Q&A for How to Breed Gerbils

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Can you put an older female in the cage to help out with the mother's pups?

Community Answer

Sometimes, but only if the females knew each other beforehand, and they haven't been separated long. Keep a close eye on them and separate them if they start fighting. ALWAYS remove the male first if you try this, as the females will fight over him and may kill or abandon the pups.

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Question

Can I put an older male from a previous litter in to help?

Community Answer

No. This could cause the son to try to breed with its mother and cause inbreeding and heath issues in the pups.

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Question

Why do gerbils fight?

Community Answer

Sometimes they will fight for fun, but sometimes they will fight for territorial reasons. If you notice any blood being drawn, you should separate them immediately. Unless you plan on separating them forever, do not separate them for more than a day--at least until the breeding period is over.

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Question

What is the lifespan of a gerbil?

Community Answer

Gerbils have an average lifespan of 3-5 years.

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Question

Can I have the mom's sister in the same cage as the mother?

Community Answer

It depends on their bond/how they feel towards each other. You can experiment, and if they leave each other alone, they will probably be okay.

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Question

How often do the gerbils go into heat?

Community Answer

Gerbils typically go into heat every 4-6 days, unless they're pregnant.

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Question

How many cages are needed?

Community Answer

You may put your breeding gerbils in one cage.

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Question

Can a child help me take care of my gerbils?

Community Answer

Yes. Let her play with the gerbils under supervision.

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Question

Won't breeding your gerbils too much shorten their life span?

Melinda Squire

Community Answer

Gerbils live to around 3-5 years on average. Happy gerbils tend to live longer than those who are not happy. Gerbils are social animals and tend to live longer if they have a gerbil companion. Breeding gerbils will not shorten their lifespan, but, as they can produce large litters (one of my gerbils give birth to a litter of 6), finding good homes for the babies can be a problem.

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Question

Can these steps work for hamsters too?

Community Answer

If your focus is on hamsters, you should check out wikiHow's article on breeding hamsters.

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Question

Is it possible for one male to mate with two different females?

Jose Rameriz-Davidson

Community Answer

No, when a female and male mate once they will mate for the rest of their life together, they won't mate with any other gerbil.

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Question

Can you keep the father in the cage. Or, take him out after you know that the mother is pregnant?

Jose Rameriz-Davidson

Community Answer

Take the male gerbil out when you know she is about to have her babies. If you keep him in there a while and after she has the babies, he will get her pregnant again immediately after she has them.

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Question

How long would the mother nurse the pups for?

Jose Rameriz-Davidson

Community Answer

At 4 to 5 weeks the pups will be weaned from their mother and at 6 weeks they will be ready for a new home.

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Question

How many pup gerbils are there in a litter?

Jose Rameriz-Davidson

Community Answer

A typical litter is around six baby gerbils, but you might have less than 6 or more than six.

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Question

Do gerbils understand incest?

Community Answer

Gerbils do not understand incest. They will mate with their mother, siblings, or father (depending if the gerbil is male or female). This causes health issues in the pups, and you should never let your gerbils breed with their parents, siblings, or pups.

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