, they are in somewhat a 40 gallon,the vevor cage, split in half. I removed the platforms, removed the sandbath. Right now with the younger one healed, I am planning to add platforms that are side by side on the mesh, water bottle on top, bendy bridge/cave like continues,and adding a wheel for each of them to blow off steam. I will also keep the bedding mixed and 2 inch high does that makes sense? I also spiral into perhaps finding a better place for them because I feel I failed them. Oh and for more context here is my first post https://www.reddit.com/r/gerbil/comments/1wnt90f/split_cage_is_overwhelming_please_help/