So you've introduced your male and female, they've bred, she's pregnant!
Except how do you tell?
A pregnant gerbil actually won't start showing until a few days or a week before she gives birth. The only way to tell she's pregnant before that point, then, is whether or not she goes in heat. Her and the male will continue to breed when she goes into heat unless she's pregnant.
If you haven't seen them breed or her go into heat for two weeks, it's probably safe to assume she's pregnant. (You won't know for sure though because you might have missed a heat)
A gerbil is pregnant for 24 days, usually, though she might give birth between 21 and 28 days.
So at about 18-20 days, she'll start showing. A pregnant gerbil gets a 'pear' shape, like this:
Then, she might start behaving a little differently a few days before giving birth. She might build, destroy, and rebuild lots of nests, drink extra water, etc.
Finally, just a day or two before she gives birth, you'll be able to see the pups moving around in her belly. Just keep an eye on her around day 22-23 (or earlier/later depending on when she got the pear shape) and you should eventually see little wrigglers getting ready to come out, probably while Mom is sleeping.
I have a video of the pups moving in Pepper's belly, but I can't get it to work on here. So here's a Youtube video instead.
Try skipping to about 1;20 on the video.
Finally, what should you be doing for Mommy-gerbil during the pregnancy?
Put the tank she and the male are in somewhere quiet, without a lot of traffic. You might drape a towel over one side or corner, too.
Make sure she always has access to food and water, of course. Also, closer to the time of birth, maybe provide a cardboard box for nesting in, as well as some nesting material. (Kleenex/tissue, etc. Nothing the pups can get caught in, though!)
She'll need extra protein and fat in her food as well. It should have at least 15% protein. You can also supplement by giving her treats such as pine nuts, dry kitten food, or plain scrambled egg.
And of course, be sure to handle her gently during the pregnancy. It's possible she'll be less friendly while pregnant or while she has the pups.
And then, it's time for those pinkies!
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