Pups eaters

[peschanka]

My bushy jirds ate their third litter. I dont now that to do with them. Everyting is normal but they always eat their pups. Why?

[sandy]

Hi Peschanka, I don't have bushy jirds but this has happened to me with gerbils. What I have found is that it is not usually the mom who eats the pups, but the father. You could try split caging the pair when the female is close to having her pups, and leave them split caged until the pups are old enough to leave the nest.

If it is indeed the mother that is eating the pups, it could be from anxiety. Try providing a more private place for her to have her pups, or covering part of the tank with a cloth.

If that does not help, then perhaps it is a genetic cause, and this pair should not be bred. But I would try the first two ideas first!

[peschanka]

Female eat her pups, not male.

[peschanka]

I'll try to give her a house or something for nest. Pups live with her about five days and than mother eat them.

[andrea]

I have not bred my BT's but from what i heard they are hard to breed becuase the slightest thing makes then eat there pups. Its definately not you!!.. the two bt's i have are from a litter of 4 and were the only pups the parents ever had.

Have u got a very private nest box, are they in a quiet room etc.

try asking Julian or Jackie from the National gerbil scoiety as they know people who breed BT's. www.gerbils.co.uk

Andrea

[cathrine]

;Di don't know why they do it but as far as i know as long as you put the male in a different cage than the female and the pups everything will be ok

[AndreaS15]

Would it have something to do with diet?
Maybe she needs more protine after the 5 days or so?

I would try what has allready been sugested in giving them alot of peice and quiet. Maybe a nest box?
But I'd also add more protine to there diet, what are you feeding now?