# 5 week old gerbil babies



## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

For you to coo over 
The boys:

















































The last two boys are named Pimbi and Djembe - they're going to their new home with their older half brother Haruki tomorrow.

And the two little girls:

















Their mum Kenya is still preggers, she should pop any day now. She won't be mated again this time though as Daddy Domino has been removed.


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## You_Rock (Oct 12, 2008)

Awww ! sweet


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## rodentsrus (Nov 4, 2008)

Boy did I ever coo over them, so so cute


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## I<3Snakes (Nov 8, 2008)

They are soooooo cute! I've been thinking about breeding my gerbil. He's orange. Does it matter if you breed say a white and black one? Would you get black, white, or grey? Does it matter?


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Well, first of all I would encourage you to do a bit of research before you consider breeding from your gerbil. Try and find a reputable breeder local to you that will mentor you. And don't be tempted to breed them as snake food, they make very unreliable feeder breeders (apart from it obviously being something I personally dislike).

As for your question about the colour - well there is no clear answer to this. "Orange" in a gerbil can be one of many different colours - argente golden, dark-eyed honey, red-eyed honey, saffron...all sorts of genetic combinations look orange. Plus gerbils of any colour may carry recessive genes to produce a myriad of unexpected colours, all depending on whether the mate carries the same or different genes. You could pair two colourful gerbils up thinking you might get some lovely colours and the whole litter could turn out solid black or agouti (wild colour, looks "brown"). If you are interested in breeding for colours I'd encourage you to study up a bit on gerbil genetics and see what takes your fancy. Unless you know your own gerbil's family history it would be hard to tell what recessive genes are lurking, so if you decide you want to breed for a certain colour or colours you should go to a good breeder and ask them for a breeding pair that would suit. They might not have what you want, but they might know someone who does.

I would advise against trying to cram in every recessive you can, hoping for a "rainbow" litter. What will happen is you'll get a lot of colours that look washed out and faded. One hidden recessive gene can make a black animal look dark, smudgy, sooty grey for example, which obviously isn't as nice as a glossy jet black, and kinda defeats the purpose of colour breeding in the first place.

I would also advise you that now is not the time to be breeding animals. I paired my two before the market crashed really badly, so had no way of knowing how difficult it would be to find new homes for the babies. People aren't in the market for pets or extra expenses right now. If you are thinking of breeding, perhaps you might consider waiting until the economic situation is a little more favourable. That is, unless you plan to keep ALL the babies yourself.

Hope this helps


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## I<3Snakes (Nov 8, 2008)

Wow. Thanks!


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

If there's anything else you want to know, I'm happy to do my best to help you out 

Might not have all the answers but I hope I can at least point you in the right direction.


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## scampbell (Sep 2, 2008)

Hi there - just got my lovely new gerbils, Haruki, Pimbi and Djembe home and they are gorgeous, friendly, happy boys. We're having great fun watching them settling into their new tank, building tunnels and nests and chasing each other in and out of plant pots and toilet roll tubes.

It was great to be able to see their mum and dad at Stolenkiss gerbils, and much better then buying from a petshop where you don't know the animals history. The gerbils are also much tamer then any pet shop gerbils I've ever gotten.

Really happy! Thanks a million!

And I swear I'm not being paid for the free advertising!! 
S.


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## Beowulf1976 (Aug 2, 2008)

Number 3 looks just like my rat Donatello  heheh beautiful! All of them are absolutely gorgeous!


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Hehehehe hi there you  never expected to see you on here!

I promise guys - scampbell was not asked to advertise for me, I'm all flattered now 

Number 3 is the little boy I'm keeping - still haven't named him tho...glad you like them tho Beowulf


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## I<3Snakes (Nov 8, 2008)

I love Djembe!:smilewinkgrin:


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

I loved him too  I miss my little boys! Well no, they're not my little boys. They were scampbell's little boys since Haruki was a few weeks old and since before Pimbi and Djembe were even born! She waited so long for them 

I still miss them though, especially Haruki, it was so fun to watch him running in his wheel like a mad thing all the time. He's almost the double of his Dad, just a little less white on him.


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## I<3Snakes (Nov 8, 2008)

Awwww. I don't know if I'd ever be able to sell gerbil pups! Google is crazy about his wheel as well. Maybe they're related! (Doubt it)


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Lol long lost Irish and American cousins...maybe Haruki's great great great great great uncle or something emigrated to the US during the famine...


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## scampbell (Sep 2, 2008)

Djembe is a pet, very laid back, and getting bigger and fatter by the day!
S.


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Not surprised he's getting fatter, he's a greedy little brat!


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## scampbell (Sep 2, 2008)

And Haruki is starting to show his true colours - what a ball of energy! I went in to say goodbye to them this morning and before I had the door to the 'gerbil' room open he was jumping up and down in his tank, looking to be let up onto my arm! Hi sbrothers were far too busy snoozing to say hello though, but they looked cozy and happy.
S.


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## Cherene (Nov 4, 2008)

StolenkissGerbils hi  or anyone in here who knows a bit on gerbils..

I dont no much about them and just wondering when u buy gerbils who have been handled from birth are they alot calmer and are easier to hold/handle etc..
Your gerbils in the pictures look sooo cute and look very relaxed  

.. becasue i remember my neighbour having gerbils and they were sooo fast and never sat down for longer than 2 seconds and i could never hold them otherwise they would run off. Is this just because they might of not been handled alot when they are very young or are gerbils always quick and want to run around everywhere, and not sit down and chill out for 1 min lol ?


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

They are gorgeous!


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Well, gerbil are quite jumpy and energetic no matter how they've been bred or handled.

But you are right to say that handling them from when they're very small makes a difference in their personalities. They will be easier to handle, they're less likely to bite (obviously if you frighten or hurt them they will bite no matter what kind of babyhood they've had) and they'll sit still in your hand and purr when you hold them.

Gerbils from pet shops or breeders who use the hands off approach usually have to be "tamed" before you can cuddle them. And often times if you want to pick them up you need to use the scruff of the neck just to keep control of them and keep from getting bitten!

Those photos are a bit deceptive though, the babies were relaxed and not scared of my hand but they weren't sitting still! I had to take about 50 photos just to get a few that weren't blurry.

Glad you like the pups - their mum had 6 more today


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## Cherene (Nov 4, 2008)

wow.. they purr ? Thats cool! .
Ok thanx for that bit of info, its nice to know! 

Oo and more babies.. aww i just love little babies soo cute and soft! 
I remember my rabbit having babies, lots of little cute fluff balls pouncing around the living room


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Yep, they purr but it's a silent purr, they just vibrate in your hand. Feels lovely 

Kenya's new babies aren't as cute as your bunnies lol, they're like little bald maggots!  Cute in their own way but not quite fluffy and bouncing around the living room lol!


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## Cherene (Nov 4, 2008)

awww bald maggots :biggrin: I love the name of the gerbil.
My rats grind their teeth when they all happy..but the noise sometimes just goes right through me and make me go all cringy lol!


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Cherene said:


> I love the name of the gerbil.


Who, Kenya?  Thanks! Her full name is Stolenkiss Nairobi


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## Cherene (Nov 4, 2008)

Yes the name is really nice...!

 My ratties are called Chocolate buttons and Fudgecake lol ! 

I only call them buttons and fudge tho.. lol


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## tinktinktinkerbell (Nov 15, 2008)

awww wow, they are so sweet!


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Thanks 

Little white girl is proving to be the most wonderful surrogate mum to her new baby brothers and sisters! She is only 7 weeks old (nearly) and she was trying to suckle them. She's constantly cuddling and cleaning them too  It's adorable!


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## tinktinktinkerbell (Nov 15, 2008)

awwww sounds so sweet! im pleased they are all doing well


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