Teeth

Like all rodents, gerbils' teeth grow throughout their lives. Their teeth grow continuously, just like a human's fingernails and toenails.

A young gerbil with plenty of cardboard and wood to gnaw on will probably have few tooth problems.

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As a gerbil ages, his teeth may start having problems. Weight loss is a common indicator of tooth problems. Failure to shred his cardboard is another indicator.

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Checking your gerbil's teeth regularly will get him used to having you look in his mouth. A few things to look for are:

• Small, white upper teeth, which are a sign of weak teeth and a foreshadowing of tooth problems to come. Gerbils' teeth are normally yellow-orange in color.
• Missing upper teeth
• Lower teeth in a V-shape
• Long lower teeth and small upper teeth
• Long lower teeth piercing the roof of the mouth and causing bleeding
• An overgrown upper tooth curling backwards into the mouth as it grows
• The teeth in any way look like it would be difficult for him to close his mouth

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Take your gerbil to the vet. He may need a tooth clipping. Some vets allow technicians to perform this procedure at a lower cost. If your gerbil is experiencing weight loss due to tooth problems, feed him a soft diet until the vet can make repairs or nature solves the problem. Missing upper teeth may regrow as normal teeth if he's lost them accidentally. If there's a chronic tooth problem, missing teeth may grow back as tiny teeth and then go missing again. Be prepared to have his teeth clipped every few weeks.

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When your gerbil can't eat his regular food because of his tooth problems, these are some things to try:

• Put some of his regular food into a ziploc bag and pound it into smaller pieces. He may be able to eat it by grinding it with just his molars.
• Peas or blueberries, split in half so he can eat the inside
• Shredded carrot
• Peanut butter
• Oatmeal flakes
• Baby food applesauce with no added sugar
• Bits of banana