HELP!! male gerbil suddenly very sick!!

[atiriya17]

Hi! This morning when I checked on my gerbils they were doing completely fine and were playing, eating, etc. However, in the last few hours, I noticed one of them laying in one place and when I tried to wake him up, he was very very lathargically eating with his eyes closed. He's moving around the cage very slowly and toppling a little as he walks. I'm so scared and concerned, please let me know if you have any advice!! Will schedule a vet appt as soon as possible but unfortunately it won't be until the next few days. They are very young and active so I don't understand what happened.

Please give any advice, they're my first gerbils and I'm extremely concerned. They are only around 3 months old. Also, should I separate them? I wouldn't want Snowy to also develop something but I'm concerned it may cause more stress on Peanut since he's already sick.

[barryozzy]

Hello,
I have also been having problems like this with some of my gerbils but I'm not quite sure what it is. At least for mine I am pretty sure it is genetic and somehow related to seizures. 

[Markpd]

No point in separating gerbils at this stage, if it was something contagious it would already likely be too late, and also you'd be preventing the other gerbil from helping the ill one (e.g grooming and sleeping with them to keep them warm).

Unless it was a severe fit, I would have thought that a gerbil that had had a simple seizure would recover very quickly (my Blake did when he was young).

atiriya17 How's Peanut doing now?

[atiriya17]

Hello! I actually just saw this. Peanut has been doing great! I chalked it up to an allergic reaction as his face got swelled up that day. The next day I changed their food brand and he looked, acted and seemed just like before and all the swelling and closed eyes was gone. He's been on that food ever since and is a happy, healthy gerbil!


Thank you for your help,
Atiriya

[betty]

Great news - thanks for the update.

What a relief it was something that passed. Whatever it was - its behind him now.

Phew.