Multiple females raising a litter

Question
I currently have 2 tanks. One male tank with 5 male gerbils and One female tank with 3 female gerbils. We want to breed one male with one female, and then once she's pregnant put them back into their original cages. However, since the female tank has 2 other gerbils, will they harm the pups that are born. Or will they help raise the pups? All the females are from the same litter and are about 6 months old. And exactly how long will it take for the male and female to mate once i put them together?

Also, how do we determine which is the alpha or dominant female or male. If you could answer these questions i'd be very grateful.

Answer
Hello,

OK, i have raised litters with more than one female, and it has been fine, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Just make sure there is enough space in the tank for the gerbils, including the new borns as they grow (this could be up to ten babies).

You need to put the male in a seperate cage and allow him to make that his territory. Introduce the male and female somewhere neutral such as a bathtub.
You may notice the male drumming his feet when you first put them together, this shows sexual excitement in this situation. Keep an eye on them and if they seem ok, put them both in the cage you had him in first.
Normally they should be fine, but keep an eye on them. You may see a minor bit of play fighting but thats normal.

A female gerbil comes into season every four to six days. When she does the period she can become pregnant is only over 12 hours. The male will try and mate with her then, and it can last a few hours, he will drum his feet and chase her round the cage. They will mate quite a few times in one session. Once they are done, it is pretty likely she will be pregnant!!

Gerbils normally play fight or 'pretend to mate' to arrange dominancy, so watching out for this behaviour will tell you who is boss!!

I hope this helps you?
If you would like to know anymore just ask
Thanks,
Charlie.