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Post by Markpd on May 19, 2021 12:14:58 GMT -8
Yea it is strange, although Blake has occasionally, and briefly, passed Avon's weight before. This is the only photo I have of them together recently, (eating together ), overhead shot photos.app.goo.gl/GVcREPbQYokXky899
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Thea
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Post by Thea on May 19, 2021 22:54:25 GMT -8
If he's passed Blake's weight before I'm sure it's fine, let us know the weights in a couple of weeks when you weigh them again though They are very similar sizes then, or it looks like it in the photo? (very sweet with their tails crossed over each other ) Thanks for sending it.
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Post by Markpd on May 21, 2021 10:31:54 GMT -8
Yea it's cute, part of a heart shape . Generally Avon is the heavier gerbil, with Blake occasionally passing him. Funny thing is that Avon has never looked chubby, even when he's heavier than Blake, seeing as they are similar lengths, it's very odd!
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Thea
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Post by Thea on May 31, 2021 13:05:42 GMT -8
Just weighed Mali and I am so pleased! She needs to gain a bit to be an ideal weight but I'm relieved that she's gaining weight. She dropped 2g again a few days after I updated saying she gained weight - then a few days later gained 2 again. It's been just over a week since I last weighed her and I weighed her again just now and she's gained another 5g so is now at 57g well out of the 40s and heading towards the 60s! Just to show comparison, Pippa weighed at 67g today so Mali is 10g away from her. It's a big gap, but she was 13-14 behind at one point so it's better than nothing changing! Have you weighed your boys recently Mark?
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Post by Markpd on Jun 2, 2021 12:40:25 GMT -8
Good to hear she's on the way up . And yes I weighed my boys just a couple of days go (Avon was a right sod to try to catch! lol), curiously Blake has lost just 1g (so no real change), but Avon has lost 7g, to 99g. Quite a drop (2 week gap), not a problem yet, but if it were to carry on.... Possibly something that's contributed to the above odd weight situation, is that over the past couple of months or so Avon has suddenly got really into his digging and Blake is doing less of it (he was the main digger), weird their change in behaviour! If Avon's weight keeps dropping I'm going to have to feed him extra treats (he's going to love me! lol ), just realised that's 2 weighings in a row where Avon has dropped 6-7g, think I need to give extra treats now? Will an extra 2/day be enough? Avon ... date .... Blake 81g ... 24/11/20 .. 84g 81g ... 14/12/20 .. 83g 93g ... 12/01/21 .. 93g 93g ... 03/02/21 .. 92g 94g ... 26/02/21 .. 91g 98g ... 15/03/21 .. 95g 107g .. 06/04/21 .. 102g 108g .. 20/04/21 .. 101g 112g .. 04/05/21 .. 105g 106g .. 18/05/21 .. 108g 99g ... 01/06/21 .. 107g
[edit] They're nearly 1yr old! I haven't got them anything yet! lol
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Post by betty on Jun 2, 2021 14:46:34 GMT -8
None of mine ever stayed at their top weight for very long - and if he has suddenly become more active - then weight loss is to be expected somewhat.
Certainly 2 extra energy-filled snacks a day will soon help him stabalise (or possibly gain weight again) too - but 99g is still a pretty hefty weight! I have a doop who has suddenly gained weight (up to 96g) - even though she isn't active at all. She is more like a hippo of a gerbil at that weight though. I bet Avon is lovely and svelt!
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Post by Markpd on Jun 2, 2021 22:23:17 GMT -8
Lol, hipo doop And yea Avon looks in good shape , I'm not worried about him at the moment, but Blake still looks chubby which is bizarre and confounding, not to mention making it hard to get him to lose weight without further accelerating Avon's weight loss. I suppose I could cut their feed to 12g/day (as you previously mentioned) and give Avon the 2 extra treats? Does that sound like it's likely to work?
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Jun 2, 2021 22:54:51 GMT -8
Yes that probably could work - or you could feed Avon a little extra food seperately if you have time - I don't know if your boys are like my girls and eat most of their food at once! But if they are, you could try feeding Avon some extra food out of the cage (maybe in the sandpen) if he feels comfortable to, and then you could cut down the food to 12g for Blake? If he's hard to catch though that might be an issue!
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Post by Markpd on Jun 3, 2021 11:01:37 GMT -8
Yea he is, lol Although he often goes to the Rotastak under his own will, so I could give him extra there. My boys seem to eat most of their food in 2 sessions, when I feed them at about 6pm and again at about midnight. I'll try the 4 treats option for Avon along with giving them 12g food, and see what their weights do in 2 and 4 weeks time.
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Post by Markpd on Jun 20, 2021 6:10:15 GMT -8
Another update, I weighed them on the 16th and they are exactly the same weight as they were on the 1st! What are the chances of that!? lol So their weights have held steady, which is good for Avon, but not great for Blake, not sure what to do now lol ......
I'm feeding them 12g/day, giving Blake 2 treats a day and Avon 4 (btw it's already tricky giving Avon the extra 2 treats when Blake is around, I sometimes resort to giving Blake 1 small (~5mm) fragment of mealworm to stop him hassling Avon! ).
Thea How are your girls doing?
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Jun 20, 2021 12:36:00 GMT -8
I think that's a good thing! No big weight gain or loss, sounds like healthy gerbils to me I haven't weighed Pippa since last posting but she feels a good weight - I must weigh her this week. Mali's been at 58g the past two times I've weighed her, I think she's VERY slowly getting higher!
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Post by Markpd on Jun 21, 2021 9:59:46 GMT -8
Good to hear Re my boys, yea it's fine for Avon, but that means Blake would be staying chubby, don't want that...
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Jun 22, 2021 7:03:18 GMT -8
Hm, yeah that's true. He's still a pretty good male weight though - and he may drop a bit of weight like Avon has at some point?
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Post by Markpd on Jun 22, 2021 13:02:31 GMT -8
Yea that's true, he might well do, I won't change anything until the next weighing. He might not be over weight in terms of numbers, *whisper* but he is still looking chubby, don't tell him I said that!
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Post by tanzanyte on Jun 22, 2021 13:53:03 GMT -8
Has Blake been less active since the last increase Mark?
I'm glad your girls are doing ok Thea. It sounds like they will increase slowly but surely. Not like my 2 girls who are getting hefty now.
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