chickenNutter Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 (edited) Update - Despite having grown and started to crawl around the tank in quite a lively fashion yesterday, we found Kinder Surprise dead in the gerbil tank this morning. Well to be exact we found half of him/her as half had been eaten(!) DD very sad but being philosophical about it. As the baby was over 2 weeks old and doing well, DD gently removed it and Mum and the nest to a quiet cardboard box and cleaned the tank out on Saturday as it was 3 weeks since it had been done, due to the surprise birth, and it was smelling. Mum didn't seem bothered by this but I am worried now that this led to the parents either abandoning or attacking the baby. Any ideas why it might die when it seemed to be growing and doing so well anyone? Previously.. Having worn me down over a period of about 18 months, I finally relented and agreed to let my daughter have 2 gerbils. The 'Gerby Boys' as they are known, joined our household about 2 months ago, and grudingly I fell in love with them, they are both black and very cheeky and friendly. This morning DD runs into our room squealing with excitement because the Gerby 'boys' have proudly given birth to a gerby baby! Oh joy, I read on the internet, they mate again within hours of the birth, (and we think it was born yesterday morning) so we undoubtedly have another litter on the way, due around 20th December. My cup runneth over! Qute now on order. (Luckily whole family are chipping in when I explained you needed a mortgage to buy one!) Edited December 12, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Oh dear - never mind, I'm sure DD is very happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Congratulations, does that make you an auntie or a granny ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 What a shock for you However it is lovely news and you will find that gerbils make great parents. I used to have a breeding pair and I used to sell them to the local pet shop. I would enquire now to make sure they can take the baby when it is old enough. (If a friend isn't keen to have it ) Then as each litter comes along you can inform them asap and hopefully get them 'booked in". If the mother has too many in a litter she will separate them and the father will help her care for them. They usually have more than one baby so it may be worth checking in the cage incase there are any more. Sadly if any die after birth the mother will eat them to get rid of the evidence and just incase there are any remains left I would look as it would be horrid for DD to find anything. Our gerbils eventually bought their own retirement home from the baby selling proceeds Let us know how you get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted November 27, 2011 Author Share Posted November 27, 2011 I have read that single babies don't usually survive as with only one the mother is not stimulated enough to produce enough milk, so I have warned DD and she is being matter of fact about it. I think the long term plan will be to try to settle Mum with a daughter and Dad with a son of the next litter, and get them separated - I don't really want to runa gerbil farm! Bless 'em, they do seem to be very attentive parents at the moment, but the baby is completely buried in the shavings in the tank - I hope it can breath! It was on the top when we first noticed it. As my daughter is a chocoholic the parents are already named Wispa and Twirl - she has named the baby Kinder Surprise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Love the names We had Homer and Marge! I think it might be hard to separate them now as they have got on the breeding cycle so to speak. I do not know when you would be able to remove the male as he helps in the parenting. As you have seen gerbil males are very 'hands on' with the babies. It is a shame that the place you got them from did not sex them properly as they are easy to sex. Having a breeding couple is lovely and not a hassle as long as you have a friendly pet shop owner who will take the babies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Ahh congratulations! I love the names Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted November 28, 2011 Author Share Posted November 28, 2011 Well the lone baby is still surviving so far.... Go Kinder Surprise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 And here she/he is.....Kinder Surprise! How cute is that! (Apologies for blurriness - so tiny can't seem to get a focus) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Oh how lovely This reminds me of my gerbils babies. Ours had small litters at the beginning and end of their breeding life but I am sure they had about 8 one time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 8 ?! Oh 'eck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Awww Cute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 8 ?! Oh 'eck! Yes, that was when dad's help was really useful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
