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Post by Shooting Star on Jul 5, 2007 12:11:59 GMT -8
Most likely the red stuff you see [...] is a substance called porphyrin. Porphyrin is secreted by the Harderian gland, and it usually shows up crusting the eyes and/or the nose of the gerbil. The Harderian gland goes into overdrive if the animal is stressed or is allergic to something. I have noticed porphyrin around some of my gerbils' noses when it starts to get warm during the spring, and my vet mentioned that excess humidity in the air can also cause secretions. Remember that dried porphyrin is red, but dried blood is brown.
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