Post by kaseyisabanana on Feb 25, 2015 11:08:58 GMT -8
I recently got 2 female pups from a litter at a local pet store (posted about them in 2 other threads) I've successfully introduced the pups to my adult female and they all get along really well! All three are always grooming and cuddling and playing!
One of the pups (Flynn) was the runt of the litter and she was born with a head tilt and she spins sometimes. She's also runs around a lot more than her sister (Muriel) I got Flynn knowing that she had these issues because I was afraid she would be fed to a snake or live her life alone because no one would want her. She's a total sweetie and I'm so glad to have her around but I have some concerns.
I'm pretty sure this isn't an ear infection because of a few things.... I was told she was caught in the wheel at the pet store (why they left the wheel in with a litter of newborn pups is beyond me.) She also has been like this since before her eyes opened. She doesn't have any of the typical signs of being in pain, she eats and drinks plenty, cleans herself and my other gerbs, she's bright eyed and perky, very active, very friendly... she just looks like maybe she has some kind of brain damage or something? Maybe a neurological problem?
Does anyone have experience with a gerbil like this? I want to take her to the vet but I'm hesitant if she isn't in pain because I don't really know what they're going to do other than some really expensive tests only to tell me they can't help her! I'm hoping that she doesn't notice that she's different and she just runs differently?
I also added their cage topper back today and the normal two have no problem going up and down (the baby learns so fast from copying my older gerb, it's adorable! If Lola climbs, Muriel does too!) Flynn is hesitant to climb up to the top and is a little clumsy going down. She's made it down with no trouble twice and had a little trouble the first time, but she doesn't show interest in going to the top without me putting her there. I have the food and water in the fish tank portion of the cage so that Flynn doesn't have to go to the top for it, but I'm wondering if she will become isolated if the other two are always going to the top. Should I give her some time to learn to climb or should I take it out until she's a little bigger?
One of the pups (Flynn) was the runt of the litter and she was born with a head tilt and she spins sometimes. She's also runs around a lot more than her sister (Muriel) I got Flynn knowing that she had these issues because I was afraid she would be fed to a snake or live her life alone because no one would want her. She's a total sweetie and I'm so glad to have her around but I have some concerns.
I'm pretty sure this isn't an ear infection because of a few things.... I was told she was caught in the wheel at the pet store (why they left the wheel in with a litter of newborn pups is beyond me.) She also has been like this since before her eyes opened. She doesn't have any of the typical signs of being in pain, she eats and drinks plenty, cleans herself and my other gerbs, she's bright eyed and perky, very active, very friendly... she just looks like maybe she has some kind of brain damage or something? Maybe a neurological problem?
Does anyone have experience with a gerbil like this? I want to take her to the vet but I'm hesitant if she isn't in pain because I don't really know what they're going to do other than some really expensive tests only to tell me they can't help her! I'm hoping that she doesn't notice that she's different and she just runs differently?
I also added their cage topper back today and the normal two have no problem going up and down (the baby learns so fast from copying my older gerb, it's adorable! If Lola climbs, Muriel does too!) Flynn is hesitant to climb up to the top and is a little clumsy going down. She's made it down with no trouble twice and had a little trouble the first time, but she doesn't show interest in going to the top without me putting her there. I have the food and water in the fish tank portion of the cage so that Flynn doesn't have to go to the top for it, but I'm wondering if she will become isolated if the other two are always going to the top. Should I give her some time to learn to climb or should I take it out until she's a little bigger?