Help is my gerbil sick? And if he is how can i help him?

Question

He is 3 years old My gerbil ussually chews on toilet paper rolls exetera now he can chew he tried and doesnt leave a mark i gave him some paper to see if he could chew that he couldnt . ive given him baby greens like what you use for salad since he liked that he ate it but seemed to spit it out plus his mouth arear is really wet like hes been drooling plus he is ussually just laying down oposed ti his ussual jumping around plus if i open the cage or even walk in the room he would hear and wake up if he was asleep now he is always asllep or just laying dow and i have to repeat his name several times. is he sick or just getting old pease help i love him and i dont want him to die

Answer 1

i'm so sorry, my gerbie just died this morning of old age.  the past couple weeks he was acting just how yours is.  at 3 years old, he lived a very nice long life so just give him lots of love right now.  maybe sure he has some ripped up tissue in there for a cozy nest, and access to fresh water.  my little guy got too tired to get to the water bottle so i kept giving him apple pieces to get a little nutrition and water.  take good care of him, but at 3 years old i don't think the vet will be able to do much since he's old.

Answer 2

Sounds like his teeth have grown too big//long.  That would explain the drooling, the lack of bite in the tubes, lack of diet, etc.

Unfortunately, the only thing you can do is take him to a vet and have his teeth filed down.  That, or he'll starve to death from not being able to eat or dehydrate from not being able to drink.

That, or he's just getting old.  My gerbils, though, to the day of their death, chewed things up to their heart's content.  They didn't quite make it to three years (one died at 2.5 yo and the other just after 3 years old), but they were healthy.  So I think you've done a nice job caring for them.  ^^  

Make this enjoyable for him.  If he's going to die, you can't stop it.  So let him leave peacefully.  Give him all his favorite things and pamper him.

I'd check with the vets about his teeth though, or else if he dies from that, it'll be slow and very painful rather than peaceful.

Answer 3

This is all I could find on gerbil illnesses. I hope it helps. Get you baby into the vet:

Gerbils are generally very healthy robust little creatures who never have a day's illness in their lives. However just occasionally they do suffer from various ailments. If recognised early most of these can be treated successfully by your Vet. Listed below are some of the ailments I have come across over the past few years. Remember if you are in any doubt as to your gerbil's health always consult a Vet. If you need a vet with experience of treating gerbils then consult the Recommended Gerbil Vets page.

These are usually more common in older gerbils particularly males, who tend to mark their territory more than females. However they are not unknown in females. Starting off as a small hard lump on the gland they grow larger as time passes. As the tumour grows the gerbil begins to find it irritating and will sometimes chew at it. When large enough, these tumours can be successfully removed by your Vet, and stitches used are of the dissolving type. Your gerbil will feel sore for a few days (which is understandable!) and will need to be watched to check that he is not chewing at the stitches. I did have a gerbil who did remove his stitches but fortunately the healing process was well under way so there was no real harm done. Anaesthesia in small animals is improving all the time and the chances of losing your pet under the anaesthesia is slight. However you will be advised of the risks before surgery. I have had more than 30 gerbils operated on and in that time I have lost only two. Of these, I am convinced the deaths where not down to the anaesthetic, but to other complications. Tumours on other parts of the body are rarer and in some cases can be removed successfully. Unfortunately internal tumours can not be operated upon and in these cases when it is apparent that the gerbil is suffering it is better to have him put painlessly to sleep by a Vet. I recommend no other form of euthanasia.

Inner Ear Problems

Again this is more common in older gerbils, and is recognisable when the gerbil has a head tilt. This is caused principally by a cyst in the ear known as a cholesteatoma. These cysts are common in gerbils and are untreatable. However, my experience is that the chronic condition caused by these cysts, where the gerbil loses balance and often circles whilst holding its head at a very unusual angle, is treatable. Presumably this chronic condition is caused by an infection that is secondary to the cholesteatoma. The best treatment is an anti-inflammatory injection administered by your Vet, and treatment with antibiotics such as Baytril. In the majority of cases a reduced head tilt remains even though the chronic phase of the condition has passed, but your gerbil will adapt to this and will enjoy life as much as he ever did. Be aware that this problem can reoccur. If the chronic phase of this condition is not treated then the gerbil will often become totally incapable of caring for itself, it will collapse and quickly die.Overgrown Teeth

This can occur in gerbils who have lost one of the front incisor teeth or in older gerbils who don't tend to chew as much as their younger counterparts. It is usually first identified when the gerbil begins to lose weight. To prevent the problem you should regularly examine the gerbil's teeth. Your Vet will be able to trim the teeth for you and it is not painful for the gerbil. Later, you may even be able to do this yourself

Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea can be a sign of Tyzzer's Disease.  I have no experience of this in Mongolian Gerbils, however, I know that this is a very serious problem that some have encountered. If your gerbils show signs of listlessness and diarrhoea then it is important that you isolate them, and any gerbils they have been in contact with, from any other gerbils. You should then see a vet so that you can treat all your gerbils with antibiotics. The infections that cause this problem are very easily spread. You should make sure that you thoroughly clean anything, including your hands, that come in contact with the sick gerbils. From what I know of the problems others have had, treatment of gerbils with diarrhoea is rarely successful and most infected animals die within 24 hours. However, immediate treatment of apparently healthy gerbils with antibiotics is very successful in stopping the disease spreading to them. Not all gerbils with Tyzzer's Disease will have diarrhoea as it is only one of many symptoms, including paralysis, that this very nasty bug can cause. Other causes of diarrhoea in gerbils are Listeria and Salmonella. These should be treated in the same way as Tyzzer's disease. Both can be passed on to humans and in some circumstances can be serious so diarrhoea in gerbils should never be ignored.

Cataracts

Although rare, gerbils sometimes suffer from cataracts. This is is where the lens of the eye becomes opaque and the gerbil's vision is progressively reduced. At first you might see that the pupil of the eye has become greyish or cloudy. Eventually, as the condition progresses, the pupil will appear milky white. Cataracts are normally caused either by the long -term effects of an illness such as diabetes, or, probably more common in gerbils, genetic factors. If you discover your gerbils has cataracts you should consult a vet to confirm that it is not a sign of something more serious that needs treating. If the vet finds nothing else wrong then it may mean that the gerbil has a genetic predisposition to cataracts and should not be bred from. Indeed, as cataracts can be a sign of inbreeding, your breeding practises should be reviewed. Once a gerbil has cataracts there is no treatment that can remove them. Fortunately, gerbils manage very well with reduced sight. You may need to remove any obstacles etc from the cage or tank that might injure the gerbil, but in most ways he will adapt very well.

Fighting

Sometimes gerbil will injure on another by fighting. This can get very nasty and they can kill one another. The injuries will usually consist of bites to the tail, rump and ventral area of the losing gerbil. There may also be bites to the face and throat. There is a site with some pictures of an injured gerbil. Not all the bites will be obvious as they are often hidden under the fur.

If one of your gerbils is injured like this it will normally recover on its own if it is eating and drinking. The wounds almost never get infected. If you find it immobile and cold it is necessary to warm it up with a heated pad or hot water bottle. You may need to encourage it to drink. If it has not picked up in a few hours you should seek veterinary help.

If a pair of gerbils that have lived happily together for a long time suddenly fight check the loser as it may have another illness or injury that has weakened it and lead to its dominance being overthrown

Mites

Fortunately these are very rare, and can be treated with commercial dusting powder usually available from Pet Shops or alternatively your Vet. The cage should be thoroughly washed and disinfected with boiling water to prevent a return of the infection. Persistent infestation can be treated by your Vet

Respiratory infections

The gerbil has a dull staring coat and the breathing is very obviously laboured and may be accompanied by clicking sounds. Treatment can be administered in the form of Baytril which is a relatively new drug also used on humans. I have found that rodents in general respond very well to this drug. If Baytril is not available chlortertacycline is also effective in most cases.

Strokes

As in humans, these are more common in older gerbils. Recognisable by paralysis or weakness down one side. The best treatment is to try and make the gerbil as comfortable as possible and keep him warm. In some cases another stroke follows fairly soon after and the gerbil may unfortunately die. Recovery is possible in other cases and the gerbil may be left with little or no disability. The important thing is to make sure the gerbil can feed and drink until it recovers enough to do this itself.

Broken Limbs

On several occasions I have come across a gerbil that has broken its leg. I am not sure how this happens, although breaks in the back legs seem more common. Although this looks terrible with the limb being dragged limply behind these breaks usually heal themselves very quickly with no treatment. Surprisingly the breaks nearly always mend straight, or almost so, with no permanent effect on the gerbil's mobility. There is no need to splint the limb and in fact that may cause extra damage as the gerbil will undoubtedly try and chew the splint and may damage itself. The break will have mended itself within two weeks and you will not know anything was ever the matter. There are only two things you need worry about. Firstly, if there is any sign of infection, breaking of the skin or inflammation take your gerbil to the vet. Saying that I have seen about half a dozen breaks and heard of many more but I have never known of any complications. Secondly, make sure that your injured gerbil can still get to food and water. A gerbil with a broken front leg may have difficulty holding food to eat. If this is the case you may have to help until the gerbil is better. I once had a gerbil that mysteriously broke both back legs and one front leg. It still managed to drag itself around and feed itself. Miraculously, the gerbil made a full recovery on its own.  It is possible that these breaks may be a sign that the diet is deficient in calcium or other minerals. You might want to supplement the normal feed with either cuttlefish bone or dog food.

Ringworm

This fortunately is very rare in gerbils. Ringworm is a fungal disease which can also be transmitted to humans. It is recognised by circular hair loss which may scab over. It can be transmitted via wood shavings and hay. Your v

Answer 4

could be either... or both. with  sick animals the only way to help them is with a trip to the vet =/

Answer 5

1 answer and 1 way my dear. the vet.

Answer 6

It sounds like he is just getting old. :(

One thing you can do is go to a local pet store and get gerbil treats that have extra vitamins like C D or E. They are only around maybe $6, depending where you live. This will prevent him from dying for a little while. Also, hold him a lot (if he doesnt bite) because if they feel lonely or unwanted, they will just give up on living. So I hope he gets better. =D and goodluck.

Answer 7

He could be ill. Or could have mested up its teeth or wore them down. Go to the vet.

Answer 8

wow...3 yrs, he must have a lovely owner...lol...i think he is getting old its like giving your great grandma a lollipop to bite...she cant do that, right? lol... if you want to make xtra sure call the vet! good luck! :)♥♥