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Post by Jes on Dec 10, 2005 18:45:45 GMT -8
A coffee can I had in the tank. It had holes in it!!!!!!!! They were sleeping in it...or so I thought. All ot a sudden I heard jumping and scratchign go I lifted it up and one barely breathing, half dead, his body going up and down really fast. But after 5 seconds laying like that he got up and is back to normal. But one isn't breathing at all. Maybe if I knew how to do cpr on a gerbil he'd get up...but I dont' and google doesn't say anything.  |
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Post by paws on Dec 11, 2005 4:31:11 GMT -8
Take him to a vet, and why was there a coffee can in the tank?
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Dec 11, 2005 7:23:52 GMT -8
Ouch
CPR on a gerbil? press gently on its chest with one finger for 5 (gentle) compressions, repeat as needed. I'm not sure AR is possible.
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Post by paws on Dec 11, 2005 11:04:24 GMT -8
Forgot to say (I was in a rush) I hope he is OK!  How is he now? |
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Post by meganb52 on Dec 11, 2005 13:45:16 GMT -8
What you're describing sounds to me like the gerbil(s) had a seizure. Some strains of gerbils are prone to epilepsy, but there isn't any medicine you can give them like with humans. Most of the time its mild, but with some gerbils they can have seizures so severe it kills them. The best thing to do is keep them warm and quiet, away from any strong stimuli (loud noises, bright lights, etc) and hope they come out of it. Good luck, and I hope your gerbils are OK!!
-Megan
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Post by Jes on Dec 11, 2005 14:21:08 GMT -8
Take him to a vet, and why was there a coffee can in the tank? What is it with you people and "take him to a vet". Did you even read my post or notice the times and how much later you responded? He wasn't breathing. By the time I would've gotten to a vet, he would've definitley been dead. And I Don't feel like explaining why I had a coffee can in the tank. Like I said, there was holes. Apparently just wasn't good enough. Not the first time I ever had a can or a jar in the tank. Freak accident I guess, but I learned my lesson.  Anyway, yeah, he's dead. I pushed on his chest a little while he was still warm and nothing. It wasn't a seizure, they got trapped in there somehow and not enough air. The other one wasn't as far gone as him. Once out in open and he took some air in he got right up. |
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Post by mice on Dec 11, 2005 14:34:02 GMT -8
You're clearly very upset Jes and I'm sorry for your loss but can I just suggest you think about what you've written before replying to the people who were only trying to help you out in future? Nobody is/was criticising you, this was clearly a tragic accident and again, I'm very sorry.
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Post by whitmoregirl on Dec 11, 2005 14:35:50 GMT -8
Take him to a vet, and why was there a coffee can in the tank? What is it with you people and "take him to a vet" Did you even read my post or notice the times and how much later you responded? Im sorry he died Jes  We aren't all veternarians on here, and I dont think this has really happened before, so Im sorry if "take him to the vet" isnt good enough. I think you tried your best, but sadly animals sometimes dont know whats good for them. The can was probably nice and warm and they fell asleep not knowing they had a lack of oxygen (not that they really know what that is) If it is any comfort he probably went in his sleep and didnt feel a thing. |
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Post by bettybob on Dec 11, 2005 14:40:34 GMT -8
i'm sorry for your loss jes.
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Post by Jes on Dec 11, 2005 15:14:28 GMT -8
You're clearly very upset Jes and I'm sorry for your loss but can I just suggest you think about what you've written before replying to the people who were only trying to help you out in future? Nobody is/was criticising you, this was clearly a tragic accident and again, I'm very sorry. I'm sorry but I didn't find that response helpful. I took it as it was being critisizing. I post about a gerbil NOT breathing and someone responds 10+ hours later to go to the vet. Even if I did go to the vet the second it happened, there still would've been no chance of saving him. I know people here aren't vets. And then asking me why there was a coffee can in the tank like I'm some kind of freaking idiot for putting one. Like I said, it's not the first time I've ever used coffee cans but it's definitley the last. Maybe other people should take your advice about thinking before posting. I'm sorry I even posted this thread. I was just in shock after it happened.  |
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Post by Jes on Dec 11, 2005 15:15:29 GMT -8
Oh but thanks to the rest of you.  |
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Post by queenofthenile on Dec 11, 2005 15:54:39 GMT -8
I'm really sorry to hear about your gerbil. Sometimes it is impossible to know if an object in the enclosure can cause harm. One of my gerbil's tail was ripped off due to a makeshift ladder I had put in their tank. I felt very bad initially for not knowing better, but realized later that I couldn't have predicted that outcome.
Please keep in mind, that some our members are as young as 13. It can be expected that the advice given will not always be useful and often isn't what you need to hear at a particular time. Keep your chin up and I'm so glad that you were there to save the other little one.
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Dec 11, 2005 17:25:18 GMT -8
btw postign threads about things that ahve happened and how you might have doent hings differently might just be useful to somoen else some day.
Your story is tragic. I am wondering whether the tin might have had some other factor (chemicals etc) as suffocation does seem a little odd. A lot of us use jars etc after all.
Anyway whatever did happen I hope you feel better soon.
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Post by paws on Dec 12, 2005 10:03:26 GMT -8
Awww, I'm sorry, I didn't look at the times, I live in a different time zone than most people on the forum, and rarely look at the time it was posted, I didn't mean it to sound abrupt. Vets most of the time do help alot, which is why I suggested it. I'm sure he had a happy life, I'm sorry.  . I hope oyur other gerbil is OK, but you know... |
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Post by meganb52 on Dec 12, 2005 14:21:30 GMT -8
...and my two cents:
In my opinion, though I haven't seen the coffee can in question, I highly doubt it was suffocation that killed your gerbil (very sorry about that btw, it's always sad when we loose a furry friend, especially under the circumstances in this discussion) If there were holes in the can, it is very unlikely the oxygen content got too low for them to breathe.
I hope you feel better soon, and sorry for any confusion we may have caused, like everyone else said, we gernerally don't judge people and we really do just want to try and help. Don't let this detur you from posting in the future if you have questions.
-Megan
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How is he now? 
. I hope oyur other gerbil is OK, but you know...