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Post by betty on May 3, 2021 6:37:53 GMT -8
She may well need dedicated feeding time then - to make sure she is getting all the right nutrients. Nerve impulses (movements and reactions) are controlled by minerals in the right concentrations, so if she is already struggling with what looks like a nuerological issue - which could also be affecting her gut (and possibly the cause of all her weight issues) - then she really could do with all the right minerals in her food - something that may well not be absorbed from a seemingly complete mixed grain food. After all you only get the full nutrients if you can firstly eat then, and secondly - digest them properly. Perhaps if I tag Shooting Star and beachbumgerbils - they can watch those three videos a few comments up - and offer a more clinical assessment for us?
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Post by yeti218 on May 3, 2021 8:04:44 GMT -8
Possibly if she’s a slow eater the sister is getting to all the good stuff.
You’ve maybe already been doing this, but since she’s so easy to take out, I’d try removing her several times a day and offer fatty, easy to eat foods, and see if she’ll eat a bit at her own pace. I say several times a day because my guy who’s not a big eater is sometimes not really in the mood to eat so I have to be persistent. Sometimes he doesn’t show interest in eating but I just try again a bit later.
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Post by Thelodar on Oct 14, 2021 10:13:27 GMT -8
Felicity's tank mate, Eliza, suddenly passed a couple of weeks ago. I feel so bad for her as she relied on her quite a bit. I've moved her into a 20 gallon yesterday so she didn't have to try and navigate the big tank by herself. In my 20's I don't use a ramp for the deep/shallow side divider as all of my gerbils have been able to scale the divider without issue, it's about 8 inches high, but with bedding it's a shorter jump, and poor Felicity cannot jump it (I added a hide for her to climb on so she can get over now). I actually don't think she can jump at all. I think that's what's odd about her gait, she only walks, never bounds. It also took her a long time to start burrowing after moving to the new tank. I don't know if she was ever the one to dig burrows before. She has figured out how to dig down into the cardboard area, though I haven't seen her moving bedding yet. I feel so bad for her without her sister. I want to pair her with someone else, I'm just not sure how another gerbil will react to her during introduction because she doesn't move like a normal gerbil and might not react appropriately to social cues. I also don't know how she'll react to the other gerbil, if she might be extra defensive because she's handicapped. My current plan is to try and pair her with a very young pup once I get a litter from my breeding pair. I just don't feel safe trying her with an adult but I'd hate to leave her alone.
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Post by catnut on Oct 14, 2021 14:20:25 GMT -8
Sorry to hear Eliza passed away, does Felicity seem fine by herself? That is strange she doesn't seem to be able to jump (maybe just doesn't want to or maybe a joint issue?) I've had gerbils who prefer not to jump and then crazy ones like my Theo who passed who would jump in the air if i didn't give him the wheel when he wanted it! I would put her with a young one and see how that goes. Glad she is still around, how is she eating these days?
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Post by Markpd on Oct 16, 2021 7:25:49 GMT -8
Sorry to hear about Eliza passing away recently . I hope Felicity is doing ok, how much does she weigh now?
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