In a message dated 2/24/00 8:48:46 PM Pacific Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< > << Can she get pregnant at 4.4 weeks? I've heard of 7 week old females
getting
> pregnant by older males. >>
>
> My grandma has been saying I should breed small gerbils, and breed there
> small gerbils and get smaller and smaller, and with in time I could breed
> down to a miniture gerbil, is this possible, with breeding them at a young
> age, is it even safe?.. I don't know if I would do this, but it's a
thought..
> suggestions would be very helpfull, thank you...
>
I'm glad my original message generated some conversation, but does anyone
have any answers for my questions?
Can this 4.4 week old female get pregnant right now by her father? Should I
remove her from the tank?
I'm quite sure he was mating with her. She doesn't have any sisters so if I
remove her, she will be by herself until I'm able to get a cagemate for her.
Ann-Marie L. Roberts
T&T Gerbils
Escanaba, Michigan
Member of the American Gerbil Society
Pup Count Project creator and maintainer
Please visit my website at:
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Reserve/1928/
>>
I believe sexual maturity of gerbils is around the age of 6 weeks and up..
but I could be wrong. In any case, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about it.
You shouldn't remove pups from their parents until at least the age of 5
weeks. If it continues, take her out at the 5 or 5.5 week mark and find her
a cagemate- it shouldn't be that hard if you get a young female like herself,
because I doubt there'b be any fighting.
The older she gets, the more risk of pregnancy you have, and the more
difficult it will be to introduce her to a cagemate. So keep an eye on her
for a while, hope that helps! Good luck!
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| Kaitlynn Klug |
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