Check out big brother!
The small gerbil behind the great support given to daddy and mummy gerbil.
Very tamed, this gerbil have been handled a lot since it was around 2+ weeks old.
It's one of the most friendly gerbils I have now. Carrying it out to play is as simple as just carrying a food bowl out of a gerbil tank.
The small gerbil behind the great support given to daddy and mummy gerbil.
Very tamed, this gerbil have been handled a lot since it was around 2+ weeks old.
It's one of the most friendly gerbils I have now. Carrying it out to play is as simple as just carrying a food bowl out of a gerbil tank.
Day 12 - Make my fur create a stir
16th December.
Before we go on, young pups are 7cm! They have grown alot over 1 day.
Do you know that gerbil pups tend to squeal/chirp alot?
The chirping gets less as they grow up, although it has been observed that grown ups to chirp too when happy.
For the first time, get up and close to the young pups and listen to them chirp.
Since the start, we can draw some generalisations:
1) Young pups grow at relatively the same rate (Although after 10-12 days, some may grow a little faster)
2) Those which grow faster in size are also observed to move more at the early stages of their life.
3) The young pups chirp when they want food; they want to move in to a more comfortable position (probably to signal, move aside, I want some space), when they are uncomfortable (like when they are nudged aside by other siblings, parents or humans)
4) From the first day, adult gerbils work together with the grown siblings to take care of the pups.
5) From the first day, you can determine which gerbil may get a darker shade of fur.
Before we go on, young pups are 7cm! They have grown alot over 1 day.
Do you know that gerbil pups tend to squeal/chirp alot?
The chirping gets less as they grow up, although it has been observed that grown ups to chirp too when happy.
For the first time, get up and close to the young pups and listen to them chirp.
Since the start, we can draw some generalisations:
1) Young pups grow at relatively the same rate (Although after 10-12 days, some may grow a little faster)
2) Those which grow faster in size are also observed to move more at the early stages of their life.
3) The young pups chirp when they want food; they want to move in to a more comfortable position (probably to signal, move aside, I want some space), when they are uncomfortable (like when they are nudged aside by other siblings, parents or humans)
4) From the first day, adult gerbils work together with the grown siblings to take care of the pups.
5) From the first day, you can determine which gerbil may get a darker shade of fur.
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In this video, you can see once again, that the young gerbil seems to know where it is going. It may go around the tank, but any time it wants, it can cut directly towards where it started. How it feels its way around? My guess: Through feeling, and animal navigation (Yes this is a true thing which you can read up more online.)
Still very unsteady, the young gerbil may stand on all fours, and suddenly flip over on its side, then try to flip themselves the right side up. |
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This if one of the rare videos in which you can hear clearly, the sound made by young gerbils. You can see, in what circumstance they chirp and how they move around to find a comfortable position to rest in. |
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Day 12 and these are the observations:
- Eyes and ears are closed - Feet and hand ratio is more distinct (Feet becomes longer than the front hand by a significant amount) - Toes and fingers become longer and no longer stuck together - Tail grows thicker - Pups tend to jerk their body while sleeping (Like having a bad dream) - Head size to "rump" size are equal. (Rump: Back + Thigh) |
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Day 13 - Good or bad dreams... no one knows
17th December.
Today we take a look at the gerbil's sleeping habits.
We take special notice on how they sleep together as a family, how they move about, and what do they do while sleeping in a group.
Do gerbils dream while sleeping? That is a question for you to ponder about.
Today we take a look at the gerbil's sleeping habits.
We take special notice on how they sleep together as a family, how they move about, and what do they do while sleeping in a group.
Do gerbils dream while sleeping? That is a question for you to ponder about.
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How do the gerbil pups get taken care of by their parents and the family? Two ways.
1) They bundle together as one, and each grown up take turns to lie down on top of the young to protect them and giving them warmth. 2) If the young move about and bundle in 2 groups, they will split up to lie down on the young. At this stage, the parents dont carry the young around to where they want the young to sleep at. |
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In the two videos below, we check out a close up of how the gerbils sleep. They seem to have dreams, and respond to the dreams by moving their arms. What do you think?
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On the 13th day, just before 2 weeks, you can see that the gerbil does not move using its sense of sight or smell. The way it pushes my fingers show that it either thinks my finger is another gerbil, or that it thinks that my finger is an obstacle which can move if pushed.
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Day 14 - Nose opened, mouth opened. Gerbils get stronger
18th December.
With each passing day, the gerbil pups get stronger and stronger.
The agouti ones especially, get really active and strong.
The day started with the gerbil pups all moving around the tank.
After brushing my teeth, most of the gerbils are seen back together in a row sleeping. (Isn't this adorable?)
With each passing day, the gerbil pups get stronger and stronger.
The agouti ones especially, get really active and strong.
The day started with the gerbil pups all moving around the tank.
After brushing my teeth, most of the gerbils are seen back together in a row sleeping. (Isn't this adorable?)
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Today I managed to get a video of a strong pup hanging on to its mother for milk even as she runs about. This same thing usually happens, but 4-5 gerbils will just slide off on the ground and be left trying to overturn themselves.
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On the 14th day, the fur can be said to be fully grown through out the body of the young pups (even under the belly)
The nose and mouth of the gerbil also gets fully opened. No more blockage! Apart from the closed ears, the gerbil pups look almost a miniature replica of their grown ups. |