Permanent head tilt and spinning?

[kaseyisabanana]

I recently got 2 female pups from a litter at a local pet store (posted about them in 2 other threads) I've successfully introduced the pups to my adult female and they all get along really well! All three are always grooming and cuddling and playing! 

One of the pups (Flynn) was the runt of the litter and she was born with a head tilt and she spins sometimes. She's also runs around a lot more than her sister (Muriel) I got Flynn knowing that she had these issues because I was afraid she would be fed to a snake or live her life alone because no one would want her. She's a total sweetie and I'm so glad to have her around but I have some concerns. 

I'm pretty sure this isn't an ear infection because of a few things.... I was told she was caught in the wheel at the pet store (why they left the wheel in with a litter of newborn pups is beyond me.) She also has been like this since before her eyes opened. She doesn't have any of the typical signs of being in pain, she eats and drinks plenty, cleans herself and my other gerbs, she's bright eyed and perky, very active, very friendly... she just looks like maybe she has some kind of brain damage or something? Maybe a neurological problem?
Does anyone have experience with a gerbil like this? I want to take her to the vet but I'm hesitant if she isn't in pain because I don't really know what they're going to do other than some really expensive tests only to tell me they can't help her! I'm hoping that she doesn't notice that she's different and she just runs differently? 

I also added their cage topper back today and the normal two have no problem going up and down (the baby learns so fast from copying my older gerb, it's adorable! If Lola climbs, Muriel does too!) Flynn is hesitant to climb up to the top and is a little clumsy going down. She's made it down with no trouble twice and had a little trouble the first time, but she doesn't show interest in going to the top without me putting her there. I have the food and water in the fish tank portion of the cage so that Flynn doesn't have to go to the top for it, but I'm wondering if she will become isolated if the other two are always going to the top. Should I give her some time to learn to climb or should I take it out until she's a little bigger? 

[moonlight7wolf]

I'm glad you were able to save her from certain death! I don't have any personal experience with neurological problems in gerbils, but seeing as no one has replied to you yet, I thought I'd give you my 5 cents.

Well if it is a neurological problem then there wouldn't be much a vet could do anyways. I looked up Obstructive Ear Disease in gerbils, and that can cause inner ear problems, but it says that it only occurrs in gerbils 1 to 2 years old. And the reasons you stated are vaild, so it may not be an ear infection. Personally I'd see if it gets any worse, and if your gerbil starts having trouble drinking due to head tilt then I'd take some sort of action. This thread: gerbilforum.proboards.com/thread/3448 talks about a gerbil who has an ear infection. And it talks about how if it IS an ear infection it's risky to let it get worse because things with gerbils can get bad fast. However, I do understand your concern about just going to the vet and spending money only to have the vet tell you that there is nothing they can do.

Keep a close eye on if anything changes or gets worse, and if you get more worried then I'd say a trip to the vet is in order, because if her condition deteriorates, then it's likely an ear infection.

I hope this is at least slightly helpful to you!

Good luck!

[kaseyisabanana]

Thanks for your response!!
I decided to watch her more before rushing to the vet and nothing has changed in her behavior. She is able to get to the top of the tank topper now with no trouble (I was worried about her earlier but I think she was just afraid, not incapable!) She still doesn't appear to be in any pain, she's absolutely not lethargic, she eats plenty, takes treats from me, chews on toys, and she drinks regularly. She doesn't use the wheel though, but she doesn't really need to. My only concern is that she is CONSTANTLY running around really fast. Up and down and around, on the other two while they're sleeping... she only stops to eat, drink, and snuggle! I'm just so worried that her little body won't be able to take all of the running she does! I can barely hold her because she squirms away so quickly! Thank god she has no interest in climbing or she'd probably escape! I hope as she gets older she'll tire more quickly and snuggle more but so far she hasn't slowed down at all.

The head tilt isn't any worse, her coat is clean and she grooms herself and my other two gerbils regularly. She steals food from the others and even grooms my 2 year old gerb! Aside from the constant running (and occasional weird spin or flip) she seems totally fine!

TL;DR - my 2ish month old female gerbil has a permanent head tilt and never stops running. I do not think it could be an ear infection as she sustained a wheel-related injury in the pet store when she was a newborn. She eats, drinks, grooms herself and others, and plays!

Has anyone experienced anything like this!??! I'm so frustrated but as she hasn't changed at all and still isn't lethargic or irate or anything I really don't know if a $100 vet visit (plus fees for any tests they might do) is going to help her :\ I'm really just looking for some to tell me they've seen similar behaviour or something!!!

[vexorg]

We had one guy many years ago and the vet thought it was some kind of mild brain damage. He couldn't stand still or straight. If standing then he;d slowly start drifting to the right side to the point he either notice or was about to fall over, then straighten up and keep doing it. Never stopped him, he was the same for the 3 years we had him, and he was one of the most pleasant gerbils we ever had in terms of nature.