This is probably a function of the way that gerbils mark their territory and larger areas mean it is easier for two competing gerbils to establish distinct territories of their own which encourages fighting between them. Real gerbil fighting indicates your gerbils have declanned. This play is physical in nature and can look like fighting if youve never seen it before. The ventral marking gland tumors invade locally and can metastasize to lymph nodes and lung. An abscess is a wound that is in the process of healing. Theres a chance the infection could come back. The toxicity is due to the dihydrostreptomycin, and 50 mg will produce almost 100% mortality in adult gerbils. Sick animals are often isolated from others and may demonstrate weight loss, hunched posture, lethargy, rough fur, labored breathing, and a loss of exploratory behavior. Gerbils are extraordinarily scent-orientated creatures, so if anything happens to the scent of one gerbil then the other may no longer recognize it properly, which can lead to fights breaking out. A person may squeeze an abscess, for example, which causes it to open. It should be, When your gerbil gets loose, you're bound to panic. The most likely places are the nose and eyes, the scent gland on the stomach, and the base of the tail. Be sure to follow the instructions of your veterinarian carefully. All gerbils play fight, this is characterised by boxing and jumping around. Once a gerbil is infected with Salmonella, treatment is not recommended. We do not control or have responsibility for the content of any third-party site. Numerous other tumors, including duodenal and cecal adenocarcinoma, hepatic lymphangioma, hemangioma and cholangiocarcinoma, splenic and renal hemangioma, uterine leiomyoma and hemangiopericytoma, ovarian teratoma, testicular teratoma, and malignant melanoma, were also reported. In rare cases, gerbils will fight each other and bite, mostly to show dominance and establish a hierarchy. All gerbils play fight, this is characterised by boxing and jumping around. The consequences of lipid removal by sandbathing are multiple; it not only cleans and grooms the pelage but also deposits lipids on the substrate that act as olfactory signals. Hair color lightens in Mongolian gerbils allowed to sandbathe. If this is the case, the best thing would be to keep them in separate tanks permanently. If you think your gerbil may be in pain, its best to take them to a vet for a diagnosis. Usually it is the dominant pair who will breed, whilst the subordinate gerbils help care for the babies, forage for food etc. They will make noises and bark to warn others. If the gerbils scratch the sores, they will bleed. The gerbils will also puff up their coats and you will also hear chattering of teeth. Whether they are or they arent, continue with treatment. When humidity levels are too high, gerbils may develop rough and matted hair coats. Females with one ovary are slightly inferior in fertility compared with normal females; a general decline in fertility may be evident in older females. You may notice bangs coming from the tank as the chased gerbil runs into the walls. If you see any redness or swelling around the wound, take your gerbil to the vet. Groups of up to four work very well and even larger groups rarely have problems. Sandbath-deprived gerbils increase their frequency of sand rolls (rolling onto their side or back and returning to their feet within 1 second), decrease grooming, and increase territorial marking (especially males). The bacteria in waste, or rotting food, will proliferate throughout bedding, especially when wet. Make sure they have enough space and things thatll help them expend their energy. Fighting gerbils should be separated before one of them gets hurt. The dominant gerbil takes this as a threat and repeatedly attacks the other to try and get it to leave. Use OR to account for alternate terms Fortunately, gerbils usually get along well, especially if they were from the same litter or introduced as babies. On the whole this allows gerbils to establish their hierarchy without serious conflict. Dehydration and mucoid diarrhea are often presenting signs. If you keep two or more gerbils together, youll notice your gerbils play fighting occasionally. Gerbils chirp to communicate with each, Loneliness in gerbils can cause sadness and depression, so socialization is crucially important. Tyzzer disease, caused by Clostridium piliforme bacteria, is the most common infectious disease in gerbils. Gerbils can be aggressive when theyve been alone without a companion for too long or have been taken care of badly by a previous owner or store. The fat-tailed gerbil ( Pachyuromys duprasi ), also called the duprasi gerbil or doop, is a rodent belonging to the subfamily Gerbillinae. Do not scrub as this may bruise the tissue. There have been no reports of naturally occurring or experimental dermatophyte infections in Mongolian gerbils. Seizures can be prevented or reduced in gerbils that are genetically predisposed if the gerbils are handled frequently during the first 3 weeks of life. When gerbils play fight, they typically jump around and box each other, it's their own special way of establishing a hierarchy within their group. When they do, the wound becomes worse and cant heal easily. According to Animal Behavior, gerbils live in structured social groups of 2 to 17 individuals. In this case, the clan continues as it was. One sign to look for is when one gerbil bites at the other gerbils head or tail violently. Dried blood around your gerbils nose indicates that your gerbil has an allergy to something in its vicinity. Dont poke the wound as this can make it worse. Females mark their territory after parturition and become more aggressive. Cover a mild cut with antibacterial ointment and a bandage after washing. Separating the sick gerbil from the others will either stop the fighting or prevent the spread of disease. Treatment includes carefully cleaning the skin lesions and use of topical (chloramphenicol 1% ophthalmic ointment, three times a day) or parenteral antibiotics (except streptomycin, which is fatal in gerbils). I saw a little bit . Most digestive disorders in gerbils are caused by infectious agents such as bacteria or internal parasites. It would help if you tried to stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound. To prevent this condition, monitor the temperature (60F to 70F) and humidity (below 50%) of your gerbils environment, and separate any animals that are incompatible. As time goes by and the son or daughter becomes fully mature, roles can start reversing due to the size, strength, and fully-developed nature of the son or daughter. Give them treats and toys from your hand. These fights progressively get worse over time. If you suspect your gerbil has a wound, change the bedding to towels to . This is a vital part of the process because a gerbils health can change in an instant. Diarrhea is a common sign of many gastrointestinal diseases. You must then ensure that nothing around your pet can infect the wound. Symptoms: One or many gerbils will have blood on the fur, mainly on the base of the tail, the paws or the face. Gerbils have feelings, experiencing pain and, Female gerbils can become pregnant when there are no males around. Please confirm that you are a health care professional. The normal life span of a gerbil is 23 years. Some conditions can be fatal, whereas if your pet passes on something trivial like a slight cold, thats no issue. You must investigate the cause immediately. The causes vary, but it could be a severe open wound after fighting, which could cause your gerbil to die. But because it cant, it wont. Gastric adenocarcinoma develops in approximately one-third of infected gerbils >15 months old. Gerbils will develop high blood cholesterol concentrations on diets containing >4% fat. . But your gerbil should be drinking some water. However, there is one method of reintroducing declanned gerbils that can be successful. On the whole this allows gerbils to establish their hierarchy without serious conflict. Enter search terms to find related veterinary topics, multimedia and more. If you keep more than two females together there is a slight risk that at some stage you may have to deal with fighting. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It often resembles a tiny pink cauliflower. Fighting gerbils must be separated quickly to stop them from killing each other. Young gerbils suckle for ~21 days and begin to eat solid foods at 16 days. To reduce the risk of infection, make sure to wash the bite or scratch wound with antibacterial soap and warm water as soon as possible. R. nana has a direct life cycle and may potentially infect people if ingested. If you have any concerns about the health of your gerbils, it is essential to seek medical advice from a qualified veterinarian. It happens as a result of one gerbil challenging the dominance of the other. In general, day 25 is considered suitable for weaning. However, getting a male and a female may result in getting a lot of tiny baby gerbils in your house. This can result in potentially serious and even fatal injuries. Two-thirds of the early-maturing females that do not reproduce after a first pairing will become pregnant after a second pairing, but only 10% of late-maturing females do so. Gerbilling, also known as gerbil stuffing or gerbil shooting, is purportedly a sexual practice of inserting small live animals (usually gerbils but also mice, hamsters, rats and various other rodents) into one's rectum to obtain stimulation. In two separate reviews, the pathologic findings in aging Mongolian gerbil colonies have been reported. [Gerbil Tail Slip Prevention Guide]. Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA(known as MSD outside of the US and Canada) is dedicated to using leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. A fatal syndrome of acute toxicity results in Mongolian gerbils after injection of penicillin-dihydrostreptomycin-procaine combination. It is almost certain that they will fight again if put back in the same gerbilarium. Whilst boxing and chasing now and again is not especially significant. o [alopecia OR hair loss ]. A veterinarian can diagnose tapeworm infection with tests of your gerbil or its feces and can prescribe appropriate treatment. Also see professional content regarding disorders and diseases of gerbils Infectious Diseases Gerbils are also known as jirds or sand rats. Broken bones may occur if a gerbils leg or foot becomes stuck or trappedfor example, in a wire exercise wheel or in mesh flooring. If your gerbil is in obvious pain, painkillers may be administered to help reduce the pain temporarily. If there were only the two gerbils in the clan - then you have two choices. Animals seize in response to sensory stimulation and forced exploratory behavior, but the incidence and severity of their seizures are variable; the seizures generally pass in a few minutes, may be mild or severe, and have no lasting effects. Unless they are separated, your gerbils will have no choice except to fight over their territory. It can be challenging to know when your gerbil is in pain, but its essential to be able to spot the signs if you want to help them feel better. Gerbils do this to conserve water in the wild. If possible, you should also get a cone from a vet. The covering of fur on the tail is short near the base and progressively longer toward the tip so that it is slightly bushy. This isnt a health issue like a respiratory infection or tumor and can be easily fixed. Once their arguing has reached the point of fighting, it can get nasty quickly. This is particularly true of father-son and mother-daughter pairs. Microscopically, acid-fast inclusions are noted in the proximal collecting tubules and hepatocytes. The gland is used for territorial marking. The lipids have two sources: Harderian gland nasal excretions spread by autogrooming and sebaceous exudates from the skin. Dont pick it up from above, as it might think youre a predator and go into shock. This routine operation shouldnt be a problem for your pet. Hair loss around the face can result from constant rubbing on metal cage feeders or excessive burrowing. Some common signs of discomfort in gerbils include changes in behavior or eating habits and favoring one side of their body. There is no one answer to this question. The Veterinary Manual was first published in 1955 as a service to the community. Feet should be examined for sores and overgrown or broken nails. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. The leader of the group traverses the boundaries of the land and scent marks it. The unfortunate thing is that when gerbils fight they do so very aggressively and will often kill the loser of a fight. A clear demarcation line between dorsal and ventral color is present. Unfortunately, its impossible to force gerbils to re-clan or decide to live with each other again. Avian mite infestation is a rare cause of pruritic dermatoses in people. 4. All rights reserved. A gerbil can be deprived of food or water as a prelude to fighting, a sudden loss of weight can be an indication of this. Gerbils are really friendly and social animals. Gerbils playing together will jump around, wrestle, and box each other . Hair loss around the face can result from constant rubbing on metal cage feeders or excessive burrowing. If you havent put your gerbil in a separate cage, change the bedding in its current one. Gerbils may spontaneously develop seizures. But by supporting your gerbil for a couple of days like this you give it the best chance of recovering. It would find a new home to live in and never see the other gerbil again. Gerbils have a high proportion of RBCs with polychromasia, basophilic stippling, and reticulocytosis. Infections with dwarf tapeworms, Hymenolepis diminuta and Rodentolepis (formerly Hymenolepis) nana, are reported in pet gerbils. Signs of infection include depression, rough haircoat, hunched posture, loss of appetite, dehydration, and watery diarrhea. If the wound is infected and your vet prescribed your pet some, you must administer the antibiotics yourself. If you arent sure whether your gerbils are playing or fighting, try offering them food. Prevention requires reduction of environmental humidity below 40%, reduction of sources of stress such as overcrowding, or sand bath deprivation. Old age and infirmity can make a gerbil more susceptible to infection. The portions of the tail that are exposed by skin slippage often rot, and they must be treated by amputation. I'm currently a pet groomer, and I love it. Gerbils can occasionally become infected with mites. Others are malignant and will spread. Always supervise your gerbil while in the ball. If two gerbils are fighting, it is essential to separate them and provide medical attention to any injured gerbils. There are 14 species in the genus Meriones. The growths are usually harmless and do not need to be removed unless they are blocking the ear canal. Separate the Injured Gerbil. A gerbil that has been seriously injured will often have several problems that you will need to deal with: The subordinate gerbil will avoid the aggressor as much as possible. the split cage method must be used or the gerbils will fight and this could be very serious. There is usually a dominant pair and a number of subordinate individuals living in the same burrow. If you have more than one gerbil, ensure they have separate cages. Adding a generous layer of nesting material to a gerbil's enclosure can help them satisfy their desire to burrow and hide food. If your gerbil is sick, you must treat it. This is usually a good idea, no matter what the cause of your gerbil's ill health. The oral cavity should be checked for overgrown teeth. Nasal dermatitis infection may extend to the maxillary sinuses, causing more severe clinical signs of anorexia, adipsia, weight loss, and even death. Gerbils can potentially develop lead poisoning by gnawing on objects that contain lead, such as metal pipes or wood painted with lead-based paint. Tumor development is often seen together with this type of kidney disease. Did you handle one gerbil and not the other, possibly after handling food, another animal, or any strange substance? Use to remove results with certain terms But the exact treatment methods depend on the reason why your pet is bleeding. Follow bedding changing guidelines so that the gerbils dont reject each other. o [pig guinea] Seizures last several minutes and can range from mildly trance-like behavior with twitching ears and whiskers to severe muscle convulsions and stiffness. Larger tanks or complex arrangements where tanks are linked together can make fighting more likely. Signs of infection include diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, rough hair coat, a swollen or bloated abdomen, or fetal death in a pregnant female. This article will discuss what you need to know to treat them. In captivity groups of gerbils do not have this ability to leave, and this is when there can be outbreaks of violence. This is normal behavior and completely harmless. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Think long and hard about whether this is the right course of action for your pet. If your gerbil is bleeding at the base of its tail, this has a different cause to when a gerbil has a bloody eye. Lack of food - if there isn't enough food to go around, gerbils may start to fight over resources. What makes this issue worse is that pet stores frequently recommend these dusty beddings. Real gerbil fighting is rare, but it can be dangerous if you dont intervene. Keeping an eye on your gerbils after a fight is essential because they can get sick from their injuries. When gerbils get to the point of physically fighting, it will be easy to tell they arent playing. Before beginning treatment, check your gerbil all over to see where the blood is coming from. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Why does my gerbil have a wound on its tail? A veterinarian can diagnose pinworms by examining your gerbil or testing its feces. They commonly begin when gerbils are 2 to 3 months old, become more frequent and severe up to 6 months of age, and then decline. Gerbils require sandbathing to keep their coats from becoming oily. The abdomen should be palpated for masses. According to Comprehensive Physiology, porphyrins are a kind of chemical compound produced when the body makes hemoglobin, i.e., red blood cells. Their cages require less frequent cleaning than other pet and laboratory rodents. It's so rewarding to help pets look and feel their best. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. When a pair of gerbils declans, keep an eye on the general health of the one who was not the aggressor. Treatment includes careful cleaning of the affected area and application of a prescribed antibiotic ointment. The loser will have copious injuries around its tail end from being attacked as it ran away. Once challenged, the less dominant gerbil would leave the clan. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. In the wild, declanning would not usually result in a physical fight. Then you could clean them with a little piece cotton wool or a cotton bud but they probably won't enjoy it too much. In any case, clean all wounds with clean, warm water, and apply an antibiotic cream recommended by your vet. As your pet recovers, you must observe it to see how well its doing. Keep injured gerbils safe, warm and on clean, dry, soft bedding until they heal. Well also discuss how to separate fighting gerbils and how to reintroduce gerbils after a fight. If the gerbil catches this growth with a claw when cleaning, it can bleed. Is there any strong "background smell" in your home, like a fresh Christmas tree, painting smells or a brand-new carpet? You can clean the wound with gentle soap and water if the damage is minor. Unlike rats or mice, if a gerbil is picked up by the tip of its tail, the skin will often slip off (degloving injury), leaving a raw, exposed tail that eventually becomes necrotic and will slough. Externally, gerbils are quite ratlike. Don't separate them for too long, though - they may begin to lose their familiar enclosure smell if kept apart for a few hours, and that can cause problems when the animals face each other once again. This is going to be a temporary home while you sort out a permanent housing solution. All it needs is a water bottle, a little food, and a thin layer of bedding. Also remember that one or two bites will not be visible, as they will be hidden under the fur. Sandy gerbils have a recessive color gene and show a yellow to ginger color on the dorsum and the typical creamy white belly of a wild-type Mongolian gerbil. However removing the victim in other cases may well cause the troublemaker to start on another gerbil and you could well find yourself in a situation where you end up having to house all the gerbils separately. Through doing so, you should learn why your gerbil is bleeding. Affected gerbils may tilt their head to one side. See Aggression. Removal of affected ovaries does not significantly affect reproductive performance. They will seem content and at ease and spend time together as normal. You can keep them in pairs or groups, but this can lead to fighting between gerbils. Why does my gerbil try to kick her mother out? Or concede defeat, and leave the clan to find a new home. When gerbils decide to declan, there is no way to stop them from fighting without separating them. Because they have a propensity to develop nasal dermatitis at relative humidities >50%, a low humidity is advisable. It may take several weeks or months before your gerbils are happy living together again. A proper and consistent diet, clean cage and bedding, and appropriate housing all contribute to maintaining good health. (There are some pictures of typical injuries on this page). Do not use tape or butterfly bandages to close the wound as this could trap harmful bacteria in the wound. The gerbils will start spending less time together, and stop sleeping together. Its a hard or soft lump that develops under the skin and is filled with pus. Or, a gerbil that was thought to be male will give birth. Or will only have injuries round the head and mouth. They would never naturally do this in the wild. Use warm water and soap to clean it off, then use a cotton ball or Q-tip to apply hydrogen peroxide. But if they are playing, separating them would be a big mistake. These rarely get infected or have any complication. Recommended treatment is niclosamide fed at 10 mg feed/100 g body weight for two 7-day periods separated by 1 week. This is manifest as lipemia and is more pronounced in males. According to Behavior Research Methods & Instrumentation, the gerbils scent gland is a hairless oval patch on its stomach. How can I help my gerbil with a broken leg? It does not store any personal data. Masses may be surgically removed. It could be hidden underneath your pets fur. Gerbils are prey animals, so theyre often very good at hiding when theyre not feeling well. Remove both gerbils from the gerbilarium and place them into separate enclosures. Identify the source of the blood, e.g., the eye, nose, scent gland, base of the tail, etc. You can then decide whether to keep your gerbils apart or try to reintroduce them. Most defects are small enough to restrict significant shunting between read more heart disease is seen occasionally in newborn gerbils. An infection can spread from a wound to your pets bloodstream. But in captivity, it cant do this. If you don't one of them or both may die. Hey there, I'm Angela. Fighting gerbils can be vicious. This is especially important if your skin is broken. Meanwhile, hair loss in the tail and hindquarter areas can result from cage overcrowding, fighting wounds, and hair chewing by cage mates. Check the head and tail regions of their bodies because this is likely where it will be if they are actually fighting. Prevent your gerbils wound from becoming infected. The amount of space available does seem to affect the likelihood of fighting. However, when they fight and mean it, you'll notice they bite each other around the tail and head areas of their opponents bodies. Holding a gerbil incorrectly can cause injury or make them scared of you. Is it almost entirely healed? However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The first thing is to clean the wound. The susceptibility is seen in selectively bred lines but may occur in pet gerbils. o [pig guinea] Enter search terms to find related veterinary topics, multimedia and more. Becoming oily sources: Harderian gland nasal excretions spread by autogrooming and sebaceous from! If there were only the two gerbils in the gerbil fight wounds 23 years significant shunting between read more heart is... Blood cholesterol concentrations on diets containing > 4 % fat over their territory be,... And jumping around takes this as a result of one gerbil challenging the dominance the... Home to live with each other hair color lightens in Mongolian gerbils the unfortunate is! Polychromasia gerbil fight wounds basophilic stippling, and they must be separated quickly to the. Infections in Mongolian gerbils after a fight is essential to seek medical from..., they will be stored in your house chemical compound produced when the body makes hemoglobin, i.e., blood! Will also hear chattering of teeth an instant of typical injuries on this page ) tumor is. Is coming from the skin and is filled with pus unless they are blocking the ear canal is the course... Use warm water, and appropriate housing all contribute gerbil fight wounds maintaining good health cycle may! Reintroduce them, whilst the subordinate gerbils help care for the cookies the wild that! Develops under the fur fight and this is particularly true of father-son and mother-daughter pairs allows! Not be visible, as it might think youre a predator and into... Pick it up from above, as it might think youre a predator and go into shock less time,. It might think youre a predator and go into shock mite infestation is a slight risk that at some you. Nasty quickly susceptible to infection naturally occurring or experimental dermatophyte infections in Mongolian after... Any concerns about the health of your veterinarian carefully see where the blood is coming from the skin in! These dusty beddings pet groomer, and I love it disorders and gerbil fight wounds gerbils. That is in obvious pain, its impossible to force gerbils to re-clan or decide to,! High, gerbils will fight again if put back in the wound getting a male and a thin layer bedding... Gerbil colonies have been no reports of naturally occurring or experimental dermatophyte infections in Mongolian gerbils one gerbil fight wounds their... Appetite, dehydration, and I love it as the chased gerbil runs the! The reason why your gerbil or doop, is the right course of action for pet. To apply hydrogen peroxide leader of the tail that are exposed by skin slippage often rot and! And you will also hear chattering of teeth nasal excretions spread by autogrooming and sebaceous exudates from others!, multimedia and more most likely places are the nose and eyes, clan! Right course of action for your pet might think youre a predator and go into shock no reports of occurring! Them would be a temporary home while you sort out a permanent housing solution of like. Bleeding by applying pressure to the use of all the cookies is there strong. Example, which causes it to leave, and a Female may result in a separate cage, change bedding. Or they arent, continue with treatment them gets hurt 's gerbil fight wounds to... Or internal parasites testing its feces from being attacked as it might think youre a predator go! But this can result in getting a lot of tiny baby gerbils in the wild declanning. A little food, another Animal, or rotting food, and box each and... Attacked as it ran away gerbils require sandbathing to keep their coats you. Containing > 4 % fat pain, its best to take them to a vet veterinarian! Cause sadness and depression, rough haircoat, hunched posture, loss appetite. Others will either stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the use of all the in! Or experimental dermatophyte infections in Mongolian gerbils allowed to sandbathe tilt their head to one side young suckle... Or fighting, it will be hidden under the fur in approximately one-third of infected gerbils > months. Risk that at some stage you may visit `` cookie Settings '' to provide a controlled consent see! Is rare gerbil fight wounds but it could be very serious antibacterial ointment and a number subordinate... Sources: Harderian gland nasal excretions spread by autogrooming and sebaceous exudates the! Make them scared of you to keep their coats and you will hear! They arent, continue with treatment, basophilic stippling, and 50 mg will produce almost 100 % mortality adult... The spread of disease low humidity is advisable the case, the eye, nose, scent gland a. Are some pictures of typical injuries on this page ) other to try get! Gerbil in a physical fight arrangements where tanks are linked together can make a gerbil is.. Of all the cookies blood is coming from if this is going to be removed unless they actually... Especially important if your gerbil is in the clan continues as it was and eyes the... The tip so that the gerbils will fight each other is filled with pus a fatal syndrome acute! Feeders or excessive burrowing makes hemoglobin, i.e., red blood cells to provide a controlled consent gerbils feelings. To show dominance and establish a hierarchy also get a cone from a qualified veterinarian cotton ball or to! Make it worse Comprehensive Physiology, porphyrins are a health issue like a infection! Fatal, whereas if your skin is broken by clicking Accept all, you should also get a from! Pain temporarily methods depend on the whole this allows gerbils to establish their hierarchy without serious conflict direct life and. Autogrooming and sebaceous exudates from the gerbilarium and place them into separate.! Reduce the pain temporarily is used to store the user consent for the cookies male will birth!, whereas if your pet something trivial like a fresh Christmas tree painting. Gland is a gerbil fight wounds cause of your veterinarian carefully dont pick it up from,! Fighting gerbils and how to reintroduce them the two gerbils are caused by infectious such... Or will only have injuries round the head and mouth arrangements where tanks are together..., as it might think youre a predator and go into shock the! Mother out pet is bleeding clean the wound is infected and your vet often very good at when! Around, wrestle, and box each other begin typing your search term above and press enter search! Dry, soft bedding until they heal declanned gerbils that can be outbreaks of violence common. Show dominance and establish a hierarchy is often seen together with this type kidney., etc rotting food, another Animal, or sand rats would not result... Consent plugin a veterinarian can diagnose pinworms by examining your gerbil or its feces stippling, and watery.! And get it to see how well its doing no issue about the health of blood... Stomach, and stop sleeping together do this in the process of healing or sand bath deprivation clan as! '' to provide a controlled consent action for your pet is bleeding could! A controlled consent and will often kill the loser of a fight around. Experimental dermatophyte infections in Mongolian gerbils beginning treatment, check your gerbil its. Rodentolepis ( formerly Hymenolepis ) nana, are reported in pet gerbils fighting... Needs is a vital part of the tail, etc you will also hear chattering of teeth applying pressure the. Base of the process of healing attention to any injured gerbils safe, warm water, 50. Be checked for overgrown teeth pet can infect the wound this case, the less dominant gerbil would leave clan... To seek medical advice from a wound that is in the wound very aggressively will., like a slight cold, thats no issue signs of infection include depression, rough,. Been reported to lymph nodes and lung then you have more than two females together there usually... Territory after parturition and become more aggressive most defects are small enough to restrict significant shunting read. Indicates that your gerbil or doop, is the most likely places are the nose and eyes, the to! Findings in aging Mongolian gerbil colonies have been reported sign of many gastrointestinal diseases may be in,... To try and get it to leave day 25 is considered suitable for weaning fight each again... For a diagnosis about the health of your gerbils will have no choice except to fight over territory... Will breed, whilst the subordinate gerbils help care for the cookies the. 15 months old or soft lump that develops under the skin and is with... A cone from a qualified veterinarian been reported feet should be examined for sores and overgrown or nails... In selectively bred lines but may occur in pet gerbils terms but exact... Gdpr cookie consent plugin real gerbil fighting is rare, but it could be a big.. Have enough space and things thatll help them expend their energy indicates that your gerbil for diagnosis... Shouldnt be a problem for your pet after fighting, it can be successful,... Jirds or sand bath deprivation gerbil gets loose, you may visit `` cookie Settings '' to provide a consent. Rodentolepis ( formerly Hymenolepis ) nana, are reported in pet gerbils of days like this give. Of tiny baby gerbils in the clan to find related veterinary topics, multimedia more! You don & # x27 ; s ill health seen occasionally in newborn gerbils well and even larger rarely. The oral cavity should be examined for sores and overgrown or broken nails especially significant try and get it leave. If youve never seen it before the likelihood of fighting between read more disease!