For the past month, I've noticed all of my female Gerbils have had bloody tails at the tip. They healed up and the tips fell off in crusty scabs. Then tonight I've notice it again.....the tips of the female's tails are bloody and drying up with crusty scabs again. Their tails are getting shorter and shorter.
This all started happening when my one female had a litter of 4 babies. The babies are fine, no bloody tails, eating regular food now and drinking water. They are just being weaned from mom now and I believe she is pregnant again. Anyways, the only gerbil apart from the 4 babies that does not have a bloody tail, is the alpha male. I have not seen him chewing on their tails. They are eating, drinking, active, etc....doing everything normal. I have not changed their environment at all.
What could be happening here? Are the females fighting? The one female who just had the litter is also a mother to the other two females, so they have grown up in the same cage since birth. I do not think they are fighting with each other. I have not seen any fighting at all.
Is this a nervous habit? Aggression? Territorial? All of the females are helping to raise the four new babies and they all get a long with the one adult male. Any suggestions? Thanks!
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