Update on Maddie

As of this morning when I left for work, still no pups! I'm starting to think she is just torturing me lol. I am still keeping a close eye on her and McGee and I still have not observed any signs of mating, so I am sure she is pregnant. I just have no idea when to expect the pups! I am so sorry to the people who are on my second litter reserve list. Hopefully it won't be too much longer!

On another note, Sunday we started the split cage between Jasper(my elder Lilac gerbil) and Squints(Maddie and McGees pup). It has gone really well so far. There has been no signs of aggression from either side. They groom each others noses through the wire a few times a day. Jasper doesn't like when I have to swap sides with them very much, but he settles down after a hour or so. He's always been a little nuerotic! I'm hoping that we will be able to introduce them in about 3 weeks.

Second litter still not here!

We are still patiently awaiting Maddie and McGee's second litter. The 45 day mark was last Wednesday. Usually they will mate the same day they have the first litter of pups, then have the second litter 35-45 days later, depending on how long the current litter nurses. Either that mating didn't take, or Maddie wouldn't let McGee. I have been watching them closely for over a week now and haven't observed any mating behavior, so I'm sure she's pregnant. I just have no idea when to expect pups now! Gerbils go into heat every 3-4 days, and they will mate often during the day the female is in heat, so if she wasn't already pregnant, I would have caught them in the last week that I have been watching her so closely. Hopefully it won't be much longer!

Quick update on the pups!

All five of the boys are in their own tank now. We separated them from Maddie and McGee on Monday because Maddie should be having her second litter any day now. They are doing really good. They are eating solid food (their favorite thing being plain Cheerios right now!) and using the water bottle really well. It's so cute to walk in their room and see all five of them piled on top of each other sleeping. I haven't managed to get a picture of that yet because as soon as they realize we are in the room, they are up and ready to play. The little gerbil that we have decided to keep as a tank mate for Jasper-the one with the eye that didn't fully open-is still doing great despite his slight disability. We have been calling him Squints and I think it's stuck. We have one pup that is so exciteable and curious that it's hard to handle him. He wants to run all over us as quickly as he can. None of them have attempted to nibble at us at all. They definitely have their mom's sweet personality, but they all have their dad's bravery. One pair of the boys will be going to their forever home on January 12th. I know the two little girls who are adopting these sweeties are going to fall in love with them immediately. The last pair will be going to their new home on January 20th where I know they will be loved and very well taken care of.

Also, I would like to point out that due to the fact that there were no females in this litter, it has really thrown off the amount of females I had figured I would have available. I moved David B., who had reserved a pair of females from the first litter, to the second litter. Because he reserved his first, he gets the first female pair I have. I am so sorry if I am unable to accomodate someone who had reserved females from the second and third litters. If you would like to contact me to change your reserve, I do know of someone who is also an AGS breeder who may be able to reserve a pair of females for someone. Also, as I stated in an earlier post, I will be getting a female to pair with my DPP Lilac, Boo. The new female will have to be quaratined for at least 2 weeks before I can put them together, so it may be a couple of months before that pair produces any pups.

Genders have been determined!

We checked the pups on Tuesday and it is definite. They are all boys! I was so shocked. I've never had a gerbil have a litter that has been all the same gender. Their first litter is usually always mostly boys, but I've never had one not have at least one female. I am so sorry that I am not going to be able to provide a female pair from this litter to the person who had them reserved. Hopefully we will be able to work something out for everyone.

The pups pretty much all look alike. There is one who has a small white tuft of hair on his nose. Another pup looks like his left eye did not fully open. We will be keeping him. This slight disability has not slowed him down in the slightest though. He is the bravest of all five of the pups. He has no problem running around the tank and he is quick to jump up in your hand to be picked up. He is going to make a great tank mate for my elder gerbil, Jasper, who's tankmate Scamp passed away a couple of months ago. Jasper has been very lonely and I think the little gerbil will put some life back in him.

The pups are starting to nibble on food when I feed Maddie and McGee, but I haven't managed to catch them using the water bottle yet. Hopefully this weekend I will have more time to sit and watch them. They will have to be separated from mom and dad soon because Maddie should be having her second litter any day now.

We have also decided to breed our DPP Lilac, Boo. We will hopefully be getting a female from a fellow AGS breeder here in Indiana, Maple Grove Road Gerbils, soon to pair him with. Boo is the son from Milo and Bella's first litter. He has such a sweet and calm temperment. We are very excited to get some pups from him.