>>>Probably it would be okay, tho 7 weeks is getting pretty close to sexual maturity. But I am curious, why are you separating 4-week-olds from their mother? That is a little bit early. Unless the mother is trying to drive off the youngsters, it's better to leave them in with mom until 6 weeks of age.<<< I've taken all my pups out from Mom at around four to five weeks. Except for one big sis who stayed with her mom to help with the second litter when I took the boys out. I haven't had any problems, and they had all stopped nursing for almost three days when i separated them. >>For 5 gerbils together, I hope you have a big cage! A 10-gal aquarium is inadequate for this size group. A 20-gallon long might be just about right, assuming you're planning to leave them together long-term.<< I do have a 20 gallon long tank that I plan to keep the boys in. >>Actually it would be better still just to keep them as a trio and a pair. . . or perhaps you have that big cage/tank and want to take advantage of it? I'm not sure why you want to put all these boys together.<< The main reason is that I liked the idea that Donna of ABC gerbils had with her boy tank. I was originally going to put the three boys I have now in with their Dad and older brother, but as the older brother is five weeks older, I was unsure as to whether this would cause fighting, and I want to avoid that. Of course . . .if the two younger boys don't get along with the three older ones, I won't be able to put them together, and will have to work something else out. But I would like to try with the five boys first. >>I'm not saying it couldn't work, just wondering about the situation. Is this temporary, until you find new homes for them?<< I plan to keep all five boys I am placing together. This would be a permanent set-up, unless they just decide they don't want to get along. RW ===== The GemStar Clan ---- Tina, Windy, Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi; Spring and Misty, Kibble and Nibble; Peaches and Cocoa and the babies. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
