Red's a bit listless - because it got hot today?

[alleyj]

I was tucking the gang into bed tonight and noticed that something seemed a bit off with my boy, Red. He was a bit more lethargic and listless than usual, not all puffed up and cheery. He just kinda sat in the corner, like he was depressed. I offered him a treat and he wouldn't take it - he ALWAYS takes cookies from me immediately. He eventually ran to his bed and curled up, so I made sure he had plenty of water (he drinks a ton for a gerbil), food and some more nesting material and left him be.

My mom thinks it's because it spiked in temperature today - was definitely the hottest day of the season so far and our central air isn't turned on yet. I set up a fan next to their cages so he can get some cool circulation and I'm just gonna let him sleep. 

Any other ideas? He's a little over a year old.

[betty]

It could be a number of things - seeing as he drink 'loads' - but I would imagine it was the heat this first time, but I would keep a note of his behaviour over the next few days to see if it was a one off or there are other things now that you are watching him and the fan is on.

No harm in a few maintenance things here either, so perhaps weigh him and check his teeth - also check his water bottle is working properly (it may me that it isn't quite right and so looks like he is drinking loads rather than him ACTUALLY drinking loads). Also check that none of your treats are high in salt (crackers etc) or contain too much 'diuretic' like dandelions etc. and you haven't given him anything 'new' lately.

Is he sitting on his own; is his cage-mate also showing any changes in character? Is he currently moulting etc?

[alleyj]

I just got him a new bottle and I check it multiple times a day to make sure it doesn't leak out (it's happened before). He gets one treat every three or four days and nothing is new. I left it in his cage last night (stawberry vitakraft drop) and it looks like he ate it overnight. He's still the same as before. I haven't seen him like this since I rescued him, something is definitely wrong.

He's a rescue, was attacked by another gerbil when he was a baby so I keep him by himself and he's always been happy that way. I'm not sure exactly what to look for with gerbil moulting, he's just extremely listless and has droopy eyes, like he's depressed. He's usually alert, chipper and hopping around.

[betty]

Perhaps you should take him for a check up at a local vets who can just give him a once over. Unfortunately gerbils, being prey animals, usually try to stay looking healthy at all times until they really are in trouble - so if a gerbil looks rough - he must be.

Moulting can sometimes make them look a bit of a state as all the hair is replaced over a few weeks. You can usually see a darker line running across their body in various places and it makes all the hair stick out at funny angles and look like they aren't grooming themselves. It uses up a lot of energy too, so if he is a bit under the weather at the same time as a moult it might make him a bit worse.

Have you weighed him yet and checked his teeth?

If he is still young - then it wouldn't harm him to try and give him a friend (using the split tank method) - the next 2+ years of his life could be quite lonely otherwise. Gerbils are sociable animals and nearly all of them look more relaxed with another gerbil and it is great to see them asleep in a pile or grooming each other etc. They get on with things when alone, and respond to you, but nothing beats a friend. There are only a few gerbils that are anti-gerbil-social, but you don't know this until you have tried a couple of proper introductions. It is possible that the original introduction when he was a pup was just done wrong and he might be fine with another gerbil.

[alleyj]

We went to his usual vet and she couldn't diagnose it. So we went to the exotics ER and he has kidney complications. They don't know if he's in failure yet, it will all depend on how well he reacts to medication. He's on antibiotics and sub q fluids daily and I'm trying to get him to eat as much as I can. I have kale spread everywhere along with his favorite strawberry yogurt drops, a date, banana chips, his normal food, barley treats... whatever he'll eat. I'm not as concerned about water because he's getting fluids. He's sampling a little of each treat but seems to take a bite and then fall asleep with it still in his paws. My poor sweet baby love. I'm gonna try to syringe some sweet potato puree in him later and maybe scrounge around for a banana baby food or something.

I've thought multiple times about getting him a friend, but he seems perfectly happy by himself. In all honesty I usually don't bother him that much, he doesn't like being handled or anything, just makes his fluffy nest and uses his wheel and eats. Well, he did before he got sick. He is a rescue so I try to just let him be and enjoy his life since his childhood was so traumatic.