Illness

Libby Hanna

and Cathy Bickel

The most common symptoms of illness in gerbils are:

listlessness
a change in temperament such as biting or hiding
diarrhea
weight loss or gain
fur loss
red or scabby skin
labored breathing, with or without clicking noises

In general, assume any of the symptoms above will require your vet’s attention and do not wait. As prey animals, gerbils hide their symptoms as long as possible. By the time you notice they are sick, they are very sick. For more information on illness, see the sections for specific illnesses, or visit this article. Sick gerbils may require pain relief to recover.

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GerbILARIUMS

Showcase of various custom cages built for gerbils.

Be sure the size and type of cage is manageable and one you can keep clean. It's not all about size. Gerbils need stimulation and ideally time to explore out of the cage: gerbils love to run, climb, dig, nest, take dust baths, tunnel and chew.