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Post by blackie on Dec 12, 2005 6:53:38 GMT -8
Gerbils usually only live for 3 or 4 years, right? Well one of my gerbils is now 3 and a half and she is clearly showing signs of aging, her fur has gotten grey stripes in it, and she seems smaller, maybe she has less muscles becasue she is less active. She seems to be eating and drinking enough, and when I take her out of the cage she can run around for about an hour before she gets tired, and she can still jump and skip like a yuong gerbil. I'm still a bit worried about her I don't know if there is something I should be careful about considering her age. Like can gerbils get osteoporis? And her right ear is lying flat to her head, it's not standing up like it should, first I thought she had lost the tip of her ear, but I can't imagine how she could have done that because there is nothing sharp in the tank, and she has never been fighting with the other gerbils she lives with (a younger female that is her daguhter) ?
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Post by blackie on Dec 12, 2005 6:55:01 GMT -8
PS I can't see any sign of infection on her ear, it's just really flat.
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Post by meganb52 on Dec 12, 2005 14:41:21 GMT -8
She may have had a small stroke or an inner ear infection that damaged the nerves on one side of her face that now makes her unable to elevate her ear.
As far as I know, it is very rare for gerbils to get osteoperosis. Humans are one of the more prone species to get this affliction. Even dogs and cats don't get it very often if fed a balanced diet.
Things I would make sure of with your older gerbil is to make sure you see her eating enough and drinking normally. Drinking too much is often a sign of kidney disease. Not eating enough may be a sign that she doesn't feel well or that her teeth are too long. Letting her out to get exercise is good, so keep doing that. You may want to try an offer her more seeds and other food with a higher caloric density. Hope this helps!
-Megan
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Post by kimsgerbils on Dec 24, 2005 18:06:15 GMT -8
I have quite a few elderlies as well... Kirby and Diego and Mouse are all about 3.5 and Milton is already 4ish.. I have noticed lately that Kirby is beginning to drink a little bit more water, and a few of his pups (from a bad breeding) died before 1 year of kidney failure... Anyways, good luck keeping her comfortable and happy in her old age!!!  |
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Jan 10, 2006 11:18:24 GMT -8
Are her ears like the ear of this gerbil:  This was one of my first female gerbils. She died two years ago. She was old and has had a stroke. After that she was paralized at one side of her face (the side with the flat ear), but she still lived about a year with it. The only thing is that I had to clean her eye a lot. |
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