Gerbil size difference...?

[Thea]

Thanks both

I really hope it is that she's just small too - she seems fine. As I said previously, I do remember Rolo gaining quite a bit of weight when she became older so maybe Mali will too.

Actually, one of my boys from a few years ago (Caramel) was pretty skinny all his life. I remember him being somewhere between 65 and 75 grams most of the time - and he was male of course, so you'd expect him to weigh more. He lived to 3.

That seems good about your boy's weights (Markpd), it's good they're stable now at what seems like a good weight? Hopefully that's the way it stays.

[Markpd]

Yea, fingers crossed!

[tanzanyte]

thea sometimes you have to be careful with wheels as gerbils can fixate on it and stop doing other things which become detrimental to their health. Hopefully it's not like that but it's definitely one to watch carefully for.

I'm pleased that Blake and Avon have settled back to a good weight, Mark. It does make you wonder if they try and bulk up if there are dominance issues.

My girls plateau'd. Mymble has been 75g for months. Little My is a bit of a chunky monkey between 80-83g, despite being quite ill a few months back she only dropped to 78g.
What does Pippa weight now Thea?

[Thea]

That's very interesting tanzanyte, what sorts of things could the gerbils stop doing if they got fixed on the wheel? They still do a lot of digging, chewing and general playing aside from the wheel. Generally they don't go on it apart from evenings (around 7-11pm), not sure why - they tend not to go on in the middle of the day or in mornings. Although between that time they do seem to use it rather a lot. What would I do if that was the case, would it be sensible to try taking the wheel out for a bit?

Pippa is actually pretty light for her age too - I just weighed her. She's somewhere between 64 and 68 grams (though I'm not even sure on that), she did NOT want to stay in the bowl even when bribed with seeds! I don't believe this is concerning though, unless others think otherwise, she continued gaining weight until a couple of months ago and she's been pretty stable since then, and although it's pretty light I hope she may gain a bit of weight as she ages to fit into the 'average' of 70-100, she's just an extremely active gerbil. She's certainly not skinny, and has a more 'adult' body than Mali - but maybe it's just that she's more muscular.

[LilyandDaisy]

Lily has never been a wheel-runner but during her first year when she was very active, she was also quite skinny, but after she turned one she calmed down slightly (as much as a gerbil like Lily ever can calm down) and filled out a bit. Yours aren't quite a year old, so Pippa might fill out yet.

If her body is well-proportioned and she's not excessively bony, I don't think it's anything to worry about though. 64-68g is well within the range of normal for a smaller female gerbil. Rocket was 72g when I got her aged over one, and in later life got up to around 85g. She was smallish but mostly just lean and muscular.

[Markpd]

tanzanyte I had assumed they bulked up as they had recently reached adulthood and stopped growing, but your idea is certainly plausible too.

Thea

If your gerbils are still doing other 'gerbiling' then I think they're probably ok . If one had stopped digging, sleeping or something else then it might be an issue. In the 1st few days or so Avon obsessively ran on the wheel! He was sleeping much less than Blake and not doing much digging, I got worried enough at one point (think I posted here about it), that I did remove the wheel 1 night. After that he gradually went to a more sensible level .

[Thea]

That's interesting (and helpful!) to hear, I think the wheel usage must contribute to part of my girl's low weights. Younger Lilly sounds very much like Pippa! I guess low weights could also be genetic..?

I do remember the same happening to past gerbils, particularly Rolo and Storme (both gained around 10g as they became less active) , so I do hope both my girls will fill out a bit as they age. The way you described Rocket's shape sounds very much like Pippa, while Mali is fairly skinny, she isn't really.

[tanzanyte]

I think they are just gorgeously dainty thea and it doesn't sound as though she is fixated with the wheel if she is doing other gerbil-ly things. It's definitely more like Mark described in that they forgo most other things.

mark it'll be interesting to see how Blake and Avon's weights go over the next few months and whether they do creep back up or stay the same. I wouldn't have thought they'd have gained more weight due to age until they are past 2. It would be useful to know if anyone else has weights pre and post declan to see if there is anything in it.

[Markpd]

I'll keep updating their weights here then ..... if Thea doesn't mind?

[Thea]

Tanzanyte - that's reassuring to hear. I hope they are, they both seem fine!

Markpd - that's no problem, makes sense

[Markpd]

Btw Thea, do you have a record of their weights to post here?

The boys weight update (UK date format).
They seem to be baulking up for the winter! (I seem to recall that is a thing for many animals, including ourselves IIRC).

Avon ... date .... Blake

63g ... 15/08/20 .. 65g

70g ... 01/09/20 .. 65g

74g ... 22/09/20 .. 70g

74g ... 07/10/20 .. 73g

76g ... 20/10/20 .. 76g

78g ... 09/11/20 .. 79g

81g ... 24/11/20 .. 84g
81g ... 14/12/20 .. 83g
93g ... 12/01/21 .. 93g
93g ... 03/02/21 .. 92g
94g ... 26/02/21 .. 91g
98g ... 15/03/21 .. 95g
107g .. 06/04/21 .. 102g
(cut treats from 3 to 2 per day)
108g .. 20/04/21 .. 101g
112g .. 04/05/21 .. 105g
(cut feed to 15g/day, may have only been a tiny cut)
106g .. 18/05/21 .. 108g
99g ... 01/06/21 .. 107g
(cut feed to 12g/day, increased Avon's treats to 4)
99g ... 16/06/21 .. 107g
99g ... 30/06/21 .. 104g (declanned this date!)
97 .... 22/07/21 ... 94
97 .... 28/07/21 ... 95
92 .... 11/08/21 ... 96
90 .... 25/08/21 ... 97
(increased feed to 14g/day, been unable to feed Avon 4 treats/day, he ignored them!)
92 .... 16/09/21 ... 99
93 .... 30/09/21 ... 99
95 .... 15/10/21 ... 96 (declanned again 3/10)
95 .... 27/10/21 ... 95
91 .... 10/11/21 ... 93
(Mostly been able to feed Avon treats again, but only if I drop them in front of him, he won't take them from my fingers! lol)
96 .... 24/11/21 ... 96
92 .... 09/12/21 ... 97
97 .... 24/12/21 .. 102

Avon is beginning to take treats more often from my fingers again

98 .... 07/01/22 .. 100

103 .. 22/01/22 .. 107

107 .. 07/02/22 .. 114

[Markpd]

Table updated, including weights from when I 1st had them.

Their weights have definitely crept up, but possibly plateauing now?

Btw Thea question for you above

[Thea]

So sorry I missed the question! I'm afraid I don't at the moment (as I don't usually write them down) but I should start one to post at some point in the future.

Your boy's weights seem to be pretty healthy and steady Mark!

[Markpd]

No probs, and yea seems to be

[Markpd]

My boys seem to baulking up again! A winter trend?? (will be weighing them again in a few days).