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Post by hellohefalump on Jan 17, 2005 9:33:10 GMT -8
hello, I'm new here... I have two black gerbils, Simon and Beetroot. They were sold to me as boys, but a few weeks ago Simon gave birth so obviously they're not both boys and simon is female. Anyway, I'm going to have to separate Simon and Beetroot because my whole menagerie is getting a bit out of control. I live in a student house and already have three large fishtanks, the gerbils, a dog... so much as I'd love to let Simon and Beetroot live together for the rest of their lives, I don't have the space or the money.
My question is, when I separate Simon and Beetroot, can I leave Simon with a female pup and Beetroot with a male one? I've found homes for the rest... I know gerbils like to be kept in pairs, but would this be ok? My mum told me that when one gerbil dies the other one will too because they are friends. Will Simon and Beetroot miss each other?
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Jan 17, 2005 9:43:53 GMT -8
1) I'm afriad new pups are almost certainly on the way 2) you must seperate them BEFORE the new pups come. 3) one weaned boy should go fine with dad (99% of the time) 4) yes mum will be fine if you keep one or two girls with her, BUT she may object when the new pups come. Is a waiting game I'm afraid So to recap a male pup with dad when weaned, a female pup stays with mum and new pups soon. Read up on intros and other issues and good luck  |
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Post by queenofthenile on Jan 17, 2005 20:48:56 GMT -8
I agree, split them up approximately 30 days after the first litter arrived. This will give you a couple of days grace before the next litter arrives. Leave a female pup with mom, and pair a male pup with dad. I don't think the gerbils will pine over each other, because they are still quite young.
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Post by thanks on Jan 18, 2005 6:29:46 GMT -8
thanks so much! I'm going down to the pet shop today to get more cages. There was only one female pup in the litter (I think). I had a look about a week after they were born when before the hair on the underbelly had grown and only one of the pups had nipples. The others seemed to have nothing but skin. umm... if Simon's pregnant again, how long will it be before the pups are born? The current litter are around 3 weeks old now. My sister is taking two of the male babies and my housemate is talking about taking two more, so that leaves me with a female and a male to go with Simon and Beetroot.
...actually i'm quite pleased she might be pregnant again... gives me an excuse to keep lots of gerbils in my room! No one blames me becaues I thought they were both male! Will definately separate them.
A question... why haven't they had babies until now?? I got them both in august and the shop said they were about ten weeks old.
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Post by hellohefalump on Jan 18, 2005 6:32:22 GMT -8
oh... sorry you already said 30 days...
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Jan 18, 2005 6:52:25 GMT -8
answer.......luck tbh
some pairs breed very quickly, others take a long time
also they where probably the same age , pairs breed more quickly when the male is older (in my experience)
The gestation is 28/30 days BUT female gerbils who fall pregnant immediately after birth are able to postpone the new pups for a couple of weeks so it may be longer. There is a (tiny) chance she'd not pregnant at all of course.
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Post by queenofthenile on Jan 18, 2005 8:48:53 GMT -8
The gestation period for a non-nursing female is 24-28 days. Since your female is nursing, it should be between 30 and 43 days. My female always had her litters at 35 days. That's why I suggest removing the male at 30 days. If you want more help with sexing, here's my website: www.gerbilbreeding.com/sexing.htm |
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Post by hellohefalump on Jan 18, 2005 11:40:17 GMT -8
thankyou! I got a new tank today and will put beetroot and the boy gerbils into it next week. I'm saying next week because that'll be four weeks since they were born so they should be weaned by then...?
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Jan 18, 2005 15:12:44 GMT -8
5 weeks if you can please
they wean at 4 weeks but mum teaches them life skills in the 5th
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Post by hellohefalump on Jan 19, 2005 3:20:28 GMT -8
but five weeks would be more than 30 days (need to separate male and female because new pups due). I could just move beetroot... (dad) but would he accept the boys when I put them in with him in a week? Couldn't Beetroot teach the boys life skills? he's been a good dad so far...
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Post by queenofthenile on Jan 19, 2005 6:48:15 GMT -8
You have 2 choices: Remove Dad and male pups at 30 days (just over 4 weeks) and Dad will teach the pups the remaining skills. He *will* teach the little ones, just not the same extent as the mother would. Remove Dad at 30 days, and then remove the male pups at 35 days (or when the next litter is born). Most of the time, lone males will accept a bunch of young pups (5 weeks) easily (without a splitcage). If that doesn't work and there is fighting, splitcage Dad with one male pup and house the other males in a seperate cage/tank. The choice is really up to you. You just don't want to remove Dad any later than 30 days, as you may be in for another nest of pink suprises  . |
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Post by hellohefalump on Jan 19, 2005 8:21:45 GMT -8
ok! I get it now! I'll remove Beetroot at the end of wk 4 and put the boys in at wk 5 and hope for the best |
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