Since I have had such trouble the last few months in keeping
a litter of gerbils; a DEH (male, Bud) and a DEW (female, Lady)
were moved upstairs three days ago when she started looking
like a coaster.
They are in a 15 gallon aquarium with mesh lid and on the side
kitchen counter (the former junk magnet of the house). This
morning between 8:30 am and 9:30 am, she gave birth to
six (?) pups. Her first litter. I have a question mark, because
I'm counting at least five....
Bud is cleaning pups and stealing a few to sit on in one corner.
Lady is in the nearby short side corner with the others...and
occasionally sneaks over and cleans the ones Bud has and
drags them back.
The "B" is because I have lost several litters between furring
in and starting to leave the nest with eyes open (10-20 days)
for no apparent reason. One morning they're there and adored
and the next, if I'm lucky, I find a few traces of fur.
I will pay attention for any signs of respiratory problems and
any signs of the litter 'stalling' in development [old pro with
eyedropper feeding here].
*****Would it be prudent to start some tetracycline in the water
anyway, and do a 10 day treatment? *****
p.s., they are on the shredded recycled paper product I use
for bedding. Parents have a 10 oz waterbottle so it does
not run dry from day to day (unless jammed) and get daily
feeding (now that they're upstairs, several times a day
spoiling feedings of things like peanuts and sunseeds,
a few at a time). Cage was cleaned two days before she
delivered. Other cage decorations is a mostly dead small
cardboard box, and a daily toilet tissue roll to decimate;
a small chunk of pine for chewing, and a milkbone dog
biscuit [I hand those out to the hamsters mostly].
p.p.s. They have been observed this evening breeding,
so I expect another litter in about 35 days....
*****Any ideas on what may go wrong that would cause
the parents to destroy the litter at the age I described
(10-20 days) and any preventive measures?*****
Thanks.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
