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Post by ohmylokix on Oct 6, 2007 10:55:01 GMT -8
I still really wouldn't risk breeding the babies. They could have epilepsy{which doesn't show until they're older}, or you could end up with unhealthy stock. If I were you, I'd get a healthy pair of 100% healthy gerbils from a breeder to breed.
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Post by plann2walkonwata on Oct 6, 2007 10:57:15 GMT -8
When I went into the petshop... I was planning on getting a hedgehog... (ordering it and all)... but this girl walked in with a gerbil... and we started talking.... and she was telling me how she couldn't find an owner for it... and she let me hold it and i fell in love... it was soooo cute... i started asking her a whole bunch of questions... and I ended up with her... but the girl told me that if i wanted her i should get at least one more to go with her... (and i already had a cracked fish tank at home from my axolotl and ghost black knifefish)... so I went back with one of the dodo employees and he showed me some more gerbils (actually he started showing me hamsters.. and i saw the sign...) but I chose 2 out of the tank (not knowing about doing the whole split tank method yet... ) but they got along great thank God lol...
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Post by ohmylokix on Oct 6, 2007 11:04:59 GMT -8
I'd really wait for a while until you start breeding intentionally. Gerbil vet bills can be expensive. {Verona's checkup was $40, plus $20 for the first-time consultation, and I can see it becoming more if you have a tankful of babies with respiratory infections}
Besides, breeding healthy stock that you know the lineage of is one of the most important parts of breeding. That's part of the reason I dropped my breeding program-- I only had one breeder-bred gerbil. And although Ruki is healthy, I don't know if she's a carrier of any defects.
I'm not being critical-- you wouldn't get the full joy of breeding if you bred unhealthy pups!
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Post by plann2walkonwata on Oct 6, 2007 11:11:24 GMT -8
thanks for the advice ... i really do appreciate it... seeing as though i do have so many already and more on the way though, i am planning on keeping the ones i have... (separating according to sex amongst all my tanks)... and deciding as i go... but i do think i'm going to wait awhile... just to make sure all are healthy and just to make sure i have enough time to provide each one with valuable play time lol (no problems YET!) lol... i do love them and they are sooo cute... my mom wants two of mine... but i'm having a hard time telling her yes lol... i wanna keep them for myself... I told her maybe the next litter lol
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Post by ohmylokix on Oct 6, 2007 11:14:12 GMT -8
Be sure to only have 2 females and up to 3 males to a fifteen or twenty-gallon tank. So right now, you'll have..
5? 20 gallon tanks? Maybe more, depending on how big the next litter is.
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Post by plann2walkonwata on Oct 6, 2007 11:15:33 GMT -8
Oh... and if you were being critical... so what?!?... you love the little gerbies... and are just trying to make sure they're taken care of and healthy... nope... no grudges for that... it makes one realize how seriously others take it and also makes you check yourself... am i taking this seriously ENOUGH? *goes back to help gerbies finish decorating their tank for Halloween*
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Post by plann2walkonwata on Oct 6, 2007 11:17:19 GMT -8
She's had 7 babies so far per litter... so guessing next litter is the same... about 6 tanks... but i'm trying to end up with between 8-10 tanks for unexpected emergencies and such...
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Post by Shooting Star on Oct 6, 2007 11:39:09 GMT -8
They could have epilepsy{which doesn't show until they're older} Epilepsy usually shows young, around 6-8 wks or earlier. So you'd know before you tried to breed them. Ditto to everything else, though. You have your own thread, now, btw, since you totally stole Doom's.
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Post by plann2walkonwata on Oct 6, 2007 11:58:59 GMT -8
i'm sorry... i didn't mean too... i actually started asking questions b/c of the original post... but people replied and asked questions... and i love answering and asking more... but i do apologize... i'm not the greatest in conversation etiquette
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Post by Shooting Star on Oct 6, 2007 12:01:59 GMT -8
(The "stealing" comment was a joke-- I should have made that more clear. ) Just keep it in mind for next time, 'kay?
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Post by plann2walkonwata on Oct 6, 2007 12:11:32 GMT -8
Gotcha
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Post by sirius on Oct 7, 2007 12:19:25 GMT -8
ohmylokix I read here and there (didnt get a clue from plann2walkonwata's posts) but did you meant that do not breed inbred gerbils? (like father*daughter etc.)
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Post by plann2walkonwata on Oct 7, 2007 18:57:39 GMT -8
yeah... I do NOT and will NOT breed inbred gerbils
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Post by ohmylokix on Oct 7, 2007 19:08:36 GMT -8
I wouldn't breed from inbred gerbils. Meaning that if you got a gerbil who was inbred, I would not bred that gerbil.
Plann2walkonwata should not breed the gerbils she has, as she does not know their backgrounds.
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Post by sandy on Oct 7, 2007 21:53:55 GMT -8
All domestic gerbils are inbred already since they come from lab stock. Just so you know.
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