What are the signs to tell if my gerbil is a male or female?

You can make this determination by looking at the distance between the urinary and anal openings. In male gerbils, this space is larger than it is in females. This method works best when you have other gernils for comparison. Males will also have prominent and readily identifiable testicles as well as a prominaent scent gland that is larger than a female's scent gland.

I can't see based on the photos. I need to see lower down below the opening to the urethra. Sometimes though this is still difficult as the male guinea pigs can pull the testicles into the abdomen. Try holding Buddy up and taking another photo. You can likely also bring him into a pet store or a vet's office and they will likely be able to tell. I hope this helps and best of luck!

Gerbils are excellent at hiding that they are pregnant, however it will be obvious obvious a few days before they are due to give birth. Gerbils can reproduce at approximately three or four months old, some even earlier, ‘Once your gerbil looks pear-shaped, it is a pretty sure sign that she is pregnant and close to giving birth. Pregnant gerbils will start to build a nest, which is a sign that giving birth is imminent. Since you have already noticed that Margo has gained weight and that your Gerbils obviously were mating, you can be pretty sure that you will soon have more than two ;-) . If you do not want to have another litter I suggest you separate the male before the birth of the babies. Here is some good info: http://petgerbils.org/breeding-babies/

The easiest way to tell if your hamster is a male or female is to look at the distance between the two openings at the rear. In males the anus and the penis are further apart. In females the anus and the vaginal opening are much closer together in comparison to the male. Also, once they have reached 4 weeks old they will have noticeable testicles that hang down below the rear end.

It definitely sounds like Red may be a pregnant female, but he should be seen by a vet if he is not eating/drinking or urinating/defecating normally. Though it is unlikely, this drastic increase in size could be due to a growth within the abdomen or gastrointestinal disease. You can tell if a gerbil is a male or female by looking at the distance between the anus, located just under the tail and the genitals. In males, this distance is longer than in females. If the distance between Red's anus and genitals is shorter than his cagemates, he is most likely a female. The length of a gerbil's pregnancy is about 24 days, and it sounds like Red is nearing the time to give birth. As long as Red is eating, urinating, and defecating normally, you should not need to intervene with the process. Try to interfere with the new family as little as possible, and only spot-clean the cage, as gerbils are easily stressed and may eat their young. The mother and pups should also have free access to food and water. Keep in mind that gerbils can mate immediately after giving birth and become pregnant again, so consider separating Red from the cagemate as soon as possible if (s)he is pregnant.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At least on these pictures, they both look like males. Keep in mind that it is not that easy to determine this based on a picture. This will be easier to determine when they get a bit older as well. Have a great day!

There is not really much you can do other than remove the male (put him into a separate cage) and make sure she has enough bedding material. She will do the rest. You will have to remove the male, because he will mate with the female shortly after giving birth and then you will have more babies within 3 to 4 weeks. Gerbil males are fertile by the age of 3 weeks, so you will need to separate the babies by gender at that age. There are videos on the internet, where you can see how to tell the difference.