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Post by moghedien on Jun 27, 2004 21:12:49 GMT -8
I have a question for everyone...
I have an adult lilac female who currently has a 4-week old litter of 6. The past few days, her fur always seems to be fluffy and her eyes tend to be squinty, almost as if she's constantly tired. Also, she's become rather fat.
Any ideas on whether she's sick or not? She technically shouldn't be pregnant again, but if she was would those symptoms be normal? She's a really tame sweety and I don't want anything happening to her!
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Post by j on Jun 27, 2004 22:33:10 GMT -8
If you removed the father before the pups were born, then no she shouldn't be pregnant again. Those aren't really pregnancy symptoms.. In my experience, it's completely normal for a mother with pups around that age. They're bigger, eating more, have teeth and nip her as they go for the nipples, they can follow mom around and drive her nuts and not let her sleep as much. Everytime the mom tries to stop to rest, the pups decide they're hungry..etc. Getting fat is normal, it's been 4 weeks since she's really been active. Too busy feeding the pups and keeping them warm. When the pups are sleeping or after they ate, or if the mom seems annoyed with them.. take her out for a while to run around and get a break. A sandbath will also make her fur go back to normal and make her feel a lot better and cleaner. Maybe put her in a big box for some excercise and leave a small container of sand in it for her. Just don't let the pups near the sand..mine just got sick from that.  But yeah, another couple of weeks and she'll be back to normal. ;D |
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Post by andrea on Jun 27, 2004 23:30:52 GMT -8
we found at 4 weeks it great for the mum if you get a kinda playpen - (habitrails are great for this) for the pups and then you can pop them in it for an hour for her to get some rest.
Also fluffed fur in an adult we have found is also a sign of being dirty or slightly cold.
Andrea
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Post by moghedien on Jun 28, 2004 15:33:10 GMT -8
Thanks for the help guys! I gave her sand to bathe in, and she seems to be feeling better today (she looks a lot better). I'll definitely have to see about giving her a small break from the babies too - she's a great mom, maybe to a fault!  Thanks again!! ;D |
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Post by j on Jun 28, 2004 20:21:13 GMT -8
we found at 4 weeks it great for the mum if you get a kinda playpen - (habitrails are great for this) for the pups and then you can pop them in it for an hour for her to get some rest. Better off taking the mom out of the cage for a break. I doubt she would go to sleep or "rest" because she doesn't have the pups harrassing her. She will probably be a little stressed and look for them or do the compulsive corner digging thing. Especially if she's the only adult in the tank, I'm guessing maybe she is since she's not pregnant again..  Pups don't really need to come out.. Without the mom, they will just eat real food, play and fall asleep. They pretty much entertain themselves. The mom should have time to be a gerbil again and be somewhere new where she can get excercise and explore. Just my opinion anyway. ;D |
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Post by j on Jun 28, 2004 20:25:46 GMT -8
also putting a few thin boxes in the tank might help.. Cereal boxes are perfect.. I noticed when my gerbil had enough with feeding, she'd go in the box because the pups weren't able to squeeze underneath her and they eventually give up. Plus the pups will run in and out of them and chew them, leaving her alone. ;D
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Post by andrea on Jun 28, 2004 23:32:41 GMT -8
Thats the thing, our female and male are together so when we take the pups out they spend a good hour just grooming and sleeping with each other. kinda like they have been dying to cuddle for ages ;D
Maybe it depends on the female, our female is great mum until they are about 4/5 weeks then she gets stroppy with them and really loves having then taken away!.
Andrea
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