Other Does anyone have experience with gerbils?

[Holly&Fred]

Mine's definitely sick. He's gaunt, has little energy, and his fur looks greasy and sickly. We've had him drink some water and mashed up some sunflower seeds, peanuts, and regular gerbil feed for him. He seems to be eating some of that.

He's been skinny since we got him last November or so. We've always offered him a little extra food on his own where his cagemate couldn't intervene, but he's never been all that interested. He's always been less active than his cagemate as well. We got him from a shelter, so we have no idea how old he is.

About a week ago we had a heat snap so that could have caused him some stress. All the pets were moved to the air conditioned room of the house, but he still experienced some heat that could have stressed him out.

My boyfriend thinks it's old age-related and that we shouldn't make a vet trip, considering after he was fed he's been more active(ly intent on escaping from his cage). He rests a lot and huddles a lot and I don't like how it looks for him. I don't want to stress him out by taking a long vet trip in the heat, but I don't have a lot of information on gerbils and I think that the vet could help getting some food in him, making sure he's not dehydrated, and determining what's wrong with him.

It seems like a really slow onset thing, which is why my boyfriend's thinking it's just old age. I'm hoping someone on the forum will have some gerbil expertise, or will be able to point me to a trusted forum with some experts who can help. I've been looking up information, but I haven't seen anything like this referenced yet.

 

[Aussie_Dog]

I can't help you with information, but I can guide you in the direction of The Gerbil Forum - Home . I don't know if it's THE biggest Gerbil forum, but it's definitely one of the more populated and I learned HEAPS from the posters when I was researching Gerbils.

 

[YayPiggies]

Poor little guy. It seems like he may be reaching the end, though he could recover from his sickness. Gerbils are tough little ones. I wouldn't take him too the vet, it sounds like too much in this heat. Keep doing what you're doing and stick by him, I hope everything turns out okay

 

[Holly&Fred]

Thanks, Aussie_Dog, I made an account and a post over there. Hopefully someone will be able to help me out.

I really hope this little guy bounces back. From what I've read on the other forum, it seems like if I did go to the vet they'd probably prescribe baytril and hope for the best. I don't have any baytril left right now, which I'm upset about. If this were a piggie he would've been at the vet hours ago. He's huddled up in a wad of toilet paper right now and seems to be comfortable. I think I saw him eating a little of the crushed up food I left for him, so that's a good sign.

Thanks for your thoughts, YayPiggies, I'm really hoping he'll recover.

 

[Holly&Fred]

He's improved a little. He's voluntarily drinking and might be eating a bit of the crushed up food we left him. He's moved around a little more, but it's weird that he doesn't open his eyes. He's walking around the cage with his eyes closed, or mostly closed. It worries me.

 

[Judypie]

omg so sad to hear. I raised Gerbils for 8 years. I was just a kid but were talking 14 years old and I was very into them. I am 41 years old now and I can say this. gerbils are a desert by nature rodent and they drink very little water. They only on average Pee one drop per month in the wild because they are such good conservationist of water.
I would not be so much worried about heat so long as water has been provided.
I had so many of them and I have hardly ever seen sick ones because they were like my only friends at the time and I could think of nothing else but them so they did get the best care I could give.
I had very few that had any illness and mostly it was the babies who were most likely to get ill..
I am not trying to say you dont know but just hoping you had plenty of stuff for him to chew for his teeth because this is number one cause for problems. if you got him recently maybe they didnt provide this.
I cant say I ever saw a drastic change in a gerbil who died from old age. They just played and acted normal just like there was nothing wrong and then passed.
I know they can live 3 to as long as 7 years but 4 being the norm.
is his fur getting matty around the face? you said eyes closed ,, are they clear looking when they are oppend?
sorry I am no vet ,, just somebody who did have them for many many years my last gerbil being only a few years ago when my daughter demanded a pet,, she of course abandoned it and I cared for him like I would for any pet then I seem to just love.

 

[Holly&Fred]

I think his eyes look normal when they're open. I didn't notice anything unusual about them, but I wasn't looking specifically for any cloudiness or anything else. His hair isn't matted around the face. They have tons to chew on, but he does less chewing than his buddy. He's always been less active, chewed less, eaten less, and so on. It's just this change today was really severe and strange. He's drinking more than usual for sure, but I don't think I've seen him drink anything. He naps, and then jumps up to drink, ignores the food and goes back to sleeping.

Thanks for the reply -- I appreciate the help.

 

[partygirlha]

if you know of a vet I say take him. I've taken my hamsters when they get sick or injured. My Georga was almost a regular, until she died of old age. one of her offspring hasn't been doing well but Ive got her on antibiotics and Metacm - and a specail powedered food that I mix up (and she loves). She likes it so much she's actully gaining weight while ill.

The only reason I haven't taken her in yet is that it's a LONG trip on a subway and I thougth the stress of the trip would do her in. but as she's looking better now she may go in tomorrow- we've got an appointment anyway.

the vet can tell you what's normal - whats illness, what's age and what can be helpped and what can't be. I believe even the tiny lives are worth medical care when they needs it

 

[Holly&Fred]

I absolutely believe that he's worth medical treatment; all of my pets are. Actually, he's not even mine technically and I almost gerbil-napped him and took him today. I had the same thought, though, that he just looked so bad I thought the long trip in the heat today would have done him in. If he's not opening his eyes tomorrow, he's definitely getting an appointment ASAP, whether my boyfriend (the actual owner of the gerbils) likes it or not.

 

[Holly&Fred]

Well, he made it through the night. He and his cagemate are back together thanks to advice from the gerbil forums. They're not sure what's wrong either, but they said it didn't sound like something a vet could help with. Hopefully they can help me figure out what's going on. Now that he's made it through the night and his behavior has improved, I'm thinking the vet is more of an option. Yesterday he seemed like he was in his final hours, but today he's giving me a lot more hope that whatever is wrong with him is treatable.

Thanks for all the help, everyone.

 

[kathlaaron]

I am so very glad that he seems to be doing better ! My very first pet was a gerbil and his name was Chipper. I got him when I was around 10 or 11 years old and I just adored him ! He only lived for about 4 years, and was terribly broken-hearted when he died.

He had a really awesome cage for a gerbil. I use to read a lot as a kid, and he would fall asleep on my shoulder, when I was reading. I also use to dress him up ( poor little guy !) in my doll clothes too, which he didn't seem to mind. He was a very relaxed little guy, and very very sweet. Strange...after all these years later, I still remember Chipper, and the love we shared together, and still miss him too, even to this day !

 

[Holly&Fred]

The general consensus over at the gerbil forum seems to be that it's just old age and his body's shutting down. I'm going to try to syringe feed him a little bit to see if he improves any, but if not I'm just going to try to make him as comfortable as possible and give him the best quality of life until the end. It's sad because I've only had him since November or so, I had no idea how old he was. I feel bad for the poor little guy, but now that he's back with his buddy, I think he's a little bit happier.