my gerbil is about 2 years old,but his brother is fine, anyways he is moving slow all of asudden and he looks like he has fast hickups but he is clicking and his tail is wet and his bum is yellowish! i am 13 and scared! please help me to help him! we cant take him to the vet but i did ask my next door neigbor (who is a vet nurse) and she said there isnt anything to do .Help me please!!!!
2006-12-14 14:30:49 · 16 answers · asked by anonomys 3 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
he probably has wet tail. he needs to see a doctor asap. --- AND TAKE HIS BROTHER OUT OF THE CAGE ASAP BECAUSE YOU DONT WANT TO INFECT HIM. YOU NEED TO HOUSE THEM SEPERATELY.
The most common form is an infectious disease called Tyzzer's Syndrome that prevents the intestines from properly absorbing water and nutrients, but the name "Wet Tail" generally covers all forms of diahrrea that are life threatening. For more information about Tyzzer's disease specifically, read this article. All forms are extremely serious, young gerbils will often die from it before any symptoms are noticeable. Although it can be treated, gerbils that are in the diarrhea stage will usually die anyway. You can save the cage mates. It is normally caused by extremely dirty cage conditions or excessive stress and spreads quickly.
The common symptoms of Wet Tail are extreme, green-ish colored diarrhea, depression, listlessness, and a lowered body tempature. The first time our gerbils were infected with this disease, we also saw a red mucus gumming shut the eyes of the infected animals. This particular symptom lessened in severity as the disease progressed through the population until it disappeared entirely, and we have not seen it occur with later bouts of Wet Tail.
The remedy that has worked best for us involves two different antibiotics combined with subcutaneous fluids (if you are not confident with sub-Q fluids, use Pedialyte in the water bottle instead). Use the commercial medicine packaged as Wet Tail medication every day for each gerbil, putting four drops for youngsters and seven for adults directly into their mouths. They will struggle, but don't give up. Second, put tetracycline in their water and use it as their only water. If you have more than one cage of gerbils, wash your hands thoroughly before handling the second cage or you will pass the disease around yourself. Make sure all gerbils in the infected cage, even if they look well, are medicated every day for five days. The tetracycline should continue for another five days.
Clean cages are crucial with this disease -- the animals may keep picking it up from the bedding even after you think you have it licked. The first day you see the symptoms, and every two or three days after that, dump all food and bedding out of the cage and scrub the cage and everything in it with bleach water (a concentration of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water is an effective disinfectant). Rinse everything thoroughly and let it dry completely before replacing the animals.
2006-12-14 14:31:46 · answer #1 · answered by Caitlin 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I'm really sorry that your gerbil is sick. I took a hamster to the vet once, and was told that because they are so small, they can't do blood tests or anything to find out what is wrong. The amount of blood needed to run the tests is more than a hamster has. Gerbils and hamsters only live about two years, so your little guy is pretty old in gerbil years. I would put him in a separate cage from the brother. Sorry I couldn't help any more than this.
2006-12-14 15:45:43 · answer #2 · answered by blondie172 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shannon, I am sorry to say this, but your gerbil may well be dying. With an animal so small, there likely is not a lot that a vet could do. I suggest that you make your pet comfortable, and if it is strong enough, it will fight off whatever has made it sick. If not, you will know that you have done everything to make its final hours good. If you have another cage, you may wish to isolate the healthy gerbil in that cage, until you see what happens. afterwards, make sure you get your main cage very clean, so that the healthy gerbil doesn't catch anything. I am sorry that you have to go through this, but I know that you are doing everything you can to care for your pet, and I know that he knows it too.
2006-12-14 14:36:38 · answer #3 · answered by world traveler 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a gerbil too and I would be devastated! I definitely say to take the brother out because many diseases are contagious. He might have Tyzzers or even a stroke. I had a gerbil with a heart murmur who had a stroke and he had similar sympoms. Get him to a vet asap! There may not be anything they can do but its your best bet!
2006-12-14 14:36:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He needs to go to a vet. Try to call a 24 hour vet emercency clinic (usually in the phone book) and ask for suggestions. Your parents should be more responsible pet owners and take care of him when he is sick. A gerbil or not, it is a life and he feels pain just like they do. They need to step in and help out. I applaud you though for being a caring pet owner. Keep it up!
2006-12-14 14:35:49 · answer #5 · answered by amoroushotmama 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since caster oil helps hamsters with wet tail, and if it looks like this little guy might have something as that in hamsters it is when they can not go to the bathroom. Giving your gerbil this may help and wont hurt him.
Best advice I can give, good luck with the little guy...You can buy it at any store...
Wet tail is not contagious with in hamsters....I bred these commercially for years...
2006-12-14 14:45:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am sorry about your pet gerbil but if the vet nurse says there is nothing you can do she would have experience. Is there a Gerbil association in your state that you can ring?What about a pet shop? We will be praying for your gerbil.
2006-12-14 16:58:44 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
nicely it particularly relies upon on the project. ive on no account had a gerbil yet I even have had hamsters and one in each and every of my hamsters have been given particularly ill and we took her to the vet thrice and we spent approximately 500 greenbacks in spite of if ur no longer completely specific in the adventure that your small animal is ill, u ought to continually take it to the vet besides by using fact its extra useful to b secure then sorry. their unlike canines or cats: they dont in many situations tutor dirastic signs and warning signs of being ill so ur fortunate u observed something became incorrect. take it to the vet. desire it gets extra useful quickly! and likewise i easily hate it whilst human beings say so you might no longer take them to the vet! in case you have been a ill little helpless gerbil, you are able to need your human to take you to the traditional practitioner no longer in simple terms say, o your low-priced so i ought to continually circulate to the shop and purchase yet another gerbil!!! i mean come on human beings!
2016-10-14 23:36:42 · answer #8 · answered by fanelle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am so sorry. It may be too late to save this little one, but with Quick care hopefully you can save the brother. Wish I had some magic news. It wasn't any thing you all did that caused this. Hope these two links help.
Love, Pat
2006-12-14 14:45:55 · answer #9 · answered by lollipop 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to petsmart and get dritail, until you can get there mix dry oatmeal with his food and do the same for the brother. no fresh foods and lots of water. do not hold him to much cause stress makes it worse cover cage with a thin sheet to provide dark and quiet spot. hope this helps and im so sorry for your problem.
2006-12-14 14:43:20 · answer #10 · answered by Bluies101 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋