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Post by sparkbubble on Apr 1, 2022 15:26:22 GMT -8
For those who don't know, My mis-sexed gerbil pair ended up breeding. I want to raise the pups myself, but I realized that this will mean I must raise a second litter. Here is my tentative plan. Please tell me if this is unrealistic and what to change:
Day 1- 1st litter born Day 3- buy water-bottles Day 10- start handling Day 11- sex gerbils Day 20- remove father into different tank Day 26- 2nd litter born (more or less) Day 27-1st litter weaned (more or less) Day 28- Have Sammy play with 2 pups 2x a day. Day 36- handle 2nd litter. Day 37-Sex 2nd litter. Day 46: Move father to bin along with conditioned pup. Move the rest of the male pups into the tank, Mature. (CAN SELL) Day 53: 2nd litter weaned Day 70- 2nd litter, move males to male tank, mature. (CAN SELL)
Total process time estimate (from first litter to selling final pup)-Four months. Cost: $150-70 dollars. Including: new tank wheel water bottles toys bedding food
Selling plan: Put each pair of gerbs up on facebook with a $20 fee to ensure a willing owner will purchase them. Emergency backup plan: I have reached out to a breeder who is willing to take any leftover pups.
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Post by Thelodar on Apr 2, 2022 14:59:25 GMT -8
Your plan sounds good for the most part! Your timeline is a little off though, because the second litter gestation is typically longer than the first litter's gestation. The only exception would be a very small litter (1-2 pups) or if the pups did not survive. The second litter typically comes 5-6 weeks after the first. So, it is typically safe to wait to remove dad until the first litter is 4 weeks old. Then at five weeks old the male pups can join him, which may still be before the second litter comes. They can then stay with dad until they are old enough to be rehomed at age 6-8 weeks.
So for example with my most recent pairing the total time from birth of litter 1 until litter 2 was 6 weeks old was 80 days. Litter one was born December 17th, litter 2 was born January 24th.
Also, remember to sex twice. Record a sex for each pup around 10 days of age, but then reconfirm once the testicles drop around 5-6 weeks before sending them home, just in case! Especially if there was any uncertainty at the 10 day mark.
You may need more than one extra tank, depending on how many pups you get and how you plan to handle dad. If you are keeping dad and a son from litter one, you won't be able to add pups from litter two to their tank (because the pups from litter one will take offense). It's also good to have a spare in case mom takes issue with her first litter daughters once the second litter comes (if there's just one or two girls she'll probably be fine with them staying, but if it's a bigger group she might think she needs to drive them off). Bin cages would be fine short term, especially for pup only set ups.
Who is Sammy?
Good luck with your little ones!
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Post by sparkbubble on Apr 3, 2022 4:38:17 GMT -8
Sorry, Sammy's the dad (full name, Samson, but Sammy stuck better). thanks for the advice! yeah, I couldn't calculate how pups the equivalent of 5 year olds could help raise the next litter. Now that I know there is a prolonged time period, I feel much better. I'll try and see if I can get ahold of a ten gallon and a twenty gallon tank. the first litter consists of five pups. is this any indicator of how many the second will bring? I expect that the second one will be less healthy, since the mom has no recovery time in between.
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Post by betty on Apr 10, 2022 1:31:04 GMT -8
How are things now sparkbubble - sorry I am a bit late to the chat - but there shouldn't be any problems at all with the second litter - gerbils parents are very capable of raising two litters back to back with no ill effects which is why this practice is very common with breeders. So where are we now - Day 7ish? And not sure why you were buying the water bottles in your schedule - was that for something specific? Often baby gerbils can't use a water bottle anywa as their tongue isn't strong enough to push against the water pressure. They won't be out and about until around day 15+ anyway, so no worries about the rush for that. How are the pups and mum anyway?
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Post by sparkbubble on Apr 11, 2022 6:52:38 GMT -8
the pups are great. we are on day 10 now and they are starting to grow fur. one looks like it will be white (probably with red eyes, since mom has red eyes), the other looks like it will be yellow with brown paws. I don't know what the color patterns are called, but I know the mom's a yellow agouti and the dad's a light grey piebald. three died, though, so I'm praying that these two hold through. One is super active, the other one is pretty mellow. One looks like a girl,but I can't really tell with the other one. Mom is doing well, but seems really restless. She keeps digging at the silicon lining the tank edges. I think she's frustrated that she can't dig or run on her wheel. For some reason, dad is appearing to be un poco gordo. additionally, If the gerbils cannot drink from a bottle, how do I give them water without drowning them?
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