We've had a bit of a rough time at the Gerby Derby lately. In November, Jane gave birth to her first litter. Unfortunately, the five little pups didn't make it. Last week, she gave birth to a litter of six. There were many complications, and only through some pretty extreme heroics were we able to get the last living pup up to Cedar Moon Gerbils where he is fostering with another mom and dad.
This is Punches, so named because he is a fighter. I took this picture when I thought it was the only one I'd ever have of him. I was just trying to keep him warm and comfortable, but the little guy wanted to live really, really badly. He stubbornly squeaked and squirmed and fought me as I tried to feed him kitten replacement milk for 2.5 hours, then rode 3 hours tucked in my shirt all the way to Cedar Moon Gerbils in Austin, TX. He and his new family bonded readily, and Greta of Cedar Moon reports that Punches is warm, fed, squeaky, and happy. What a champ! |
We'll never really know what happened with the others, but we do know that Jane probably shouldn't have any more pups. I've separated her and Fievel to prevent future litters. Jane is now being introduced to a young female pup so that she can retire from breeding and live out her days with a gal pal. As for Fievel, he may or may not get another chance to be a daddy. The last two litters have been pretty heartbreaking for me, so I have to decide if I want to find him a new mate, or if he'll return to living the bachelor life with a male "roommate."
It's hard to say these things. I love my critters with all my heart, and I wanted to see them succeed. But sometimes, life just happens a certain way, and there's really nothing you can do but roll with it. I'll keep everyone posted regarding Gerby Derby's next move. It means a lot to me, those of you who have stuck with me through the ups and downs of gerbil breeding.
If nothing else, stay tuned for more pictures and anecdotes. Life goes on and gerbils keep making me laugh!
It's hard to say these things. I love my critters with all my heart, and I wanted to see them succeed. But sometimes, life just happens a certain way, and there's really nothing you can do but roll with it. I'll keep everyone posted regarding Gerby Derby's next move. It means a lot to me, those of you who have stuck with me through the ups and downs of gerbil breeding.
If nothing else, stay tuned for more pictures and anecdotes. Life goes on and gerbils keep making me laugh!