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Post by hannah4049 on Apr 20, 2014 8:42:46 GMT -8
Until yesterday, I had two gerbils, Mike and Ike, who I got from a pet store about 8 months ago. Yesterday, I found Mike dead in their nest for no apparent reason. Even looking back, the only warning sign was lethargy yesterday morning, which I thought nothing of as my gerbils are often sleepy looking when you first wake them up.
Since he was so young, I'm wondering what the problem might have been, and whether or not he was sick. And if he was sick, should I be worried about my remaining gerbil, Ike? He seems fine, but then again, so did Mike. Is there anything I should be doing to make sure Ike is O.K.?
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jan
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Post by jan on Apr 20, 2014 9:11:43 GMT -8
If one gerbil died without any apparent reason, I would take the other to a vet ASAP. You're better off being safe than sorry!
II'm so sorry for your loss of Mike. Hopefully Ike will be alright.
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rhianna
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Post by rhianna on Apr 20, 2014 12:27:08 GMT -8
I went through something similar with one of my gerbils from a trio last October. He was less than 2 years old and died suddenly for no apparant reason. The other two were fine and still remain fine. The problem was probably in his genetics. Pet shop gerbils, unfortunately, are usually bred repeatedly with no rhyme or reason, and often inbred with each other. This makes the genetics go wacky and cause the gerbils to get sick or die easier than professionally bred gerbils. It's really unfortunate that this happens, but the good news is this doesn't mean your other gerbil is sick. I wouldn't worry about rushing him to the vet or anything unless you see signs of illness. Of course, if you do want to bring him in for a checkup, then there's no harm done there. I'm really sorry about Mike and I hope that you and Ike recover from your loss. Take care
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Post by hannah4049 on Apr 21, 2014 6:55:36 GMT -8
Thank you for your replies. I don't think I will be taking Ike to the vet right away, as he seems perfectly healthy and active. There is nothing unusual about his behavior, other than searching around the tank a bit more than usual, seemingly confused about where his brother went. But I guess that's to be expected. Thanks again for your help!
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