Re-homing baby gerbils - advice needed

Janey Mac

5 months ago I bought two male (as I was told!) gerbils from a local pet shop. Little more than 3 months later I discovered a brood of 8 squeaking pups! The 8 pups are now a healthy 5 weeks old, absolutely beautiful, but I simply haven't got the space or experience to look after a community of gerbils. I really need to re-home all 8, but even though I've advertised I've had no response.

I noticed on a couple of other sites (e.g. Gumtree) ads where anonymous people offer to take unwanted small animals - they say that they will look after them. Could this be for real? I guess these people are actually trading them on - and if so, do they really have the animal's best interests at heart? Are there breeders who can be approached for this sort of thing - again, is there any way of knowing who are legitimate breeders etc?

I've also considered returning them to the pet shop, but this would be an absolute last resort.

Hope I'm not coming across as sentimental, I just want to do the best I can for them.

Any advice at all would be much appreciated.
Many thanks!

Whispered

I can't give any advice as I don't know a lot about them but just wanted to say

AWWWW, please post pics before they go.

Maybe put them up wit pics in homes wanted above? Perhaps a boardsie would like one (or all of them).

hadook

Whereabouts are you?

The most important thing right now is to get ready for the next litter (assuming you haven't already separated the parents) as well as sexing/homing the current litter. If you've sexed and separated the parents then the young ones can be sexed at about 5-6 weeks and males live with dad and females with mum to give you a bit of breathing space. Personally I don't agree with rehoming gerbils before they're at least 8 weeks old unless to an experienced home.

I used to breed gerbils and I've taken in a fair few rescue ones in my time so feel free to pm me and I'll help you in any way I can.

Janey Mac

Hi guys,

Thanks for getting back to me. Hadook I've pm'd you with a whole load of questions (sorry!).
I'll upload some very cute photos later..!

jessicaR

Beware of people to keen to take them as they could well end up in a snake's belly...
When you rehome them ideally you should rehome them in same sex pairs and trios.

Janey Mac

OMG - do people really do that?! that's very disturbing, but good to be aware of.

clarker92

hi. i am interested in the gerbils. i have a 120litre aqaurium for fish but am going to use it for gerbils now. i eard its best to get pups because you can tame them from a young age. where abouts are you based. you can email me on clarker92@hotmail.com. most lightly i will take 2 because its best to keep more than 2 together and preferbly the same siblings. can you send me pictures of them to my email address please. if it is possible.
thanks, ryan

Janey Mac wrote: »

5 months ago I bought two male (as I was told!) gerbils from a local pet shop. Little more than 3 months later I discovered a brood of 8 squeaking pups! The 8 pups are now a healthy 5 weeks old, absolutely beautiful, but I simply haven't got the space or experience to look after a community of gerbils. I really need to re-home all 8, but even though I've advertised I've had no response.

I noticed on a couple of other sites (e.g. Gumtree) ads where anonymous people offer to take unwanted small animals - they say that they will look after them. Could this be for real? I guess these people are actually trading them on - and if so, do they really have the animal's best interests at heart? Are there breeders who can be approached for this sort of thing - again, is there any way of knowing who are legitimate breeders etc?

I've also considered returning them to the pet shop, but this would be an absolute last resort.

Hope I'm not coming across as sentimental, I just want to do the best I can for them.

Any advice at all would be much appreciated.
Many thanks!