'Male' gerbil had pups and I am clueless

[stormyspark]

So the 21st of August I decided that a gerbil would make a cute pet! So I went to my local petco asked specifically for a male, as I don't tend to get female pets, and took home my new adorable companion. Well about 5 days into taking care of my new friend and trying to bond with them, I noticed a lot of squeaking coming from 'his' cage. Three little pups wiggling under her water bottle. This is my first gerbil and now I suddenly own four. I have no idea what to do to help her or if I even need to. Its been a few days now (getting an account on here took longer than I'd hoped it would x.x) I've put a blanket over her cage as my room gets rather cold and I have cats, I moved her neighbor (a rat) across the room so he wouldn't be able to bug her somehow and now I kinda just peak in there every once in awhile to see if everyone is still alive. I've heard horror stories of gerbils eating their young (another reason I wanted a male) and I even called to see if I can take her back to the store I got her from (they basically told me I was lying because they apparently don't sell female pets of any kind) so I'm stuck with her. I risked puting another serving of food in her cage today and she came out to greet me like she did before the pups were born, so I'm assuming everything is okay? I'm really just hoping I can get some insight on what to do throughout this whole raising pups experience.

(Edit) as a side note I have read up a bit on gerbils, I haven't messed with anything in her tank aside from adding some food to her bowl. I think her tank is a 10 gallon? Its the usual size that I keep my single rat in so I assumed it was large enough for a single gerbil... I though I put enough bedding in for her originally but she's been digging at the glass wall constantly since the babes were born, but I'm worried to add more because I read that could stress her out? I'm really just clueless and unsure of anything I do concerning her now. I have a weak heart when it come to animals so I don't want anyone to pass away...

imgur.com/a/CpjERmr

[jal]

Hi. I don't have any experience with this but hopefully someone will come along who does. I would ask to speak to the manager at the pet store, maybe take someone with you for moral support and explain the situation. I think you are in the US? I don't know if Petcos have instore vets you could speak to or a local animal charity who could advise and reassure you. I think you just need to leave the mother to it, make sure she's in a calm environment and don't disturb her too much. I don't think you should touch the babies. If she's eating and drinking okay she will be making the milk the babies need. Good luck!

[londongerbils]

Oh no, not ideal for you. There are members on here who will be able to give you good advice with regards to the pups.

The store sounds very irresponsible since firstly they made a mistake with the gender, secondly, they sold you a pregnant gerbil, and thirdly, they sold you a single gerbil when they’re supposed to be sold in pairs. I agree with Jal that I’d speak to the manager with someone else with me and speak to a local animal charity if support is needed.

I know this isn’t helpful at this moment, but if you decide, when the pups are old enough to leave their mum, that you can’t keep them, it may be a good idea to keep a female pup with her since gerbils don’t like to live alone, hence why the shop should be selling pairs. And if you decide you can’t keep the pups, maybe also make sure they are adopted in same gender pairs to avoid them having a lonely life.

[tuftsnfluff]

Hey there!

Annndddddd, this is why I dislike pet stores.. and especially PETCO.

Because they are the WORST when trying to tell them they made a mistake or getting them to correct it.

Do you still have your receipt?

Sad part is, if you go to them with the receipt and the gerbil with her babies... I suspect they would do the unthinkable and those pups would become some scaly's snack.

Now.. the GOOD part to all this is 90% of the time, lone mother gerbils do just fine raising their litters by themselves.

A 10 gallon tank is just fine for her to raise the pups in.    Make sure she has access to a good food at all times, with at least 15 - 18% protein and 10 - 12% fat.

It will tell you what percentage on the back of the food bag.   Access to water is critical as well.   Place them near her where she doesn't have to go far to get to it.

You've already covered the side of the cage where she's burrowed, that's good as it will make her feel safer.

As for the baby-eating horror stories, in the 13+ years of breeding, I have never seen a gerbil kill and eat her otherwise healthy new litter of pups.

If she ends up being a stressed out new mom or a bad mother, then usually they just neglect the litter and then when they pass, they will eat the young to keep predators from being attracted to the burrow.  This is completely natural and is what would occur in the wild.  However, if you find the little bodies, its best to remover them as soon as possible.

There ARE instances where I have heard a gerbil mother might kill a pup that would not survive otherwise, as in horribly malformed or perhaps a mental issue she could sense or whatnot, in order to again, reduce the risk of predators to the burrow and to her healthy pups.    But I haven't seen this.

What kind of bedding are you using??   Try to stay away from dusty bedding like Carefresh and Aspen.

If possible to get your hands on Kaytee All White Clean and Cozy, that's the best in my opinion for raising pups.  it reduces the risk 10 fold of them getting respiratory infections from dusty bedding.

You can give her a toilet paper tube and always a wooden chewie to keep her occupied at times.   She does need a few distractions.

Caring for pups 24/7 with nothing else to do can stress her out even more.   So do give her things to chew and wear down.

This also tires her out so she can sleep and let the babies nurse.

Also, after least 4 days, you can take her out to exercise and run about in a safe place somewhere.  This is helpful for her and lets you dig about in the burrow to check on things.

There isn't much you have to do honestly, if she turns out to be a good mother, and if she isn't, there isn't anything you can do to save them at this tender age.

Since we are a kennel that provides our schools and loving families with quality hand raised gerbils, we start holding our pups at around three days old.

I wouldn't recommend you do this till they are at least a week old, and we can get back to that when your ready to start holding them.

Make sure you give her good fatty treats too.   Like peanuts, yogurt drops specifically made for animals (Kaytee too!) and whatever fatty treats you know she likes.

Half a strawberry top with the greenery occasionally is good too.

All in all you are absolutely okay at this point, save for the experience in the FIRST PLACE from an irresponsible pet store's mistake.

Do talk to the manager still.  They need to know.  And honestly, it could have been a sexing mistake on the part of their gerbil supplier.   Certainly on their employees.

Unfortunately, it causes less than ideal situations for their customers like in your case.  

If they just cared a little more about the animals they supply the community other than dogs and cats, this would get a whole lot better. 

BUT.. if that doesn't go well, keep the store number from the receipt and call their Corporate office because apparently, PETCO is trying to "clean up" their nasty animal practices reputation.  Apparently.   Where the store might not care, corporate very well might and then turn around and make THEM care.

It is recommended that you keep a daughter with the mother as they should be in pairs.  

To be fair, sexing CAN be rather difficult, even for experienced breeders.  Usually you can absolutely tell males from females at around 4 to 5 weeks of age, but I like to wait till 6 weeks.

Juuust to be sure.   We can also help you with that when time as well.

Right now.. take a deep breath, slowly exhale.. keep an eye on the babies every day, and let momma do what's best.

And we are always here for further questions.

Hope this has helped!

[stormyspark]

Thank you so much tuftsnfluff! I feel considerably better! After everything I read I was planning to keep a female baby and hope to rehome the other two. As I don't want mama (I named her Diablos because I thooought she was a boy) to be lonely. As soon as I figure out how I'll post some pictures of mama and babies, I think they're four or five days old? They look considerably darker in color than they did before, but mama has like pitch black fur so I'm assuming they're taking after her. (I think their dad may have been this blondie that she was roomed with at petco)

I gave her the toilet paper roll as recommended and she seems to like it, but she's a very dedicated mother (thank goodness) she only gets off the babies to eat and drink. She moved her nest to the middle of the cage so she's right next to her food and water too!

About holding the pups, I'm still a bit wary of that, I am slowly making friends with mama but I really haven't had her long at all, she lets me touch her but is a bit skittish about being picked up. She'll climb into my hand herself but if I move it she hops right out.

Another question I have is: if I try to pick a pup up, will she bite me? She hasn't bitten me yet (just some nibbles on my fingers when I take too long getting her food in). I'd perfer to keep it that way.

Also about bedding, I use critter care paper bedding. I swapped off of wood based bedding a long time ago as I've always kept rats and it gave them respiratory issues. And if this is not a good bedding for her and babies, is it okay to swap them? I don't know how Diablos would feel about that...

[tuftsnfluff]

Aug 29, 2019 11:46:31 GMT -8 stormyspark said:

Thank you so much tuftsnfluff! I feel considerably better! After everything I read I was planning to keep a female baby and hope to rehome the other two. As I don't want mama (I named her Diablos because I thooought she was a boy) to be lonely. As soon as I figure out how I'll post some pictures of mama and babies, I think they're four or five days old? They look considerably darker in color than they did before, but mama has like pitch black fur so I'm assuming they're taking after her. (I think their dad may have been this blondie that she was roomed with at petco)

I gave her the toilet paper roll as recommended and she seems to like it, but she's a very dedicated mother (thank goodness) she only gets off the babies to eat and drink. She moved her nest to the middle of the cage so she's right next to her food and water too!

About holding the pups, I'm still a bit wary of that, I am slowly making friends with mama but I really haven't had her long at all, she lets me touch her but is a bit skittish about being picked up. She'll climb into my hand herself but if I move it she hops right out.

Another question I have is: if I try to pick a pup up, will she bite me? She hasn't bitten me yet (just some nibbles on my fingers when I take too long getting her food in). I'd perfer to keep it that way.

Also about bedding, I use critter care paper bedding. I swapped off of wood based bedding a long time ago as I've always kept rats and it gave them respiratory issues. And if this is not a good bedding for her and babies, is it okay to swap them? I don't know how Diablos would feel about that...

She will chew on the roll and do other things when she feels its "Safe" to do so and leave the pups alone for a bit.  Having all that close by means she won't feel like she has to go to far for what she needs and can easily run back to the burrow if there is "danger".   So this it very helpful for her. 

A wood chew will help wear her teeth down.  Gerbils need this as their teeth are continuously growing, like a squirrel.  So they have to gnaw on a hard wooden substance to keep them trim.

Put one that's about an inch longer that your palm.  This way it wont wear down so fast you have to replace it every other day, but not big enough or heavy enough to harm the pups.

Actually, the fact she will climb up into your hand is a good sign!   She's least a bit comfortable with you.  Place a few treats you don't normally give her.. like sunflower seeds, safflower, half a peanut snapped in half, etc. into your palm then lay your hand - back side down- on the bedding.   Then let her come to you.  She may come, grab a treat and run off to go eat it, especially since she has pups, but eventually she will sit in your hand to eat.   When she starts that, you can slowly start lifting your hand a little each time, getting her used to the movement.  Do this every day, the more comfortable she gets, the more she will let you lift her till she's out of the tank and exploring over your arms, shoulders, etc!

Be patient!  Especially since this might take her longer as she's a new mom.

Gerbils are not like hamsters.  And since they are social, they are very tolerant of us clumsy, huge, noisy hairless things. LOL!

They are too curious for their own good and once they decide we aren't dangerous, then they very much like to interact with us and do not mind too much letting us mess with the kiddos. They just cannot STAND not inspecting everything!  So she should not bite you.  Gerbils rarely bite hard enough to break skin.  They only do this if they are frightened, being hurt, or get confused.  But, to be certain, this is why I recommended taking her out of the tank and letting her "play" somewhere for a bit.. like a bathtub with a towel down and a few things to chew or climb on.   While she's getting "away time" from the babies, you can then inspect them.  BE SURE to wash your hands first, always, always!  With a mild soap that doesn't have a heavy smell and isn't scented like a Bath n Body Works Donut wash or something.   I usually cut around the edges of the top of a Kleenex box and line it with a clean white, soft washcloth.   Then you can carefully place the babies in that to be able to look at them, take pictures, etc.  They are too small to climb the edges.   You will see them try to group up for warmth.   

Now don't mess with them for long at this stage.  Just to make sure they have all legs, toes, tail, and you MIGHT be able to see little indentions on a baby's belly.  If so, that's a female.

Those are nipple dents.   When your finished, places them all carefully back into the burrow and cover them up how she had it.

Don't be too concerned if when momma returns, she MAY want to move the babies.  

It's just her way of knowing her burrow has been disturbed and she will relocate them to keep them safe.

I don't have any experience with the Critter Care brand of bedding, so I cannot advise on that.  I would say that unless you notice a lot of dust in its packaging or when you remove it from its packaging, then continue to use it. 

As for the name, Diablos, is it??  Hmmmm.. maybe you can call her "Diabla!"

[stormyspark]

Update: The pups are now little wiggly fluff balls! Diablos has been a really great mom! (As far as I know since she's the only mother gerbil I've encountered)

All three pups are still alive and none of them seem smaller than the other two or have anything visibly wrong. I haven't heard anything out of them except the usual squeaks, so here's hoping the bedding I use is in fact a good one for them!

I've even been able to pick them up and look them over! (I bribe Dia out of her nest with a new toilet paper roll, she really likes them) Still can't tell the sex though... I don't have very good vision to start and they're still kinda tiny, but I hear its easier to tell at 5-6 weeks so I'll wait for that!

Heres hoping everything stays as smooth as it is!!

[jal]

Aah, I bet they're really cute, good to hear they're doing so well and mummy gerbil has done such a good job. I'm guessing she isn't very old herself. It would be good if the pups are either all girls or one girl and two boys then you can keep the female with her mother and rehome the other two together.