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Post by winter on Jul 29, 2005 19:21:51 GMT -8
I have two gerbils (Cabal and Daru) about 6 weeks old that were proclaimed "brothers". After looking at sexing pages and examining their rears, Cabal is definately a girl, not a guy. They sleep together, play together and when one is out of the cage, the other looks lost and squeaks pathetically until the other is returned.
I KNOW they will make babies dispite being related. And to prevent this and keep them together I've been seriously considering neutering Daru since he and Cabal are bestest friends. Does anyone know how old a gerbil must be to under go the procedure? Everything I have seen about that usually invovles retired studs.
I would appreciate any theories and suggestions. Thanks.
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Jul 30, 2005 8:15:44 GMT -8
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Post by winter on Jul 30, 2005 13:57:28 GMT -8
Thank you for bringing that page to my attention, it was a tad helpful.
I also found a Vet in town who does gerbil neuturing, so I'll be getting Daru in A.S.A.P. Wish us luck.
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Post by shibby69 on Jul 31, 2005 4:42:19 GMT -8
good luck  |
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Aug 1, 2005 3:19:30 GMT -8
Good luck, and tell us how it went! Always good to hear other's experiences.  |
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Post by winter on Aug 3, 2005 15:45:58 GMT -8
I got Daru in today, and the vet said she needed to do research and would have to call me back. She did call me back and I have to wait 2 weeks until he is mature enough before she will do the operation.
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Post by maxthegerbil on Aug 5, 2005 2:45:04 GMT -8
Hi. Your gerbils are lovely, but would`nt it be safer to keep them together by splitting their tank in two, or even introducing another young female to your existing female and do the same with the male, so they can have same sex partners? I only suggest this because I would have thought castration in such a tiny animal would be very risky unless it was for life saving surgery?  He`s also very young and I don`t think I would risk losing him through anasthesia or post op complications just so he can stay with a female? Do you feel it`s worth the risk? Just thought I`d add my own point of view and I realise that it may or may not be everyone elses view. I just don`t think it`s morally correct unless it`s for health reasons, that`s all. |
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Post by malabui on Aug 5, 2005 12:57:10 GMT -8
My doctor (about 20 years ago) had a Brother and Sister gerbil. She got the vet to neuter the male one so that they didn't make little gerbils. It was succesful, so I think that it should be sucessful for you too, since vets now have more expertese in this area (male gerbil: OUCH!)
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Post by winter on Aug 6, 2005 20:05:06 GMT -8
I've been informed by my husband that more gerbils is out of the question (for now) because of our very limited living space. So I have only Daru and Cabal to dote over and I refuse to let them live by themselves for the rest of their gerbil lives-- originally I was only going to get one gerbil until I did some research and found out they are social.
The vet Daru is going to see is expierenced with small animals, she has the right anasthesics for small animals and from talking to her I feel very confident in my decision. Although they live in a ten gallon tank, I don't want to split it up and make them sleep by themselves and never have another gerbil to groom them. I think it's morally wrong if I either did seperate them to live by themselves or if they just let the inbreeding continue (their parents were also a brother and sister to pair) so I feel in my heart I'm doing the right thing and this is a risk that is mature and worthy of making.
Thank you for the other point of view, maxthegerbil as it did make me sit back and reconsider everything.
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Post by sorchajude on Aug 10, 2005 6:35:53 GMT -8
i was thinking of getting one of mt males Neuterd too. will they act any diff if they are nuterd ?
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