Fisher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
>#1 Is it normal to have a "runt" of the litter? My 3 babies are now 3
>weeks old today but one is still half the size of the other 2. She is nursing
>fine and nibbling on food. She has gotten some supplemental feeding
>from me but really fights me with them. She gets around fine and is just
>as active as the others. Any suggestions?
No, runts are not normal, but can happen. Hold the gerbil to your ear,
if it clicks there is a respiratory problem that needs urgent antibiotic
treatment. This can often lead to pups falling behind and eventually
dying.
>
>#2 When should the babies start drinking from the water bottle. I
>lowered it when they were born and they walk by it and smell it but do not
>drink. I caught one licking the side of the aquarium which I heard once
>was a sign of being thirsty. Any suggestions on this one? Or are they
>too little to be drinking water yet?
At three weeks they will still be nursing.
--
Julian
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
National Gerbil Society
http://www.gerbils.co.uk/
