Help with baby gerbils!!!?

Question

o..k so as many of you know about two weeks ago my gerbil sox passed away. As gerbils are so social we went out that day and got another gerbil that was supposed to be a boy to put in with my gerbil derby. they were isolated for about five days and then we started the split cage. they are still in the split cage and Calvin has never met Derby outside fo the cage. but yesterday i went to bed and as i did i checked the water and food and how they were getting along but in calvins t.v there were four babys. help i've raised baby dwarf hamsters before but not gerbils. and since they're in the split cage when do i need to move calvin from the cage with her pups? like when can i touch the pups t.v to move it to a bigger, different cage? any help is appriciated! Also that leaves me with a single mom and a single boy gerbil. since their so social what should i do? neither of them are showing really any signs of being lonely so after the babys are grown and weaned can i put them back in the split cage and just let them live like that? or should i keep a boy and a girl and put the boy in with Derby and leave the girl with Calvin?

Answer 1

I've bred gerbils- leave the babies with their mother, otherwise they will certainly die.

The father will not eat the babies, but he WILL breed with the mother immediately after she has had babies. So yes, he needs to be removed.

How well does your gerbil know you? If you and your gerbil are close and she allows you to hold her and pet her, you may be able to hold the babies. Put your hand near them and see how she reacts, and if she is fine, very slowly get closer and see. If she wants you away, she may bite you, but she will not abandon her babies.

Do not leave the baby boy with the mom after he grows older, because gerbils will inbreed. You can leave the girls with the mom as long as they are in a big cage, but it would be best to split cage introduce the boy to another boy when he is full grown.

Answer 2

Hamster dads will eat the babies. Gerbil dads are good fathers and will help raise the young. Though another reply was correct, they could breed again as soon as the first litter is born. She can get pregnant again the same day she gives birth. Another option besides taking the dad out though is find a vet in your area that can treat small animals. There are a few vets that will Neuter or spay gerbils. Not all vets are equiped to be able to do that and it can cost a lot. you would have to do some searching in your area and you would have to be willing to pay a hundred bucks or so for it, so it might be easier to seperate the male. Just wanted to let you know about the option though.

Answer 3

do NOT touch them or else they will be rejected(killed)

by the parents.



ok so the "dad" needs to be moved immediately!

LIKE NOW.

he WILL kill babies.

the babies are all in the same cage right?

if so leave them be and make sure the moms with them.

if she kills one it was for a reason.

now if she starts killing them all then you must remove her.

she needs to be with them and he must not be.

leave them be.

they are natural to this with no human help.

*if i can raise 5 babies during hurricane katrina*

you can raise them now.



and one last thing BREATH!

Answer 4

google it and in simple terms depart them on my own til they are weaned and then attempt and rehome them after wards. in any different case seek advice from the petstore and probably they are going to purchase the little ones from you