Does anyone know about gerbils??

[katymae]

I think my dd7's gerbil has a broken leg. We've been letting her rest, and she's continuing to eat and drink. What else do we do??

 

[chris1gill]

Why do you think it is broken? We have a guinea pig, and I did find boards on the internet that were related to GP's... when ours got sick the people on the board said to bring him in & so we did... it was a good thing as he needed veterinary care... anyhow, is there a veterinarian that you could call and ask questions of?

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

Crutches?
JK....hope he heals well.

 

[minkydog]

There probably isn't a lot you can do. What makes you think the leg is broken? I'd give it some time. As long as your gerbil is eating a drinking it's probably okay. If the leg is just sore, from a bite or short fall, it will heal on it's own. If the gerbil starts sleeping, pulling his fur out or looking like it's coat is rough, you need to find a vet who knows small animals.

 

[katymae]

Crutches?
JK....hope he heals well.

That's so good! My dd7 thinks this little thing should wear clothes and hats, so why not crutches??

FYI, I guess we just assumed that it was broken b/c she isn't using it. She's walking on three legs and holding that one up. Maybe its just sprained?? Is there such a thing as a gerbil spraining her leg?? BTW, for grins, her name (given by dd7 of course) is Anna Maria...she's Italian.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

i would suggest calling around and seeing if you can find a vet office in your area that deals with small animals. we took my hampster to one once when we thought something was wrong with his eye(course it was at midnight and we had to go to the emergency one because he wouldn't open his eye.....so we call the doctor in and everything only to have him open his eye half way there! lol).

they'll know what to do about it. even maybe give the gerbil a little cast or something(aww! lol). that's what i suggest. it'll cost you tho, it cost me $85 for my little guy. but for me it was worth it, i love animals.

 

[donnajon]

Our gerbil did that. I was sure she was going to die. She was about two and quit crawling up in her cage. I could see she was loosing weight compaired to her sister. I would take her out of the cage and kind of encourage her to walk. She would move around for a little bit. This lasted about a week. She wouldn't go up in her nest so I made a little nest on the bottom of the cage. I also held the water bottle to her mouth to drink because she wouldn't walk over to it and I gave her her favorite food right to her mouth. She also did so weird bleeding from her eye and I think she went blind in that eye. Anyway, it lasted about two weeks and she kindof came out of it. And then she was fine. She lived almost 3 1/2 years before she died earlier this year - very old for a gerbil. Good luck.