Gerbil health: signs of illness to watch for

Signs of illness in gerbils

Any change from normal is the first sign. The RSPCA says to check gerbils daily, so you know how each one looks and acts and can get to a vet quickly. The MSD Veterinary Manual lists these early warnings:

• Sitting still, hunched, or not coming out as usual
• Eating or drinking more or less than normal
• Weight loss: a bony back or hips
• Soft, wet or smelly droppings, or a dirty bottom
• A change in the amount or colour of urine
• Discharge from the eyes, ears or nose
• A rough, greasy or matted coat
• Noisy, laboured or fast breathing
• Red, scabby or bald patches, especially on the nose
• Lumps, swellings or wounds
• Head tilt, circling or loss of balance
• Overgrown teeth, dropping food or drooling

A healthy gerbil, as PetMD describes it, has a smooth, shiny coat, bright clear eyes, clean nostrils and bottom, straight teeth that are not overgrown and firm droppings. Woodgreen adds that healthy front teeth are light yellow.

When to see a vet, and how fast

Gerbils are small, with a fast metabolism, so problems move quickly. The RSPCA says to see a vet straight away if eating or drinking changes, droppings turn moist or the back end gets soiled. Find a vet that sees small mammals before you need one.

These timings combine what our sources say with how quickly a small animal can go downhill. When in doubt, ring the vet and describe what you see.

Tyzzer's disease in gerbils: symptoms

Tyzzer's disease is a bacterial infection, and the MSD Veterinary Manual calls it the most common infectious disease in gerbils. It is most likely in young or stressed gerbils, and Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic says it has a high death rate, especially in young males.

• Rough, ruffled coat
• Hunched posture and sitting still
• Low mood and little interest in anything
• Poor appetite
• Dehydration
• Watery diarrhoea, though Bowmanville notes it is not always present

It spreads through infected droppings. Vets usually give fluids under the skin, antibiotics by mouth and syringe feeding, according to the MSD Veterinary Manual. Prevention is clean housing and low stress, as Bowmanville stresses. If one gerbil has it, ask your vet about the others, wash your hands after handling the sick one, and handle it last.

Common gerbil health problems

Sore nose (nasal dermatitis)

The commonest skin problem in gerbils. The MSD Veterinary Manual says it is set off by stress, an incompatible cagemate, high humidity or overcrowding. Red tear secretions build up and irritate the nose and eyes, causing redness, hair loss, scabs and sores that can bleed and become infected. Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic links coarse bedding and cedar shavings to it. Vets clean the area and may give an antibiotic ointment; a sand bath can help recovery. To prevent it, the MSD Veterinary Manual suggests 16 to 21°C (60 to 70°F) with humidity below 50 percent; the RSPCA gives a slightly warmer 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F). Either way, keep the air dry and fresh and find the stress.

Tumours

Common in older gerbils. Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic says tumours are common after two years, most often in the ovary, then the skin, then the belly scent gland. Woodgreen says mammary tumours are the most common and most likely to be cancerous, usually around three to five years, and can grow quickly. Scent gland tumours, the MSD Veterinary Manual notes, can be benign or spread, and may ulcerate. Early surgery gives the best outcome.

The belly scent gland itself is normal: an oval, hairless, orange-tan patch, bigger in males. Gerbil Care UK says check it regularly for changes in size, and Woodgreen says check for lumps every time you handle your gerbil.

Fits (seizures)

Some gerbils have fits when startled, handled or moved to a new home. The MSD Veterinary Manual says they usually start at two to three months, are worst up to six months, then ease. A fit can look like a trance with twitching ears and whiskers, or full convulsions, lasting a few minutes. The MSD Veterinary Manual says there is usually no lasting harm and no medicine is needed; Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic says treatment can be discussed with a vet. During a fit, keep the room quiet and dim, do not pick the gerbil up, and let it recover in its tank.

Tail slip (degloving)

Caused by lifting or grabbing a gerbil by the tail. The skin slides off, the exposed tail usually dies back and often needs amputating, the MSD Veterinary Manual says. Gerbil Care UK warns it causes severe pain. See a vet the same day. Prevent it by always scooping gerbils from below.

Head tilt and ear growths

The MSD Veterinary Manual says about half of gerbils over two years develop a growth in the inner ear, called a cholesteatoma, which damages the ear. Head tilt is the sign. Surgery is the treatment.

Kidney disease

Typically in gerbils over a year old, the MSD Veterinary Manual says, and Bowmanville puts it at 2.5 to 4 years. Signs are drinking and weeing more, weight loss and muscle loss. Treatment is supportive, often with fluids, with fresh food and water always available.

Teeth

Gerbil teeth grow all their lives. The RSPCA says check the front teeth regularly and see a vet if they get long, because overgrown teeth stop a gerbil eating. Woodgreen says it happens more in poorly bred gerbils or after a fall. Gnawing on wood, cardboard and hard food keeps teeth worn.

Fur loss, mites and skin

Woodgreen says fur mites are fairly common in gerbils kept on wood shavings or sawdust. Signs are hair loss, red skin, heavy dandruff, scratches and tiny orange or black dots in the fur. The MSD Veterinary Manual adds that rough, matted coats often come from damp air in a poorly ventilated tank, and bald faces from rubbing on metal feeders or heavy burrowing. A vet can treat mites; switch to paper bedding, as our gerbil bedding guide explains.

Fight wounds

Woodgreen warns gerbils can fight once mature, causing serious and sometimes fatal injuries, often on the legs, face or around the rear. See a vet as soon as possible. Woodgreen suggests swapping bedding for towels to reduce infection, and if the vet is more than 24 hours away, cleaning the wound with salt water. Our guide to gerbil pairs and split cages explains what to do next with the pair.

Diarrhoea

The MSD Veterinary Manual says most gut problems in gerbils are infections, and a diet not made for gerbils causes malnutrition. Diarrhoea always needs a vet the same day. Our gerbil diet guide covers safe amounts of fresh food, because too much watery veg can loosen droppings too.

What you can do at home

Home care supports the vet; it never replaces one. Give medicines only on a vet's advice, as the RSPCA says.

1. Keep warm and quiet. Move the tank away from noise and draughts, within 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F). Our gerbil temperature guide covers heat and cold.
2. Make food and water easy. Put water and a little food within reach of the nest, plus a shallow dish of water as a backup.
3. Keep the partner close. Gerbil Care UK says separation of more than a few hours can break a bond, so take both to the vet and use a small hospital tank side by side if one must be apart.
4. Note what you see. Write down what changed, when, and what the gerbil has eaten. A photo or video of a fit or a wound helps the vet.
5. Clean carefully. If Tyzzer's or another infection is suspected, wash your hands before and after, and clean the tank as your vet advises.

Weekly health check

Woodgreen suggests checking weekly for changes in behaviour, movement, toileting and appearance. Do it while taming or during playtime, so it is no extra stress. Our guide on how to tame a gerbil helps if yours will not sit still yet.

• Eyes bright and clear, nose clean and not red
• Front teeth light yellow, even and not too long
• Coat smooth and shiny, no bald or scabby patches
• Belly scent gland the same size as last week
• No lumps along the belly, sides or legs
• Tail fully furred, no rings or bare skin
• Claws not too long
• Bottom clean and droppings firm
• Moving normally, no limp or tilt

How long do gerbils live as pets?

Usually 3 to 4 years. Sources vary: the MSD Veterinary Manual says 2 to 3, Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic 2 to 4, Gerbil Care UK an average of 3 to 4, Woodgreen 3 to 5 and PetMD up to 5. Most illness in gerbils comes with age, Woodgreen says, so the later years are when weekly checks matter most. Our guide to gerbil lifespan and life stages explains what changes as gerbils age, and the complete gerbil care guide covers the everyday care that keeps them well.