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Post by youaremysunshine on Mar 5, 2015 20:55:05 GMT -8
So I had my gerbies out for playtime and I was doing homework and half paying attention, so when I saw one of my gerbils playing in my lap desk it was no big deal. Whenever I put them both up, I saw the foil had been chewed off (not eaten hopefully) and a tiny bit of the chocolate was gone. It was a rolo, and the amount eaten was tiny, less than an eighth of a teaspoon, but I don't know how much is toxic. I feel awful and now I am scared that she will get sick, or that she ate some of the foil. I know this was very irresponsible of me, but there is nothing I can do but pray and never do anything nearly as stupid again.
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Post by betty on Mar 5, 2015 23:03:22 GMT -8
Theobromine is the ingredient that causes the toxicity to most animals - if you want to look it up - specifically famous for poisoning (and killing) dogs all the time. Along with the caffiene in it, these things can be dangerous on a percentage chocolate-type to body-size ratio. Dark chocolate being the worst.
So as vets have to deal with this in dogs all the time, I suggest you call your vet asap, as only they will know what the toxic levels are of that chocolate type (Rolo) for a gerbil - if at all (Please weigh your gerbil if you can before calling as they may ask).
Let us know what they say...
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Post by sinthiav on Mar 6, 2015 9:57:19 GMT -8
In that case you may have gotten lucky because there's way more sugar than chocolate in a Rollo. They are caramel with a very thin milk chocolate layer.
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Post by ninestone on Mar 6, 2015 10:23:16 GMT -8
A Rollo probably has a very limited amount of real chocolate. If your gerbil didn't have problems within 30 mins or so, they'll be fine.
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Post by sinthiav on Mar 6, 2015 19:47:00 GMT -8
ninestone My thoughts exactly. Saved by low quality 
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Post by youaremysunshine on Mar 6, 2015 20:30:10 GMT -8
Thank goodness! I was unable to get to a vet due to the time, but I checked on both of them through the night and in the morning an they were both up and running  that was quite a scare, and I am now deathly afraid of chocolate! |
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Post by betty on Mar 7, 2015 0:16:17 GMT -8
I'm glad they are fine.
But don't forget that you can just call your vet for advice, you don't need to actually go there every time. They could have told you yesterday that it would be fine rather than you checking through the night.
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that was quite a scare, and I am now deathly afraid of chocolate!