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Post by haruka on Jan 19, 2006 19:46:25 GMT -8
Hello, I'm new here.
I just got my two gerbils yesterday (from two different stores) and the smaller one, while otherwise lively and playful, has a wide bald area from her lower stomach all the way to the juncture of the legs. The area isn't inflamed or red anywhere, and she doesn't seem to be doing any excessive scratching. The gerbil I have her with isn't responsible -- she had the baldness when I bought her (there were two bigger gerbils in the cage with her at the store.)
Do gerbils ever over-groom themselves to the point of baldness or is this a health concern?
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Post by ashgerbil on Jan 20, 2006 8:35:10 GMT -8
gerbils do 'power groom' each other to the extent that they create bald patches on each other, but your gerbils sound as if they might have mites. if they do have mites, i'd take them to the vet and see whether you can get some treament for them and clean the tank and all their toys mebbe you could post some pics of the gerbils to show us and we'll see if we can identify the problem
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Post by whitmoregirl on Jan 20, 2006 9:03:23 GMT -8
Power groom wooo my word (actual word is barbering, but power grooming is a lot more easier to remember!) Are you sure this isn't their scent gland? Gerbils have a patch of bare skin for scenting their territory - I'll try to get a pic of one if I can!
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Post by AndreaS15 on Jan 20, 2006 10:54:27 GMT -8
Are you sure this isn't their scent gland? Gerbils have a patch of bare skin for scenting their territory - I'll try to get a pic of one if I can! I have a couple... Here are two picture that shows the belly & scent glad of two male gerbils. The scent glands on females arn't usually that noticeable, since they are smaller, I couldn't find a picture of a female showing a scent gland. Also scent glans have a bit of a yellow tinge to them. Have you notice them overgrooming each other in those areas? Keep a close eye on them, and see if there are any other behaviours you may notice.
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Post by ashgerbil on Jan 20, 2006 11:25:31 GMT -8
Power groom wooo my word (actual word is barbering, but power grooming is a lot more easier to remember!) Are you sure this isn't their scent gland? Gerbils have a patch of bare skin for scenting their territory - I'll try to get a pic of one if I can! LOL! ;D power-grooming is the best word ;D hehe and why did i not think of the scent gland?! that's typical me having a typical brain-malfunction moment ;D lol!
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Post by whitmoregirl on Jan 20, 2006 12:13:04 GMT -8
lol Never mind Ash! It could still be power grooming (best worrrrdddd ;D ) but the liklihood is that its a scent gland - I freaked when I saw my first scent gland too
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Post by ashgerbil on Jan 20, 2006 12:31:49 GMT -8
lol! we looked after the school gerbils (at junior school) over the summer holidays, and we really didn't know alot about gerbils then. so we didn't know what on earth a scent gland was and we thought that they were ill when we saw this yellow patch of bare skin on their tummies! ;D lol but we checked on the internet and then found that it was infact a scent gland and it's the school gerbils' fault that i have 6 of the li'l buggers now! ;D lol could be power-grooming (lol ;D) but i don't know many gerbils that groom eachother in between eachother's legs! lol ;D
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Post by whitmoregirl on Jan 20, 2006 12:35:02 GMT -8
and it's the school gerbils' fault that i have 6 of the li'l buggers now! ;D lol could be power-grooming (lol ;D) but i don't know many gerbils that groom eachother in between eachother's legs! lol ;D Same for me!! Only I kept mine And perverted gerbils! >.<
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Post by haruka on Jan 20, 2006 14:23:29 GMT -8
but your gerbils sound as if they might have mites. It's only one gerbil with the bald spot and of course the first thing I worried about was mites, too. Normally I wouldn't have bought her after seeing the bald spot. But the area wasn't looking sore from scratching and it was just one area (wouldn't mites be all over her?) I've been checking websites and did the wrap-the-gerbil-in-white-tissue test for mites and didn't see anything, plus she's not scratching more than normal. I've only owned her for two days, so I'll be watching to see what happens (particularly whether she starts scratching a lot or if the other gerbil starts going bald, too -- right now she's fine.)
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Post by haruka on Jan 20, 2006 14:26:27 GMT -8
Are you sure this isn't their scent gland? Yes, I'm sure. There is NO hair on the lower half of her stomach to her leg juncture, not just one little patch missing.
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Post by haruka on Jan 20, 2006 14:30:01 GMT -8
[quote} Have you notice them overgrooming each other in those areas?[/quote]
I've only owned them for two days and they didn't come from the same store. The baldness was there when I bought the smaller one.
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Post by haruka on Jan 20, 2006 14:32:42 GMT -8
but i don't know many gerbils that groom eachother in between eachother's legs! lol ;D I just figured it was grooming that she was doing to herself, maybe because she was younger and smaller than the other two gerbils she was in the cage with at the store (who both seemed a little aggressive to me.) I'm going to watch and see if the baldness gets worse or hair grows back in now that she's in a new home with another female who is being very gentle with her (thankfully!)
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Post by AndreaS15 on Jan 20, 2006 14:37:50 GMT -8
it could just be because she is young, and it's taking it's time to grow, or she could have been hurt there before, and it's healed now but the hair hasn't started growing back yet. Either or, if she seems healthy and happy, she's probably ok. If you don't see any hair growing in in a week or two, you may want to see a vet.
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Post by haruka on Jan 20, 2006 14:45:52 GMT -8
Just wondering, has anyone ever heard of a case where a gerbil just didn't grow all the hair where it was supposed to? Maybe from inbreeding or whatnot, but for whatever reason, maybe it isn't a case of hair being removed or falling out, but never having been there?
I truly wish I could provide pictures to give a clearer idea for you all, but I don't own a camera and my wife's phone, while it does takes pictures, they aren't very good ones. -_-;
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Post by haruka on Jan 20, 2006 14:47:40 GMT -8
Either or, if she seems healthy and happy, she's probably ok. If you don't see any hair growing in in a week or two, you may want to see a vet. She's very active and playful and I've seen her eating and drinking (she'll take seeds from my hand already. I definitely will be watching the situation, though, and will update if necessary.
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