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Post by ashleyrenee on Nov 11, 2005 20:07:18 GMT -8
ok tonite i checked on my gerbils and i noticed that they didnt have water and i decided to put more water in there. well after that they looked really thristy so i checked them and it seems missy is getting dehydrated again bc if i pull her skin ( not to hurt her) you can tell her skin slowly goes back to the way it was instead of fast. well also when i was hold ing my gerbils i noticed something on my hand like a lil bug about this big ( . ) and there were about 6 of them i think and they were all over i couldnt find any on my gerbils skin that i could see long enough but i definatly know it was from them. wat shouold i do? are those lil things mites? will they harm me? how do i get rid of them? should i change my bedding? i never put anything from outside in their tank. please help me im very worried aboout my babies. when missy was sick the first time the dr. told me to give her like pedalyte to hydrate her well i was thinking of giving it to her again. good idea or no? please reply as soon as possible !!!
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Post by ashleyrenee on Nov 11, 2005 21:22:51 GMT -8
omg ok those lil mite things well its like they are climbing out of the cage and eww please some one help me
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Post by ashleyrenee on Nov 11, 2005 21:27:28 GMT -8
they are every where im investing the cage i mean is if you touch the cage they are all over you
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Post by whitmoregirl on Nov 12, 2005 0:55:00 GMT -8
Ew, not nice! Im not too sure on mite stuff for gerbils (as Ive never had them *touches wood*) but as for the cage I'd give it a good clean with diluted disinfectant and new woodshavings/carefresh, whichever you use. Hopefiully someone else with a little more experience with these nasty buggers will come on soon
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Post by mice on Nov 12, 2005 1:36:37 GMT -8
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Nov 12, 2005 1:40:07 GMT -8
Oh dear Yes you have mites Ivermectin is the usual prescribed treatment (from a vet),+ completely cleaning out the tank, bleaching it ( 10% bleach solution. let it dry. rinse thoroughly I think). You need to be sure you cover any areas around the tank where mites might be hiding and these treatments will need repeating till the mites are gone. The mites will get on you so a shower and change of clothes after cleaning the tanks is good. If possible keep infected animals in a seperate room from all other animals. The most likely source is bedding so any woodshavings, hay, etc should be frozen for 48 hours before use. I have never dealt with mites myself so these are just tips I've gleaned from forums and discussions, therefore their accuracy may be suspect and I suggest you use the search function here and at gerbilsuk.proboards15.com/ to read more advice on the subject.
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Post by gerbillover2000 on Nov 12, 2005 5:21:16 GMT -8
well.... we asked the pet shop we got them from and said to clean the tank and use that stuff you would use on something like a dog on them... it worked for us. although, it's probably not the most trustworth advice, because the place we got them from had the mites... and they were a filthy place... they were closed down, thank God...
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Post by ashleyrenee on Nov 12, 2005 6:12:35 GMT -8
i called my vets and they said they dont have any thing like a prescribed medicine like that. but i check my local vet here in my town and they said that they do have medicine. so ill have to take them in . im gonna go the the store freeze the bedding . i use lifemate hemp bedding for small animals or do you guys have any new sugguestions for a new type of bedding i could use??? the lil mites color that mine i have are grey. so i could bleach or not? wat aboutjust dish soap? not enought to clean? do i have to wash teir lil wodden house with hot watter no soap? and teir wheel and toys??? please more sugguestiosn. you guys are being a big help thank you all ur so nice to help me in my time of need i gots so scared lol wel ill tell ya if there is anything new.
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Post by squeaksister on Nov 12, 2005 6:35:16 GMT -8
OK heres what I know that had worked for me and other breeders that I know. There is a medicine called Ivermecin, I think thats how it is spelled. See if the vet has that for your gerbils. You can clean the tank with a bleach solution or you can use listerine and water and thoroughly soak and clean the tank/cage inside and out with it. Switch to corn cob bedding mites/fleas dont like it. Check a Home Depot or local garden center for a product called Ortho BugBGon, the powder/dust. Dust the tank bedding and the gerbils with this once every few days when you clean the tanks again. This product has been used on pups with fur but be careful about putting it on pregnant or nursing mothers , use sparingly on the bedding.
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Post by ashleyrenee on Nov 12, 2005 7:26:51 GMT -8
ok i have a vet aapointment at 1140 to see if i can get that medicine or what ever. im gonna try the corn cob bedding and im going to bleach or lustine clean my tank, wash teh toys taht are washable and put them in freezer and the wooden house nad stuf in freezer im going to clean up the romm and vacuum a bit to. ill report wat the vet said when i come back
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Post by ashleyrenee on Nov 12, 2005 9:23:56 GMT -8
ok i went to the vet and tey think its lice or something like that. um i see lil red ones now they are filled with blood when you sqeesh them im cleaning very thing my cloths and all gerbi,ls stuf. if anyonw has any more suggestions please tell me. also i asked about that ivermectin and she said since they sorta done know how to treat extoic animals she odnt know how much to igive them so see said she would check with other vets like in akron and stuf so please everyone cross ur fingers for me
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Post by ashleyrenee on Nov 12, 2005 10:13:36 GMT -8
is kay kob ok or do i have to get corn cob bc my dad got it he aint hat bright lol
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Post by squeaksister on Nov 12, 2005 10:40:45 GMT -8
Yes thats just the kaytee brand of corn cob, I use it too!
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Post by ashleyrenee on Nov 12, 2005 12:31:14 GMT -8
ok i just cleaned the whole entire cage adn its all good lol only like a lil bit of lil mites are still there. i gave them a bath and they didnt mind much that helped out alot. but they are doing much much better. so if i do this everyday does anyone know when they should dissapear for good?? just by guessing
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Post by ashleyrenee on Nov 12, 2005 22:18:00 GMT -8
bad news again well when i was gonna take the gerbil food back in my room after i cleaned it i picked it up and a worm maggot thing fell ou of the lil cornor and its a sealable bad and then another fell out and my mom looked at the seal on top and found another one now when i just checked on my gerbils there was one inside the tank. i think this could be the food that they have if i had the recipt i would go back to pet supplies and tell htem i want a refund but sadly i dont. i know i should keep them tho lol. well could it be the food or the bedding. i dont think it is the bedding but im prolly sure its hte food. anybody had this prob. before?
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