User:Youtubefan12/Is my gerbil pregnant?

--Youtubefan12 (talk) 17:13, 9 January 2010 (UTC)--Youtubefan12 (talk) 17:13, 9 January 2010 (UTC)Youtubefan12 (talk) 17:13, 9 January 2010 (UTC)√√17:13, 9 January 2010 (UTC)Youtubefan12 (talk)√√

Is my gerbil pregnant?

You will know your gerbil is pregnant if she is starting to look kind of pear shaped. If she is eating a lot that is also a sign. Never keep a male and a female gerbil in the same cage together, because they can make a lot of babies. The babies are called pups. Another sign if your gerbil is pregnant is if she is nesting a lot. She is making nests for the pups' arrival. You will know if your gerbil is in labor if her eyes are closed, breathing hard, and is twitching like crazy or looks like she is pushing from her gut. The pups are about 4 or 5 inches long. They are born hairless and with their eyes closed. The pups are hard to spot in their mom's belly at the beginning of the pregnancy, but about day 18 you can start to notice them. The mom's belly will look bumpy. And the nipples will get bigger. The mom doesn't get much bigger though. The pups are usually born in the place nested. That place is usually secretive and private. If you don't want pups, you can not part them with their mother until their eyes are open, they have fur, and are able to get around by themselves. It is best if you handle them from about a week of birth, that way they get used to being handled by humans. Gerbils are pregnant about 23 to 25 days.

Hope this helps! Referral websites are www.gerbilbreeding.com or you can go to www.google.com and type in the box,"how do i know if my gerbil is pregnant?"

Sincerely, Youtubefan12