Why is my gerbil balding!!!!?????

Question

I have two gerbils both females and one of them is balding from its tail! What is happening to it?!!!!!! Its not all completely bald but a big chunk of its fur is gone and now that part is bald! PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

If you keep them in a cage together, maybe one female got upset and got into a little fight with the other one and ripped off some fur. I don't know, but that's a possibility if you keep them together. If you don't, maybe she got her tail stuck in something.

Answer 2

Well, it could be just about anything really. Is your female old? As animals get older they do sometimes lose fur. Or have you just got them? It could be that she is allergic to the bedding you use, or to something in the room she is kept. Is it hot where you live? It could be that she is irritated by the heat and has been scratching. It could be that the other female has done it when they were fighting (this is normal, as long as they don't do it too often and don't cause too much damage. All animals can have little arguments when kept together). It may be that you need to clean out her bedding as the waste she is producing may cause irritation to her skin. It might even have something to do with midges or some other irritating little bug that would cause itching. The best thing to do for now is to just keep an eye on it, chances are the fur will grow back. Keep an eye out for any more fur loss, and if that occurs try changing the bedding or the room the cage is in, or try putting up a fly catcher in the room. Hope I helped 8D

Answer 3

Could be power grooming.

Answer 4

bald spots are a bad sign, for something worry with gerbils that or the other got into a fright watch it for a few day if it dose not get better or start to get better see the vet.

Answer 5

It is suffuring from old age. As they get older they will lose hair and become content to just sit on your shoulder and be scratched.

Answer 6

the gerbils could be fighting, or it could be old age thats what happened to my hamster but i don't no if it happens to gerbils to. keep a close eye on the gerbils making sure they arent fighting and call your vet and ask if its common as it could be a disease and you wouldn't want it to spread to the other gerbil, make sure the cage is clean and dissinfected just in case regularly!

Answer 7

Its not good to have 2 female gerbils as they get VERY territorial. The balding could be from many reasons like, fighting, her being stressed and chewing her tail, or maybe old age. Im not sure if it could be old age because nnone of my gerbils have ever had that happen... but i hear that it could. Seperate the 2 gerbils by either doing a split cage (google it) or buying a seperate cage. Also get them lots of toys