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Post by The Cavy House on May 5, 2015 16:10:44 GMT -8
I have 3 female gerbils that I have had for almost a year now and they are perfectly healthy, They eat well but they exercise a lot so they are all a good weight. I just got 2 baby boy gerbils a week ago and one of them eats ALL the time. Like its all he does. Every time he is out he is in his dish eating and it is cute but he is getting quite round. The babies were identical, now I can tell them apart easily because he is fluffier and a lot rounder! Not sure if he runs at night. I really hope so! They are getting a 20 gallon long tank in about a week. (I had to order the tank) right now there are in a 10 gallon. Maybe with more room he will move around more... Here is the little chubster   His brother  When I first brought them home  |
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Post by betty on May 6, 2015 1:07:47 GMT -8
I'm not sure really, but from those images of him, he certainly looks chubby. Have you weighed them both at all so you can tell how much weight he has gained?
And how old are they now? They still look very scruffy like their coat isn't quite right yet. Do they have a dust bath at all?
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Post by Shooting Star on May 6, 2015 5:55:04 GMT -8
That boy looks sick. Even when gerbils put on weight, they don't balloon up like that. My hunch would be internal parasites. You should get him to a vet.
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Post by The Cavy House on May 6, 2015 13:46:18 GMT -8
I never weighed them so not sure how much he weighed when I first got them. They are pretty young, never seen a gerbil this small. dont know the age i got them from local pet store, where i have got my hamster and even guinea pigs from and none have ever been sick.... they do have a dust bath because i also thought they fur wasnt mature yet, looks like baby fur still kinda. he is not showing nay other signs for parasites so i really hope thats not it as i dont even think i have a vet that will treat him  and i dont drive so i cant take him to the city which is 2 hours away |
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Post by The Cavy House on May 6, 2015 14:23:27 GMT -8
I sent an email to my local SPCA to see if they know where I can get him checked out... ive been looking online about parasites now and usually there is a lack of appetite so hopefully his eating a lot means its not that... his poop looks fine to me too. at least to the common eye lol....
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Post by betty on May 6, 2015 22:17:19 GMT -8
I think a trip to any vet would be better than nothing at this stage. Being so young, he needs to get off to a good start for his body to develop properly. The fact you say he is the smallest little thing makes me wonder if his growth has been stunted by poor nutrition?
Whether it is parasites stealing all his food off him, or his body not using it properly once he eats it, something is going wrong here and he isn't registering what he is eating.
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Post by qtoffer on May 7, 2015 12:36:12 GMT -8
Any vet will be able to order blood and fecal parasite tests from whichever lab they use.
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Eowyn (F) 11/12/2011 - 20 gallon with 20 gallon topper
Goldberry (F) 11/12/2011 - 20 gallon with 20 gallon topper
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RIP
Maire 11/6/2008 - 4/6/2011; Eithne 11/6/2008 - 10/10/2011
Lori 5/2/2011 - 7/24/2013; Mo 5/2/2011 - 1/14/2014; Carly 5/2/2011 - 5/21/2014
Arwen 11/12/2011 - 2/8/2015
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and i dont drive so i cant take him to the city which is 2 hours away
