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Post by sam89 on May 13, 2019 4:42:34 GMT -8
Hi everyone, I am new around here and would be absolutely grateful if you could help me with sexing my gerbil. I have two of them, one black and one agouti. They should both be females but the agouti one has become a little bit bigger than the other one after two weeks... and I have the impression that I can see (maybe) testicles under its tail. They are now around 8 weeks old. Could you please help me telling if this one is a female ? Thanks a lot !
*edit* I just added a third pic so you can see the difference with my black gerbil. Many thanks !
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tuftsnfluff
Member
AGS Ethical Breeder in DFW, TX
Posts: 589
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Post by tuftsnfluff on May 13, 2019 5:58:09 GMT -8
Hey there! Well, lol, that's a little hard to tell with all the black under there but... I'll hazard a guess here. Because the of the amount of space from the base of the gerbil tail (anus) to the "nub" ( I love that by Catnut!) -- I would say Male.
Hopefully others will respond here as come 10 to 12 weeks, they become adults and able to sexually reproduce. So if the Agouti IS a male.. you will want to separate them soon as you know for sure.
Hope this helps!
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Post by sam89 on May 13, 2019 9:11:15 GMT -8
Thanks a lot. I just have posted a third photo (edited my first message) so maybe you can be more certain seeing the comparison with my other gerbil.
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tuftsnfluff
Member
AGS Ethical Breeder in DFW, TX
Posts: 589
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Post by tuftsnfluff on May 13, 2019 11:49:38 GMT -8
Yup! Golden Agouti is a Male alright!
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Post by sam89 on May 13, 2019 21:37:18 GMT -8
Okay thanks a lot.
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Post by GerbilUK on May 14, 2019 5:11:46 GMT -8
Actually, just to throw a spanner in the works, I think they ARE both female. Anyone else want to pitch in?
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Post by sandybadlands on May 14, 2019 7:22:21 GMT -8
I would also guess male... :/
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Post by sam89 on May 14, 2019 8:52:07 GMT -8
Thanks a lot. Anybody else? Looks like a serious dilemma here.
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tuftsnfluff
Member
AGS Ethical Breeder in DFW, TX
Posts: 589
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Post by tuftsnfluff on May 14, 2019 9:53:30 GMT -8
Hey there..
Here is a thread that's on the fourth page of this Subject topic with an Agouti that looks almost identical to yours in your third picture. gerbilforum.proboards.com/thread/33101/help-sexing-babies
Your Agouti pup is a male. The penile head is much further from the anus than a female and the black section is where the scrotum of a male would be located. Your third picture clearly defines this, however, your pup is also still young so its not as defined as the one in the provided link.
Many times, if you hold the gerbil and take two fingers on either side of the sex and push a little, usually you can see the "testes" in the scrotum bulge forward.. Really not trying to be lewd here!
Also, the scent patch on a Male gerbil abdomen will be much more obvious (and larger!) than on a female. This is another way to tell as well.
Hope this clarifies!
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Post by sam89 on May 14, 2019 10:42:45 GMT -8
Thanks a lot for your time. I am going to see the breeder who gave them to me tomorrow and considering your opinion and experience he will probably have to admit his mistake... then I'll face a difficult choice: leaving my gerbil couple there and adopting a new (hopefuly same sex) pair... or leaving just one and trying to adopt a new buddy, hoping they get along. God they've been there for barely three weeks only and it's difficult already.
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tuftsnfluff
Member
AGS Ethical Breeder in DFW, TX
Posts: 589
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Post by tuftsnfluff on May 14, 2019 11:25:59 GMT -8
If the babies are 8 weeks old already and you are going to see the breeder tomorrow, then probably your best bet is to pick out another same sex pair.
At around 8 weeks, things start to get a bit touchy, as they are only 2 weeks away from becoming sexually active Adults. So intro'ing two 8 week olds together who are not already paired would probably require a split tank.
That's a whole different ballgame as far as intro's are concerned when dealing with adults or near adults as with younger 6 week old pups.
Sometimes, it can be a little difficult even at 8 weeks old to really tell a male from female.. sometimes the parts just aren't as obvious or some are "Late bloomers" into their male parts.
You can definitely get more opinions here if you like before you go, but.. I'm pretty sure the Agouti is a male.
Even breeders with 20+ years experience get sexes and colors wrong from time to time! ^_^
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Post by sam89 on May 14, 2019 13:32:28 GMT -8
Wise words! The breeder's advantage is of course that he will actually *see* the animals and not only pictures. In any case thanks for your help, I'll tell you how the story ended soon.
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Post by Shooting Star on May 14, 2019 14:46:31 GMT -8
Those are both 100% girls. See the triangle shape immediately below the "nub", with the narrow end pointing tailward? That's the vaginal opening.
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Post by GerbilUK on May 14, 2019 23:09:18 GMT -8
I'm glad we concur Shooting Star! The way I think of it is that the anus and nub are "joined" together in females by the vagina. It almost makes like a figure of eight shape with the anus. In males there is a distinct patch of smooth skin between, even if the testicles are not very visible. However large the distance between is, (and it looks like the agouti does have more distance, but that could be how zoomed in the photo is), it is this shape I look for.
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Post by sam89 on May 14, 2019 23:33:49 GMT -8
Thank you both for those answers. And thank you Shooting Star for taking the time to illustrate. It is so hard to tell for a newbie... and it is astonishing to see how different those animals are and still be both females
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