Lisa Paleczny <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
>
>O because when I picked up my gerbil Dot it was like she was shedding. Fur
>everywhere. she is and argente Golden.
>
>Lisa & TFC
All gerbils replace their coat about once every five weeks or so.
As has been said, when this happens of the first time, some gerbil can
change their colour completely, as happens with nutmegs.
After this first moult at about eight weeks, gerbils regularly change
their coat. In self coloured animals this is usually not noticeable, but
in those colours, like Golden Agouti, or Grey Agouti,. it is often
obvious where the old and new coat come together because the pattern of
light and dark hairs goes out of sync, producing a dark line.
This line moves across the gerbil over three or four weeks as the coat
changes. Whilst this is most noticeable in agouti colours, I have seen
people get very excited about "two-tone" lilacs, when the pattern was
just a moulting pattern.
Finally, at a show, being in moult can be a major disadvantage because
it affects the appearance of the gerbil.
--
Julian
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
National Gerbil Society
http://www.gerbils.co.uk/
