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Post by bananaboat on Dec 13, 2022 19:43:40 GMT -8
I read somewhere that the first litter for gerbils is usually fewer in number. Is this true?
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Post by Markpd on Dec 16, 2022 16:36:56 GMT -8
I sure the gerbil experts will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that is generally true of any mammal who gives birth to multiple babies routinely.
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Post by betty on Dec 17, 2022 11:43:36 GMT -8
I have never really thought there was a difference in numbers - but I haven't checked any stats for that.
I can't think that there has been a big enough and consistant difference in my early and late litter numbers to say either way right now - great question for sure.
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Post by KatnissUna on Dec 27, 2022 19:04:17 GMT -8
My gerbil Rue is having her first litter in about a month (she went into heat last night lol), I will have to post how many she has. I am definitely not an expert, but my other gerbil’s first litter had 4 pups.
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Post by Markpd on Dec 28, 2022 3:40:06 GMT -8
Will be good to hear  betty sounds like another sticky thread/database to build!  |
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Post by ps25 on Jan 3, 2023 17:41:42 GMT -8
My young female just had 7 for her first litter. I really hope this is not going to be a "small" litter for her LOL
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Post by Markpd on Jan 4, 2023 12:34:44 GMT -8
 I reckon that's a 1/2 litter for her! |
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Post by sparkbubble on Jan 19, 2023 7:07:55 GMT -8
A poll would be interesting for anybody who's recorded their first v. second litters. Mine had 5 her first litter and 9 the second litter. all but one died the first round but all 9 survived the second. I feel like the first litter was a practice test, as she attacked the pup late into her pregnancy a month later.
out with the old and in with the new, I guess.
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Post by Markpd on Jan 21, 2023 4:13:39 GMT -8
9!? Wow! [edit. I found an old (poll) thread here regarding average litter size, and even Shooting Star's then 14yrs of breeding (185 litters!!) only had 2 (possibly 3) litters of 9! See her post and the thread here. How many nipples do female gerbils have? I wonder what the maximum number of pups they can rear. (Possibly 10 looking at Shooting Star's post I linked above). A poll is a good idea, an open ended one would be ideal, but I don't know if that's an option here. I'm going to check it out. [edit. The above poll is 6yrs old, so I guess it can be open ended ].
I'm struggling to think of a good poll format.... It could either be a simple one like :- Was the 1st litter smaller? With a yes/no answer.
But I'd prefer more detail in the answers, showing the numbers of 1st, 2nd and 3rd litters, which I can do, but then each person can only answer once of course, hmm... I suppose people who've bred multiple gerbils can give an averaged answer for their gerbils 1st, 2nd etc litters. The poll also allows you to change your answer if need be, I can't think of a better way to do it (short of doing a complicated spreadsheet instead).
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Post by Markpd on Jan 21, 2023 6:14:19 GMT -8
Poll posted and stickyfied LMK there if their are any errors. |
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Post by KatnissUna on Feb 3, 2023 14:57:12 GMT -8
My Rue had her babies! She had 4, first litter.
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Post by Markpd on Feb 3, 2023 16:14:23 GMT -8
Interesting, quite a small litter.
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), late 70s
