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Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Oct 28, 2023 22:15:33 GMT -8
I have two females currently (Skittle and Poppy) who have babies. Poppy had hers a few days before, so I was expecting her to give birth to her second litter sooner, especially since Skittle was being more slow with her new boyfriend  This morning, however, I noticed Poppy was about ready to pop. I was really excited of course, as I am before every litter, but I got home tonight and went to handle her first litter (all grown up and are leaving in just a few days now) and I saw six new babies piled up in the corner! They're honestly quite big for only one day, but I'm sure they were only born today as she was bursting this morning and has really thinned out since then. Her last litter was her first, and they were all a little small, so maybe I'm just mistaking that? Not quite sure... Either way, the excitement has arrived, especially because I know Skittle will be coming up behind her any day now! No pictures yet... I wanted to make sure everything was quiet and peaceful for the first few days, although I will post some soon! Of course if anyone's interested I'm in USA, New Mexico, just thought I would add that for anyone looking for some gerbs around here |
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Oct 31, 2023 9:43:43 GMT -8
Congratulations! I hope the pups do well.
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Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Oct 31, 2023 20:36:27 GMT -8
Thank you! Sadly we lost the runt. He was extremely underdeveloped, however, so I am always ready for that with runts. Seeing some pied as the skin is darkening... I was extremely terrified the other day as I saw Poppy eating what very much looked like a foot. I checked all the babies (this was before we lost the runt) and there was no blood on any of them, and all six of them had their feet. It looked a little deformed, but I felt it to be sure because I wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong. It very much felt like a foot. Again, all six babies were happy and healthy. I'm wondering if it could have been some afterbirth? It was the day after but maybe not everything came out? I can't think of anything in the tank she could have had that would have been like that. This was two days ago, and they're still all good (besides the fact that the runt died the next day, though it was not connected, since I checked him too when he was alive and he had all his feet, and no signs of blood). Even though they're fine it's terrified me and I hope someone might be able to explain...? Thanks again! I can't wait to see what they look like when they grow up |
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Nov 3, 2023 12:27:45 GMT -8
I'm sorry to hear about the runt  It could have been the afterbirth. Perhaps she didn't finish cleaning up the day before. |
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Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Nov 3, 2023 20:03:55 GMT -8
That's good to hear. I'm glad to know that I've not got any big problems regarding that. I was sad about it too, but he was a third the size of the others, so I would have been very surprised if the runt had made it, and if he had he probably would have been somewhat disabled/unhealthy. So in a way it's perhaps merciful...? I like to think of it that way, though it might not be very true, I'm very sad for the loss of him... |
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Post by betty on Nov 11, 2023 3:46:40 GMT -8
I know I am late to this - but I have had a dwarf gerbil born before - absolutely tiny it was. It survived about a fortnight - developing at the normal rate - but just not in size. It was the weirdest thing for sure - looked totally different to when you get a fail to thrive runt.
I am a firm believer also in going with what mum wants/does at pre-fur ages - it might be a contested ethic - but I don't feel like we can do a better job than them when the pups are that age. Such a shame every time though.
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Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Nov 11, 2023 23:16:20 GMT -8
Yeah, it always breaks my heart a little when one of them goes. I just can't help thinking how it could've been a whole little person and personality, and I never even got to see it as an adult. Perhaps it's just me being too sentimental. Although it definitely seems true that we certainly can't do any better than the mom can - with special exceptions. Such as my boy Sesame. (he was a part of Ziggy's litter, the mother who attacked her babies last year). He's my sweetest gerbil now, and I really do believe that Ziggy had something else going on with her and that maybe she didn't know best.
As of the new litters... Skittle's litter is growing especially well. (Poppy's too, although Skittle's is the one I'm most excited about) I've determined that she has two brown pied babies, one that looks Agouti, but the brown is far too deep, I feel like. One is either black pied or brown pied, but he's always at the bottom, so I've never gotten too good a look, and I don't want to disturb her. Most interesting, is that I have on that's very light cream colored, with a white pied star. Very excited to see this one grow...
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Post by Markpd on Dec 8, 2023 17:16:43 GMT -8
An even later reply by me! Sorry to hear of the runt dieing . But great to hear about the new litters! How are they doing? Got any pics of them yet? |
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Post by TJ's Rodent Ranch on Dec 9, 2023 16:36:56 GMT -8
Yep, they're doing great. Poppy had her babies early while we were out for two days, so she was impregnated again.
The newest litter I've actually posted about already. They've got a few unusual colors that I asked about in a different thread. Poppy's other litter that this post is about have all been sold (except for two that I kept).
The new litters eyes are just opening though... I'll get some pictures of them tonight!
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Post by Markpd on Dec 19, 2023 12:34:51 GMT -8
Eagerly awaiting photos I'll see if I can find your other thread too. |
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