Will your gerbils mate while raising their litter of pups?

Gerbil females can become pregnant again about 48 hours after giving birth, but a female nursing kits will not come into estrus unless the litter is removed. When the young are about three weeks old, the female separates herself from the litter to await re-mating. While both female and male gerbils can care for pups, once a female has given birth, she requires space to be alone with the litter, for her own protection and that of the pups. Gerbil colonies will sometimes remove or even kill male pups for this reason.