Hi. I recentely bought 4 gerbils. After a week and a half one of them became very friendly and would quite happily fall asleep in my hands. A couple of days later i noticed it had diarreha but it then cleared up after a day or two. She had a habit of biting the corners of the cage with an almost scraping like behaviour ( plastic fish tank like cage ) and would also lick it aswell. When she would be in my hands she would nearly always lick them (for sweat??). It would regulary go to the water bottles but didnt seem much at all. It was only a day or two after the diarreha cleared up that she had a fit in my hands and passed away.
Recentely one of the others has started to become very friendly and it has the same habits like licking the cages and being happy to lay in my hands. Im really worried as i know animals like a bit of fuss when they are feeling ill.
The bedding, cage etc is regulary cleaned.
Thanks
2007-05-31 11:31:20 · 14 answers · asked by lucasmx27 1 in Pets ➔ Rodents
take it to the veterinary emergency room, ASAP!!!!!
2007-05-31 11:38:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hi (Chinchillas owner, not gerbils)
Just to make a completely different suggestion, the small one licking the sides of the tank and your hand; is there a possibility that they were lacking in salt or had an allergy? Deficiencies in salt and sugar can make small animals digestive systems fail, can induce fitting and could develop upset stomachs and if not treated, resulting in the body shutting down.
Just a thought...
Huge condolences on your losses, its a sad thing when we lose a friend.
2007-06-02 12:28:20 · answer #2 · answered by Ebony B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh poor things, it's really sad to hear. This sounds like Tyzzer's disease, you can find out more about this on the web. I'm not a vet so I can't be sure but I've looked after gerbils for years and have read about this nasty illness before.
2007-06-01 10:35:50 · answer #3 · answered by Kate B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would call the vet and ask them for advice. If one had it the chances are that they all can get it. The diarrhea can be wet tail which can be treated with antibiotics. They usually use the same antibiotics for gerbils that they do with birds. The best thing to do is call the vet and ask. I have two gerbils of my own and that's what i would do in your situation.
2007-05-31 16:25:25 · answer #4 · answered by castira 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the gerbil that died had wet tail ('proliferative ileitis') - which is basically diarrhoea caused by bacterial infection. This is a condition that is usually fatal to small animals - their bodies cannot handle the dehydration.
If any of your other gerbils develop diarrhoea, get them to a vet at once. This condition needs to be treated with antibiotics and rehydration fluids if the animal has a hope of surviving it.
Chalice
2007-05-31 11:38:23 · answer #5 · answered by Chalice 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
So sorry to hear about you Gerbil. You should take them to the Vets to get checked out as soon as possible and then can give you advise about looking after Gerbils as well.
2007-05-31 11:51:08 · answer #6 · answered by xoɟ ʍous 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like wet tail, my hamster died from this, get your other gerbils checked out asap. Then sterilise everything in the cage and the cage itself.
2007-06-02 10:12:24 · answer #7 · answered by meercatpufferfish 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
properly approximately 2 weeks in the past i've got been given a gerbil, and final week i desperate that didnt choose for him to be on my own so we went decrease back and have been given considered one of his muddle acquaintances and that they have got finished advantageous contained in an analogous cage even however that they have been seperated for over a million week. considering the fact that your had in ordinary terms been seperated for decrease than 4 days you ought to probably be ok, yet to verify to ought to positioned them able have been neither of them have been so as that neither of them owns the floor and positioned on some heavy gloves have your brother %. up one and you %. up the different and positioned them down. enable them to scent one yet another and in the event that they conflict be sure you seperate them and in the event that they type a ball whilst combating there is probably little probability that they could have the means to stay at the same time, if that happens save them in diverse cages, in the event that they're able to get alongside enable them to spend approximately an hour in tub decrease than supervision and if all is going properly then they're probably ok
2016-10-06 09:59:14 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that was probably wet tail.
im so sorry you lost one of your gerbils, but if this gerbil is doing the same thing, then take it to the vet quickly! better safe than sorry, and i hope he makes it through!
2007-05-31 11:47:30 · answer #9 · answered by carpetsharks 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Oh I'm sorry, that is so sad. Poor little gerbies. Please take them all to the vet and explain that happened to the first one, maybe you can catch the problem in time. It won't be expensive for small rodents. Good luck... don't wait!
2007-05-31 23:48:39 · answer #10 · answered by tigerfly 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
see a vet you said you got a plastic fish tank in hot weather move the tank so it is not in the sun they can get hot
2007-06-02 11:22:50 · answer #11 · answered by shirley v 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋