Hi Jill, I think this would be a significant stressor on the mother and may cause her to ignore the pups (or worse). The travel itself is stressful and then the setting up the tank in the new location is stressful too. I've found my gerbils take at least a week of being very box-bound and hyper vigilant before adjusting to being in a new house. I know that Deb R. had a negative experience moving a mother and young pups (they "disappeared"), but there were other factors there as well, I think, such as many gerbils in one tank. If there is any way possible for you to leave the mother in place before the birth of her pups and the couple weeks after -- having someone check them at least once a day -- that would be your safest bet. Also, I've left 2, 3 and then 3 older pups with mom to raise the second litters with my three different breeding females. It's worked out great in these three cases. Good luck to you, Donna Jill wrote: > Hi list- > I'm going to be traveling with my zoo next weekend to go home for > thanksgiving. The babies will be about 4 1/2 weeks and assuming the > after-birth mating took, the mother is expecting again. I'm concerned that > the mother may give birth while traveling to go or come back. Would this > put her litter at risk? Can the first litter stay in with her (except > father and son) after the birth of the 2nd litter until we get back? I'm > not sure how the timing of all this is going to work so I want to be as > prepared as I can be. > > This will be the first time these gerbils have traveled in a car- the > drive is about 7 hours and they stay in their own tanks for the trip. > > ***update- the clicking pup has started nursing again (she had stopped for > several days) and is eating some solid food. While giving her medicine > tonight, she pooped all over me, which she never did before! Although it's > not my idea of a good time, I guess it's a good sign :-) > > Thanks, > Jill > > _____NetZero Free Internet Access and Email______ > http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html
