I think my gerbil might be pregnant?

Question

i brought 2 gerbils last week i was told they were 2 males but 1 of the is skinny and 1 is really big and the big 1 is making a nest out of hay and sawdust and kitchen towels i think it might be pregnant i don't no can u help me please

Answer 1

There are many ways to see if the hamster is male or female. Look it up on google.  To see if it is pregnat bring it to a vet or pet store. If you dont want to spend any money than just wait to see if she has any babies. But be prepared. Add lots of cloth and toys if she gives birth.

Answer 2

All gerbils make nest and all are differnet size some are fat some are thin,

First thing you should do is check that they are both male as you we told this site will help

http://www.gerbilbreeding.com/

also if she is pregnant it will show you how to look after them and how to tell if she is pregnant,

if she pregnant leave the male in with the female after the litter is born he will help to look after them, them just before the next litter is born do it when the other pups are 5 weeks old, then leave pups there and put a male with dad and a female with mom to help her rise the new pup and give the other gerbil new homes at 6 weeks, after that litter grow up give all of them new homes, you will then have 4 gerbil in two cage two males and two females, and keep the sexes apart,

Cheep in some run be cost more over time

Or

Get the male neuter before the birth and then find home for the pups

cheep in the long run.

Answer 3

well, there is an easy way to check if it is a male: you can usually see if they have "man parts" or not.

also, i've had several rodents before and they've always made little nests. that's just what rodents do: nest. they like sleeping in their little nests and keeping food there too sometimes.

Answer 4

Gerbils love nesting (both sexes) so, this is not a good indicator of pregnancy. Also, gerbils have a great range of healthy weights and some tend to be slender and some tend to be obese (much like us humans).

The only surefire way an amateur gerbil owner will be aware of a pregnancy is by seeing the little pink pups in the nest. Gerbils can have as little as 2 (1 is also not unheard of) pups, with the average going up to 6. But, more can surely be born! So, some pregnant gerbils may get a big belly while others show nothing at all.

Your best bet would be to try and accurately s*x your gerbils at this stage. Here is a site with photos: http://www.gerbilsite.com/Breeding/sexin...

Also, if you see your gerbils "mounting" it doesn't necessarily mean that they are male/female either. Two females will "mount" often to establish dominance since gerbils live in a matriarchal society.

If you indeed have a male and female, they have probably done the dirty deed already. But, it is your choice whether to separate them at this stage. If you do choose to separate them, please get 2 more gerbils of the same s*x to make them into same s*x pairs. Gerbils are highly social and will become depressed when kept alone.

Male gerbils make excellent fathers and will not harm the babies if they are kept with the female. Quite the contrary, they often make the better parent and gather up pups that stray too far from the nest and keep them warm while the mother is getting a bite to eat.

But, be forewarned that gerbils will mate once again immediately following birth. So, this can result in a 2nd litter born shortly after the 1st.

An easy way around this is to have your male neutered at the vet. Yes, gerbils can be neutered! I've done extensive rescue work with gerbils and I always keep 2-3 neutered males around to act as a foster dad to any females brought to me pregnant. This prevents unwanted litters while providing the female with much needed help raising the pups and the pups really do benefit from being raised by two parents (much like a human child). Foster dads will not care that the pups are not biologically his. He'll take to them immediately and won't leave their side.

This arrangement works out wonderfully as after the litter is weaned, I'll keep a daughter with the mother, separate any other females into pairs, and all the males will live happily with their foster dad.

Neutering costs roughly around $30 so, please keep that in mind if you do have a male/female pair. Other than that, read, read, and read! Learn everything you can about gerbils so, you can give them the best life possible. They are truly fascinating creatures.

Good luck!