I have been watching these gerbils on my desk, and, if you will recall, I had announced their mating some time ago. The day that they will become parents is drawing near. I thought that I had already learned a lot about gerbils, but having them directly in front of my face for several hours a day has taught me a lot more about them. They are located on a shelf directly above my monitor, so I have them in my view whenever I am on the computer. (And I admit it, I am a Net addict.) I noticed a few days ago that there were changes in Velvet (the female) that I hadn't really noticed in pregnant gerbils before. She wasn't hugely round yet, but there were changes in her shape, and in her behavior. It's been very interesting. Yesterday, under her belly, she was starting to get a little rounded. She seems significantly more rounded today. I am guessing that we are still a couple of days off. She's been digging at the glass a lot more than she did pre-pregnancy. For a while last week, she seemed to not want her mate to bother her, and they even did a little "boxing", but now nothing makes her happier than sleeping in the corner and getting groomed. Meanwhile, I have noticed Spot (the dad) carrying bedding from the left side of the tank to the right side, where they normally sleep. He's a pretty compulsive nest builder by nature, but he seems even more obsessed with it right now. I wonder if he can tell (instinctively or whatever) that they are about to have pups, through hormonal clues or something. Anyway, I really do recommend this kind of observation-- put your gerbils where you can see them for long periods of time while you are doing what you would be doing anyway, and see what you can see. You might learn more about gerbils in general, but you will certainly learn more about the individuals that you are watching. :) -- Mia Soderquist Firetalk #605102 ICQ #19818811 or 5926593 MSN Messenger/hotmail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
