Pregnant

[juliel]

Hey,

I got 2 lady gerbils (which i have double and triple checked) from a pet store about 13 days ago. When i went to the pet store they were in a pretty sorry state, dirty cage, and a nursing mum with very young pups 1-2 weeks, in the cage. I almost walked out the shop to get gerbils elsewhere, but being a bit sad and a sucker i decided i couldnt leave the gerbils and go elsewhere as i would feel too guilty.

The gerbils (Nibbler and Chloe) have been great both are very easy going, have never bitten either myself or my partner, and are very happy wee girls. Heres the problem, they are starting to look very pear shaped and i am worried that they could be expecting. Their tummies are quite bloated but are still quite squiggy. They are both very active still, but have been building a massive nest in the corner of their cage. Is there any way of telling if they are indeed expecting or if they are just wee fatties?

If it helps i could attempt to take pictures although they dont like to sit still!!

Thanks
Julie

[ohmylokix]

Sadly, in that kind of pet store, it's best to walk out. It's so hard to resist the cute little ones, but if you buy them, then you only encourage the store to sell more gerbils.

I'd separate them for the time being. If they are pregnant, and both have babies, then they may fight over babies or eat the other one's litter.

[AndreaS15]

Maybe add a split, and count about 30 days since you got them, and if there are no babies after 30 days remove the split.
I just hope they are getting pudgy for you, if not we'll be happy to help answer any questions you may have.

[juliel]

Thanks for the replies,

My two girls are very social and sleep together etc, would it be a bad idea to keep them together, and if one has pups immediately remove the other. At the moment I am off university so am with them pretty much all the time. Or will this cause problems?

I do have a spare tank so would be able to split, but bit reluctant to upset them with them being such new pets.

[ohmylokix]

The thing is, that most gerbils like to give birth at night. If the less dominant one was to have her babies while the dominant one was still there, the dominant one could eat her babies. This could happen at, like, 3am, when you aren't awake.

Another thing is that you would stress them out if you took one out right after the other gives birth, causing her to cannibalize her young.

[juliel]

Thanks that helps, I will split them now

Hopefully all a false alarm

[AndreaS15]

Split cage them, so that if they don't have babies they will be easily re-introduced to one another.
Are they fairly young?
If only one looks preggers I would say leave them together, as young females usually raise a little together well. But when both females have pups that's when bad things can happen

[ohmylokix]

A pregnant gerbil looks like this-



While these two are just fatties-

[juliel]

They are both really quite young.

Chloe looks like the pregnant, with all her weight in her belly, her upper body is as slim as always. Nibbler looks a bit tubby, but all over. Its all so confusing!

I think chloe is pregnant and nibbler probably isnt... if that makes sense. Apart from the tubby belly and the big nest are there any other signs? It may help to add that Chloe is defiantly the more dominant of the two, she is into everything, whereas Nibbler is quite reserved.

[ohmylokix]

Chances are, Chloe was impregnated by her brother or her father, since that is what is allowed to happen.

Well, even a pair of boys can make a huge nest. Just separate them(as Nibbler can just have a tiny litter. They don't always show.) and wait a month to see what happens.

[RitzieAnn]

I second Andreas' advise about splitting them! Best way to go I say. And 30 days is great too, because gestation is usually 25 for non nursing, so that'll give you time to tell. Also, you said it was them two, and nursing pups? Did they belong to your females? Did you get them too?

Here's recent thread with pictures of pregnant gerbils
gerbilforum.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=breeding&action=display&thread=1198084298

[juliel]

Nibbler, the skinny one is just giving birth!! Omg im so glad is split them, no idea what to do now!!! Was not expecting this this soon!! Shes squeeking ALOT is that normal?!

[RitzieAnn]

Yes, that's normal. She's having babies! I mean, it's gotta hurt! Plus the babies squeek a lot too.

you can watch, just don't touch. Since you're new to having her, and she's probably not very bonded to you, so don't attempt to touch them for a day or two.

Just make sure there's nothing in the tank like a wheel or a dish or house that can be upturned onto a baby. Just give her some toilet tissue and she'll take care of it.

Congrats!

[juliel]

she is eating something i cant tell if it is a baby or afterbirth! this is horrible! im not ready to breed gerbils! im still a newbie

[RitzieAnn]

Placenta! That's normal. It's just after birth