I agree that if the mom is experienced and knows and trusts you it's fine to
handle the pups very early.
But I disagree about moving young pups/parents into a new environment. My
mothers get very distracted when there are new items to gnaw and a new house to
put in order; which can lead to them neglecting the pups for hours. So I'd
recommend waiting until the pups are older -- at least three weeks, four would
be better.
Donna
ABC Gerbils
http://www.geocities.com/abcgerbils/home.html
Tasha Rieck wrote:
> Actually, it's not neccesary to wait that long. How well do mom and dad
> know you? I was in the cage, seeing newborn pups, and holding them when they
> were only a few hours old. Gerbils, if they know you, can adapt pretty
> easily. However, is this her first litter? Is she new? If so, you
> might want to wait a little longer, just to avoid more stress.(I'm sorry if
> you said before, I've been lurking mostly). Otherwise, I see no reason why
> you shouldn't be able to move them. :) When I do move them, I usually make
> a small hole in the bedding, in the same corner of the cage, just to keep
> things sort of the same. :)
>
> *Tasha*
>
