Anyone a gerbil expert?

[Holly]

Same old story - my friend got a gerbil about 10 days ago for his daughter - he noticed it getting "fat" a couple of days ago and last night heard squeaking coming from the nest.

He's left the nest alone - what else does he need to do?

Also is anyone looking for gerbils?!

[arlev]

Originally Posted by Holly

Also is anyone looking for gerbils?!

I can't comment on what to do but leaving them well alone is perhaps the best thing...

...I know a true story about a gerbil which would be too long to share here. However, the morale of the story is this - 'Never lift a gerbil up by its tail'.

They have a mechanism whereby, if a predator gets hold of them, they can leave their tail behind (and some blood, too) and run. The one I knew that did it was perfectly okay after the experience but it did spook out a room full of young kids (serves 'em right, I say).

[chase]

Just check on babies and Mum daily if you can without disturbing or touching them. Give Mum extra food while she is suckling her babies and keep them in a room that is warm.

[arlev]

Originally Posted by chase

Just check on babies and Mum daily if you can without disturbing or touching them. Give Mum extra food while she is suckling her babies and keep them in a room that is warm.

Chase, how long should they wait before 'assuming' that the babies have the potential for producing other babies?

[Spacemonkey]

Gerbils become fertile roughly about 10 weeks, so best to separate before then but I used to rehome mine at about 6 - 8 weeks so that wasn't an issue.

They are different from Hamsters and don't normally mind you handling the pups from early on, I used to start taming mine as soon as they had fur, and before their eyes are open. When they do open their eyes they get a little jumpy but that's soon worked around if they are familiar with your scent already.

I used to have loads, and never saw a mother kill her pups so its not as strictly hands off as Syrians, they are adorable little things

[Holly]

Thanks for that, I'll pass it on.

[chase]

The gerbils should be safe to stay with mum until 6-7 weeks old when they reach sexual maturity. The girls if its only a small litter can stay with Mum if needed. But the boys will start to hassle their sisters definately at 7 weeks.