I have a female gerbil with a hairless spot on her tail. Should I be concerned?

Question

The hairless spot is about an inch long.

Answer 1

Well yes I would keep an eye and check for mite or you teach her, I breeder gerbils I two time my gerbil got hairs spot know this is a bad sign I saw the vet how found nothing wrong and after a week or two the hair was back not idea why but this show it can happen,

If it starts to get bigger go straight to the vets

Answer 2

if the spot spreads yes if not no

Answer 3

Yes, keep an eye on it.  She  might have an infection from mites.  You should change your cage and sterilize it with a little bleach.  Wash out the cage well to get all the bleach out.  You might want to throw away your current bedding and get a brand new bag.  

If she gets worse take her to the vet.  If you have more then one gerbil keep the other separate from her until she is checked out or has improved.  

Answer 4

If you just got the gerbil, I wouldn't worry too much. Sometimes gerbils will come with those spots from playing with the other gerbils or possibly fighting. I remember my gerbil had a bald spot on her tail when I first got her. :P If you already had her and it's spreading then I'd take her to the vet. Good luck!

Answer 5

Here's an article I read.

INJURIES AND ILLNESSES

The most common injuries to gerbils are injured tails and paws, broken teeth, sores, and bloody noses.

A gerbil may lose part of its tail due to improper handling or an accident. Do not become too worried if this happens. If there is any bone protruding, it will dry up and fall off in a few days, and fur will grow back on the rest of the tail.

Gerbils may also occasionally break a paw. Broken paws will generally heal on their own. If there is bone protruding through the skin, however, the gerbil should be taken to the vet.

Gerbil teeth may break occasionally as well. If this happens, make sure the gerbil has plenty of soft food such as oatmeal, raisins, and soaked monkey chow. The teeth should grow back. If they do not grow back within a week or so, take the gerbil to a vet.

Sores and bloody noses are usually caused by excess scratching or an allergy. Most sores and bloody noses can be treated with a topical antibiotic such as neosporin. If a sore becomes infected, the gerbil should be taken to the vet.

Sometimes gerbils will have what looks like blood on their nose or in their eyes. This is not really blood. Gerbil tears and mucous have an antibacterial chemical in them which causes any build-up to look like blood. They will usually wash this off themselves. If an eye becomes matted shut because of excess build-up, it can be cleaned out with a damp cloth.

The most common illnesses in gerbils are Tyzzer's disease or wet tail, respiratory and ear infections, and strokes.

Wet tail is characterized by greenish diarrhea, listlessness, and lowered body temperature, and can be life-threatening if it is not treated immediately. The best form of treatment is tetracycline (packaged as ornacycline for birds) in the water, liquid medication packaged as wet tail treatment (follow the instructions on the package), which are both available at pet stores in America, and Pedialyte to replenish electrolytes. Infected gerbils should be quarantined and be sure to scrub your hands thoroughly before handling any other gerbils, as wet tail is highly contagious. It is also recommended to put tetracycline in the water of any other gerbils to prevent them from getting infected.

Respiratory and ear infections generally are not life-threatening if they are treated immediately and properly. Both can be treated with tetracycline, but if the gerbil does not improve, it should be taken to the vet. Respiratory infections are characterized by a clicking or wheezing noise in the gerbil's breathing. Ear infections are characterized by loss of balance and the head tilted to one side.

Strokes are also characterized by a loss of balance and the head tilted to one side. They may or may not be life-threatening. There is no real treatment for a stroke. Make sure the gerbil is comfortable and is eating and drinking.

Any injured or sick gerbil should be kept as comfortable as possible. Make sure the gerbil is eating and drinking. If it is not, you will need to give it fluids using a syringe. You can also grind up some food into a powder, mix it with water, and feed it to the gerbil using a syringe. If the gerbil's body temperature has dropped, put a heat pad under the cage or put the cage under a lamp to keep the gerbil warm.

For more information about gerbil injuries and illnesses go to the American Gerbil Society home page. There are links to both of these sites on my gerbil links page.