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Post by wanderingstar on Apr 5, 2013 2:26:52 GMT -8
Hey, I have just got two male gerbils , two daydream ago. I originally wanted a mixed sex pair to breed but they aren't allowed to sell mixed sex pairs. So I was going to get a female. Question is, would they be okay if I introduced them properly? The boys are only young. I used to breed gerbils a few years back so know what I'm doingvthough i'm unsure as to whether I ever had more than one male, I know I didn't females! Advice please xxx
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Post by wanderingstar on Apr 5, 2013 2:32:25 GMT -8
Ps, I had about six cages of mixed pairs..
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Post by victoria on Apr 5, 2013 3:54:15 GMT -8
Why would you breed gerbils from a pet store, when you know nothing about their genetic background?
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Feeona
Member
Starting a new adventure
Posts: 881
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Post by Feeona on Apr 5, 2013 10:42:11 GMT -8
You've asked this already and got an answer. I'm afraid it's still the same, anything more than a mixed sex pair will have a high chance of fighting or death.
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Post by squamies on Apr 5, 2013 10:59:20 GMT -8
I have to second Victoria's comment. Breeding gerbils from a pet store seems fairly unethical. You know nothing of their genetic background-- they may be 26th generation inbred siblings for all you know. You say you used to breed a few years back, did you ever try something like this? It seems very dangerous considering they will be in an enclosure and unable to escape the potential threat of an attack.
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Post by betty on Apr 6, 2013 2:37:42 GMT -8
Someone I know just tried this (against all the given advice) as he said 'his gerbils were all really friendly' but as soon as the female gave birth one of the males ripped a chunk out of the other male.
He took the 'attacker' out as he thought it was best for the babies but now this gerbil has not only lost the female and babies he was fighting for - he hasn't been able to accept any other gerbils as tank mates (it has been around 6 months) and has since been living on his own basically - still in a strop.
Such a shame.
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Post by wanderingstar on May 15, 2013 3:57:22 GMT -8
Unethical. Tbh what I think is unethical is refusing to buy Gerbils from Pet stores such as Pets at Home. Pets at home only buy from Certified breeders for a start so it is no different, secondly so these animals should be left. As I said I cared for and bred Gerbils for years and never had an issue and know what to look for in a healthy Gerbil. Anyway, I do now have three in my Gerbilarium and tbh it couldn't have gone better. They sleep together, groom eachother. Had no issues what so ever and did it properly. Sadly as a newcomer I find this forum very judgmental and unfair to some users. Ps, my third Gerbil was from a very good breeder. Now I remember we did have two males with female, and the same. Never had any issues between any of them or with the pups. But thanks for the negativity guys...
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Post by wanderingstar on May 15, 2013 5:28:16 GMT -8
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Post by sofluffy on May 15, 2013 6:18:26 GMT -8
I wouldn't risk it.. Enough evidence is shown above, why it isn't recommended. I would take advice from the breeders, who will know best, IMO. I had an accidental litter from a Pets at Home pair of gerbils, and a few complications with the pups did arise. Had they have not bred, the gerbils they produced with the defects would not have been born, and I would never have intentionally bred a pair of gerbils, where I did not know their genetic background. -Because of these risks. Please keep the gerbils' best interests at heart.. ..thanks for the negativity guys... Erm, you started a thread and poll asking a simple question, and we all gave you our opinions and answers. That is what a forum like this is for.. People may not always like the honest truth, the answer/s may not always be what you were hoping for, for it's not to say we were being negative. We just have the gerbils' best interests at heart.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2013 6:20:42 GMT -8
Unethical. Tbh what I think is unethical is refusing to buy Gerbils from Pet stores such as Pets at Home. Pets at home only buy from Certified breeders for a start i disagree. buying gerbils from pets at home creates demand for gerbils. lack of background checks and poopy advice from internet and employees mean a large number live poopy lives in all. and with increased demand, breeders increase efficiency, and with it decrease enrichment and selectivity. along with the nice colours come ones people don't like. my 3 PEW's spent months each ALONE in pets at home because no-one wanted them. how is this ethical? they had no enrichment, 2cm bedding, and looked frankly ill. as for certified... what does that actually mean?! i refer now to the website claim that breeders give animals the "5 freedoms". oh how ethical pets at home. this is LAW, this is not their kind-hearted policy. as for negativity- bad decisions and poor advice attract negativity as sure as a white car seems to attract mud.
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Post by sofluffy on May 15, 2013 6:20:59 GMT -8
..Tbh what I think is unethical is refusing to buy Gerbils from Pet stores such as Pets at Home. Pets at home only buy from Certified breeders for a start so it is no different, secondly so these animals should be left.... Sorry to reply in multiple separate posts! I don't know how to answer multiple quotes in one post/reply? -We're not saying to not buy them. We are just suggesting that breeding gerbils from a trusted breeder who can give you more information about their genetic background, temperament, lines etc. would be more beneficial than breeding a pair you know nothing about
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Post by wanderingstar on May 15, 2013 6:54:47 GMT -8
I do believe I stated in the above response that my female is from a breeder?
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Post by wanderingstar on May 15, 2013 7:02:06 GMT -8
My boys are brown (agoutti) and white with grey spotting. My girl is pure black. My point is, every breeder starts somewhere, and if you are somehow suggesting I don't have my Gerbils best interests at heart, you are very wrong. They are healthy, very well cared for Gerbils, and frankly, I notice the half of the post about them being very happy together, and the photo of them sleeping together has been ignored. Technically speaking, I was once a "breeder" by your own terms. Opinions I don't mind, but opinions disguised as fact I do. Let me inform you of something, regardless of the topic, forums have a lot of misinformed information thrown around confusing people. Don't ask why I came here, that is obvious to talk about my Gerbils and show them off because I take caring for them seriously.
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Post by wanderingstar on May 15, 2013 7:02:40 GMT -8
My boys are brown (agoutti) and white with grey spotting. My girl is pure black. My point is, every breeder starts somewhere, and if you are somehow suggesting I don't have my Gerbils best interests at heart, you are very wrong. They are healthy, very well cared for Gerbils, and frankly, I notice the half of the post about them being very happy together, and the photo of them sleeping together has been ignored. Technically speaking, I was once a "breeder" by your own terms. Opinions I don't mind, but opinions disguised as fact I do. Let me inform you of something, regardless of the topic, forums have a lot of misinformed information thrown around confusing people. Don't ask why I came here, that is obvious to talk about my Gerbils and show them off because I take caring for them seriously.
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Post by sofluffy on May 15, 2013 7:13:19 GMT -8
I wasn't suggesting you did not have your gerbils' best interests at heart, I was just asking you to keep it in mind when making a decision. As gerbil owners, we all need to do this when making decisions regarding our gerbils
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