Expecting Gerbil Pups soon!!

SnuggleHam · 04-14-2005, 06:13 AM

I’m so excited, my estimated time frame where I expected to see gerbil pups was around April 15th to the 20th. I am starting to notice that Sam is looking a bit fatter and I can see a bit of a belly hanging out when she stands up on her back legs.

Iv also seen her starting to gather nesting martial allot more for the nest and she seems to be resting more then usual. It’s been so long since I had baby gerbil’s yay!

I have decided to separate Orlando and Sam now to prevent them from mating again after the pups are born. I just want to be sure that I can find homes for them all before she gets pregnant again. If I decide in the end to keep them apart still I will leave a female pup with Sam and try and introduce a male pup with Orlando so each still has a cage mate.

Poor Orlando, he’s in the small 10 gallon tank because that all I have for now. But there is enough room for him and wheel and so on and I made a little tube climb area for him that comes out the top of the tank so its not tall that bad. Just a good excuse to take him out more for some ball fun!

I keep checking Sam to see if there are any little pinkies in there! So this will be the thread where I update about the babies and post pictures!

amnerisryn · 04-14-2005, 06:30 AM

Yay for babies! I can't wait for pics.

You have no idea how relaxing it is to come to this forum after an exhausting day of mind-numbing class work.

SnuggleHam · 04-14-2005, 06:38 AM

Oh I plan in taking tons and tons of pictures and Im glad you enjoy the forum

**babyboos** · 04-27-2005, 04:04 PM

Any news on the gerbil baby front yet Candace?

SnuggleHam · 04-28-2005, 05:12 AM

The news is that she’s fat.. she’s a fat pair and wont put out! lol Iv been waiting and waiting and waiting and she’s starting to look really full in there to the point that her sides are looking bumpy because of all the pups inside, she’s got me worried that she’s going to have a huge litter lol. I was hoping for a small one the first time so finding homes might be easier.

Apparently gerbils have family planning skills and I think that Sam put her pregnancy on delay for a week or too and that’s why my expected birth date was wrong. But she so chubby now that I have to imagine that it could be any day, I cant see her being this fat for another whole week. I keep checking though as soon as they arrive everyone will be sure to know!

SnuggleHam · 05-01-2005, 06:44 AM

Yes, Babies have arrived!! I woke up to find what looks like 5 little pinkies all resting in their nest, They look healthy and nice and clean so It appears sam has done a good job with them

I took a picture here for everyone to see! I cant wait untill a week from now when they are covered in fuzz, The good thing is now that they are born I can expect everything to fo normally

Perfect timing in a way, right on the first of the month, so at the end of May they should be about ready for new homes

I recently found a close family owned pet shop . I had visited this pet store a few times before and new they had gerbils there and wanted to go an talk to them, I wanted to make sure that if they were accepting they knew their stuff. The employee I chatted with new tons, I was very impressed. I also chatted to her about their parrots since I'm very into birds as well and was even more impressed at her knowledge in them.

I told them if they couldnt sell them Id take them back and that I was just offering them for free as I knew there wasnt any money in gerbils, but when she asked the owner he said he would take them for three bucks a piece! I was surprised. Im sure if hes spending money to keep them hes going to take care of them. But Im not worried the conditions of the cages were in great shape. All the cages were filled with carefresh bedding and that was for all their rodents; many places still use cedar as a subtrait.

The only thing was that she never heard of the Burmese or Siamese coloration which is what Im specifically breeding for as I find the color really pretty. But then I had bred in the past and didnt know they came in colors like this until recent years. She seemed excited about the idea.

I was hoping for a small litter at first in fear that if I couldnt find them homes id have to many, but now Im happy with the five that same out!! Yay \

/

amnerisryn · 05-01-2005, 07:11 AM

AWWWWW!!!! BABIES!!!!!! *squeal*

SnuggleHam · 05-01-2005, 09:15 PM

I recently got a better look at the pups and counted seven!! I called my hubby over to count and he counted eight, but I counted twice and each time got seven. I cant wait to really know the number but Im pretty sure there are seven.

Day 8 ill probably handle them when they have that velvety fur coat. I know the parents dont mind me in the cage they usually run over to sniff my hand, but they funny about being picked up so just to make sure I don upset the mother. Plus its her first litter.

Seven pups, is that normal for a first litter ha ha, looks like I found a very fertile female! Thats like two handfulls lol

hammydude · 05-01-2005, 09:35 PM

Yea, gerbil pups! Glad that you found some where to take them.

SnuggleHam · 05-02-2005, 09:50 PM

hahaha ;D Poor parents, I dont think iv ever seen Sam and Orlando so tired and scrubby looking, its not that their cage is dirty, I cleaned it the day before she had the litter and its only the second day.

I just checked on them and as Sam came out of the nest and streched one by one babies were dragged out of the nest a bit as they tried to hang onto her nipple so I counted to make sure everyone was there, and I counted 8 three times!!

is there seven or eight?? man poor parents lol.

If you look by the one thats on its back up near its head is another but there appears to be somthing under the one on its back.

well anyway I counted eight three times so Im pretty sure there is eight and I missed one. They seem to be all fine should I be worried at all as she only has six nipples.