How do I get my gerbils to mate?

Question

I have two gerbils and was trying to get them to mate but nothing works, what should I do?

Answer 1

Why do you want them to mate?  I don't think you should mate them.  There are too many unwanted animals in the world.   Are you prepared to take care of all the babies should they not find homes?   What happens if someone adopts one and then decides they don't want it and surrenders it to a shelter or worse?  Pregnancy can also be risky.  If they aren't mating, take that as a sign and leave them alone.

Answer 2

I would highly suggest stopping that.

Gerbils mate and them mate again IMMEDIATELY after the babies are born, and then IMMEDIATELY after those babies are born, etc. It will make the female weak and sick and shorten her life.

IF you insist:

Do you have a small animal vet and funding in case the pregnancy or birth goes wrong? Or if one severely injures the other?

Do you know both of their medical histories? Pet store gerbils should not be bred, as you don't know their family history with defects or injuries. The gerbils you have now may even be inbred.

If you got them from a breeder, call and ask the breeder's advice.

Are you planning to keep the babies or adopt them out?

If you are planning on keeping them, you need to get enough living spaces for them- new cages, etc.

If you are going to adopt them out, you should have enough homes BEFORE the babies are conceived.

How old is the female?

If she gives birth and decides she isn't ready, she will eat her babies, much like a hamster.

The male needs to either not be housed with her during the pregnancy, or removed IMMEDIATELY after the babies are born, or he will impregnate her within minutes or hours or birth, that's how gerbils work.

Do you know enough not to try and change the bedding for a week or so after the babies are born, so as not to upset the mom?

That is a lot to think about and do research into.

Hope it helps your decision. :]

Answer 3

dissolve a viagra into the male's water supply.  Not too much though, you dont want it to overdose.

Answer 4

alot of things can cause this. are they too young? too old? had alot of litters before? male younger than female? been cage ates for most of their lives? many things to answer and there are more. maybe they are both female... though you'd know if one was male or not. maybe the male just cant make babies (it happens), maybe the female cant sustain babies... all possibilities. and dont think of it as "getting them to mate". the dont do it on demand like humans do :p but all the same it takes time if it is sposed to happen.