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Post by t1gg3er on Sept 21, 2015 12:59:36 GMT -8
Asterix (11 weeks old) has a sore & red nose and he's rubbing at it. Pics are below. I've thoroughly checked the tank & there's nothing he could have injured himself on. The only thing that's changed is that last night I put more hay in. The hay had been in the freezer for 12 hours a week or so ago & I've used it in other tanks with no problems plus Comet (his tank mate) is fine but I'm wondering if Asterix has had some kind of reaction to it? For now I've cleared the tank out & all they have is a thin layer of fresh aspen bedding, toilet paper to nest with & a clean jar. Can anyone shed any light on what this could be & give advice on how I can make him more comfortable? Should I clean his nose with saline? Does he need a trip tot he vet? Also, would it be ok if I put their house back in - it's home made from untreated kiln-dried pine & held together with aquarium sealant? The house has been in with them for 3 weeks so I don't think it's the source of the problem.
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Post by eleda on Sept 21, 2015 19:23:25 GMT -8
i would say the house is fine to put back in. is this the first time you've given them hay? its possible he's allergic or some dustiness from the hay aggravated his nose.
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Post by t1gg3er on Sept 22, 2015 1:43:15 GMT -8
Thanks. They have a top-up of hay once a week & I buy the large packs so last week's came from the same pack although it was getting towards the bottom. I also remembered I'd given them half a locust bean each the same evening & when I've searched online I've found they can stick to the teeth. I think his teeth are ok although he didn't want me messing near his nose so he wriggled a lot & I couldn't check properly.
It's no better or worse this morning so I've scrubbed the house & put it back in & put a couple of cheerios in so I can see him eating altho they're both more interested in rearranging the house for now.
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Post by theia on Sept 22, 2015 3:39:30 GMT -8
If it doesn't clear up due to removing all potential allergens then it could be a viral infection, this sounds similar to what our Nia went through (red mucusy nose/upper lip area and almost costant rubbing at it. In the end she rubbed her nose bare almost up to the circles of bare fur around her eyes which she had also started rubbing as they had also started becoming mucusy/gunky. It took us 3 attempts at antibiotics before it finally cleared - we might not have been giving her big enough doses from the start).
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Post by t1gg3er on Sept 22, 2015 6:43:32 GMT -8
I'm still waiting to see him eat. They both went off to bed after they'd finished rearranging the tank & haven't surfaced yet. I saw him munching some food last night but still want to see him eat today so I can be sure he doesn't have any locust bean stuck to his teeth altho I think the hay is a more likely culprit.
If there's no improvement by tomorrow morning I think it'll be a visit to the vet which raises another question... Bearing in mind they've only been together 3-4 weeks, can I take Asterix on his own without causing any problems when I bring him home smelling of the vet & put him back with Comet? Or should I take Comet too so they'll both have the vet smell on them?
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Post by theia on Sept 22, 2015 7:21:55 GMT -8
If it's a viral infection he may not want to eat due to feeling unwell. Nia lost a good 20 grams of weight during her illness, everything I bought which all my other girls went nuts over she would turn her nose up at (mealworms, baby food) the only thing she would still reliably eat was sunflower seeds. I'd try offering something tasty to him that he usually can't refuse to test the teeth theory.
It's always safest to take them together, that way they both have the same experience and same smells, and if the journey is at all stressful they can comfort each other.
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Post by MoonstoneGerbils on Sept 22, 2015 7:53:44 GMT -8
Its a sinus infection, thats what a red nose is. Gerbils do not have allergies. However, they are sensitive to dust, humidity, and other irritants. Whether the sinus infection is caused from an irritatant or disease the treatment is largely the same. Get them in a clean cage, with a dust free bedding (Eco-bedding is usually my choice). You can use manukah honey on their nose for any open wounds (do no smear on their nostrils you can block their ability to breathe). Its usually best to take the gerbil to a vet for any medication that might be necessary.
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Post by t1gg3er on Sept 22, 2015 13:45:32 GMT -8
The tank was cleaned yesterday & they have aspen & toilet tissue along with a freshly scrubbed wooden house & large, clean jar. Our vet still has appointments available for tomorrow evening so unless there's an improvement overnight I'll call in the morning & book him in (and take Comet along for the ride too).
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Post by t1gg3er on Sept 30, 2015 1:32:39 GMT -8
Quick update & another question... Asterix's nose is now completely fine. He just has a little fur to grow back around the outside of his nose which is already starting to come through. He'll soon look like his normal self again I'm nervous of putting hay in for him again. All the other gerbils were fine with it including Comet (his tank mate). Will Asterix be prone to this kind of thing in future or was this more likely to be an unfortunate one-off in that he was unlucky enough to inhale dust from the bottom of the pack? In future I'll be discarding the end of the pack anyway - don't want this happening again with any of my guys or girls.
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Post by eleda on Oct 2, 2015 12:03:31 GMT -8
only way to know for sure is to try it out. could be it was just a fluke. glad he's feeling better!
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