gerbil behaviour

Question
hello again,
just a few questions regarding behaviour..
why do my gerbils strech up and put their paws on the tank when i aproach them?
why when i stroke one gently on the side when eating does she squeak?she dosent seem bothereed...
why do they every now and then make a high pitched short squeak?
also,they are ignoring the mineral stone i put in....why?
how come they `box` each other when in the sand bath?
how can i pick them up because they always run away...
they squeak in their nest.why is this?
thanks a lot ,
jordan

Answer
Hello,

They stretch up when you go the cage because they are curious and investigating what is going on.
Squeaking is a way of communicating, and is very common. It can mean various different things, such as excited, happy or scared!
They may not want the mineral stone right now, but don't worry they will use it when they are ready. You can not make them want to use it.
Boxing is a form of fighting, it is probably just playful in this case as they decide who gets to use the bath first (normally the dominant gerbil).
You have to be quick enough to scoop them up in your hands, and this does take some practice. If you follow the tips i put in a previous answer to you about taming, this will help you in catching them.

The web page i have put below for you tells you in more detail about the different meanings of gerbil behaviour so have a read you may find it interesting!

http://www.gerbil-info.com/behave1.htm

Thanks,
Charlie.