I have an interesting situation with a female gerbil I have. I feel that it
might be a genetic problem because it has happened with two argente golden
female gerbils, but from different pet stores. Has anyone heard of a female
that stops developing at 3.5 months? Never gets away from that "adolescent
gerbil" look and although living with an aparently normal male, never
breeds? Belle Peppi, a spotted argente golden, stopped development about
three months ago, one month after they arrived at my dorm room door with a
bow on their cage and a "Happy Birthday!" card. The last gerbil that I had
that displayed these charictaristics, Undterhose, lead a relatively short
life and suffered a heart attack at 1.5 yrs of age. I was just wondering if
she has a named genetic disease or if she'a an exercise-aholic (she likes to
jump and bounce off the ceiling of her cage to the unsettling of her
cagemate) and this is causing her lack of development? Any thoughts would be
appreciated. -April Ann
