Gerbil chewing on wire cage

[linzers89]

Hi everyone.  My little boy Bogey has been chewing on the wires to his cage.  He's done it for a long time, but I noticed today that he's worn the fur off the top of his nose and it's just a bald pink spot now.  Will the fur grow back? Do I need to treat the injured area? And should I think of moving him to a glass aquarium?  I've heard they can develop respiratory problems if they are put in aquariums, that's one of the reasons I haven't moved him yet. I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on this!

[erin]

Hi, I've had a similar experience with Felix. I had him by himself in a 10 gallon tank with a topper and he chewed on the bars all night. Not only did the sound wake me up continuously, he too developed a bald spot on his nose. The hair did grow back after about 2 months. You don't have to treat the area unless it's pink and raw or if they're constantly scratching/rubbing at it. I got a second gerbil and upgraded the two of them to a 20 gallon tank so obviously that fixed the problem. I would consider moving Bogey to a glass aquarium. I do believe they can develop respiratory issues in tanks if you're using a bedding with high dust. I use carefresh and it does have a lot less dust than some other beddings. I've read that you can use vegetable oil on the bars and they don't like the taste of it but it doesn't harm them. Sorry for such a long reply, hope this helped and good luck

[linzers89]

Thank you so much! That makes me feel a lot better. I do have an aquarium, so I may decide to go ahead and start using it. Thanks again for your help!

[keldamouse]

aquariums are the way to go. You can have deep bedding and you don't have to change it as often. Also make sure you are providing a lot of interesting chew items. Cardboard and wood.