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Post by rhu on Mar 6, 2023 2:33:29 GMT -8
Our two year old lone gerbil has lost fur around the whisker area and nose. It's not all gone but there is loss. Is this something we should be concerned about. Thank you
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Post by betty on Mar 12, 2023 8:13:15 GMT -8
I'm sorry this was missed - how's the nose now?
There are two possible reasons for nose hair loss - one is rubbing it on something rough while chewing and the other might be 'stress' related (where the red chemicals in the gland near the eye (porphyrins) irritate and then dry out the skin.
To test for the first option - take out anything that looks avidly chewed or is rough (like an un-husked coconut) and see what happens in a week or two (where it should grow back).
To test the second (and you can always do these together at the same time if you don't really care which one it is) you could start adding deeper and constantly present sand baths. The sandbaths help to regulate the oils and help manage temperature change in the gerbils and so should start to improve the sore nose/snout rubbing situation.
There is also the chance that there is a problem with their teeth of course - always a go-to check for any gerbil - as this can sometimes increase grooming and touching of the face which can sometimes rub off the fur. Check all 4 front teeth are still there, look paired side-by-side nicely and are slightly yellow in colour.
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