I have been watching Trinity care for her 6 pups with some awe. I
know I could never manage it! *L*
One thing that has really sparked my interest is this: I find her
from time to time pulling 1-3 pups from the litter, and nursing them
separately from the rest. Upon further investigation, I found these
to be the smaller of the litter mates. I find this terribly
intriguing, for I would think that gerbils would treat a litter, and
the runt(s) just as any other animal mother would - that is, every
man for himself. I'm amazed that she actually pulls these guys from
the litter to give them a chance to nurse without the larger pups
pushing them around. I have found that it is usually the black, the
runt, and the second smallest that she does this with. Though the
black isn't terribly smaller than the others, perhaps because of her
color mom thinks she needs some extra attention.
Is this semi-common in gerbils? Or is this just one REALLY good gerbil mommy?
Just curious.
OH, *L* and as a side note, I find it rather humorous when Einstein
does the same. Though he just pulls one aside, and sits on just that
one, and tumbles it about like Trinity does when she gets them all
lined up to nurse. Almost as if he is trying to do the same! *L* I
don't think he's QUITE got the hang of this daddy business yet, but
at least his heart is in the right place. hehehe
-Jackie & The Copper Dragon Clan
