But it can be difficult to figure out what caused your gerbil to die. That's because a stroke affects the brain in the same way. Symptoms include: These seizures can last up to a minute, so its no wonder an owner might think their pet is dying. If you suspect your gerbil is dying, be aware of the signals that might confirm your fears. Sneezing, wheezing, coughing, runny nose, and crusty eyes are all symptoms of allergies, but they are also symptoms of more serious illnesses. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Its distressing to watch a pet, Gerbils are highly active animals. Its body may also twist in an odd shape. Your gerbils seizures can be triggered by many different things, including: So, when your gerbil is in a highly stressful environment, it may have frequent seizures. Remove the tanks bedding and dispose of it. Despite its status as a healthy rodent, your gerbil is quite sensitive to bacterial, viral and parasitic infections. For easy gerbil toys, a couple of suggestions are: Paper towel tubes. Remove your gerbil and separate it from other cage mates. The perfect coffin for a gerbil is a Celestial Seasonings tea box. So if youre perplexed about why your gerbil died suddenly, keep reading to learn about some potential causes. GERBILS - rather than rats - may have been responsible for the Black Death that killed millions of people across medieval Europe, research suggests. Having achieved freedom, he explored the table and (this part . The possible lethal mechanisms behind each . So, you might be wondering whether its safe to feed gerbils apple. Or, if another gerbil challenges the dominance of the alpha male or female, a fight will surely follow. Checking the gerbils heartbeat by feeling for a pulse with your forefinger. These issues relate to the environment, diet, exercise, and transmittable diseases. You must check for the symptoms of each condition to ascertain the cause of death. Take your gerbil to the vet right away if it has a scent gland tumor. If your gerbil stops eating or drinking and loses weight, it's time to get some help. [Gerbil Tail Slip Prevention Guide]. Symptoms: The gerbil will walks with difficulty keeping one paw in the air. Lethargy, weight loss, hair loss, and seizures are all possible symptoms of a dying gerbil. Chirping. If your gerbil is alive and exhibits these symptoms, take it to see a vet. While they do show signs of aging, these arent as obvious as they are in people. Gerbils as more susceptible to strokes than many other animals. You can dispose of it in the trash, although this seems heartless. Hey there, I'm Angela. If your gerbil stops eating or drinking water, you must bring them to the veterinarian immediately. Sometimes gerbils die when youre least expecting it. You are doing all you can, there may be some antibiotics you could get from the pet store but it might do more harm if there are no other symptoms. They stop the gerbil from breathing easily, hence the wheezing sound. Where the blood vessel burst in the brain, the local brain tissue will be affected. The gerbil will learn to adapt to the loss and will hardly notice its injury. Chirping is the most common sound that gerbils make. Death by old age can be sudden too, as gerbils only live for about 2-3 years. All of the surviving gerbils had detectable CVA16 seroconversion. Your gerbil dies in90% of cases. Keep reading to learn tips from our Veterinary co-author on how to determine if your gerbils behavior is normal. Cedar pine bedding can be particularly irritating for gerbils. This might involve separating them to live in new groups, administering antibiotics, or cleaning their cages more often. Other bacterial infections are bad but not necessarily fatal. By Rebecca Perring. Thats because of the social structure of gerbil groups. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Do Gerbils Have Strokes (Brain Aneurysms)? there is a mouse strain, a rat strain, etc. The most common causes of death in gerbils are old age, heart failure, stroke, neglect, Tyzzers disease, scent gland tumors, fighting, and respiratory infection. I'm currently a pet groomer, and I love it. These heal and reappear over time if your gerbil doesnt stop. The visit to the veterinarian is mandatory in this case, without wasting time. Thus, the incidence and severity of clinical symptoms in gerbils were positively correlated with infection dose. If you have lots of gerbils, a respiratory infection can pass between them easily. Reduced activity is one of the most typical indications . Once the disease infects a colony of gerbils, a very high death rate is usually expected. Remove the bedding in the cage. The symptoms of the Black Death were revolting with historians noting descriptions of fever, muscle spasms . Find a fan or move the gerbil to an air-conditioned room. Your pet may appear healthy and happy, and the next moment is dead. While you need to allow yourself time to grieve, its best to do so once youve disposed of the dead gerbil. Strokes and heart disease cause sudden death in gerbils. Therefore its critical to get your gerbil to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Gerbils that fight with their teeth will cause significant damage and can even kill. References. When I was in 5th or 6th grade, one of our class hamsters got out of his cage by climbing onto the wheel and pushing his body up against the lid. betty. Your gerbil cant feed or care for itself because it has so many seizures. Things like bird perches (for some gerbils), hide-outs, edible logs, chew sticks, and cleaned sticks from outside to climb on are all great toys. Consult with a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis. If you have other gerbils, you should try to learn why your gerbil got sick and died. A doctor will be able to determine whether or not your gerbil is terminally ill and can provide you with instructions on how to care for it as it approaches death. Whatever you do, though, do it quickly. If youre unsure whether your gerbil is alive or dead, the best thing to do is contact a veterinarian for help. Provide extra bedding and a possible heat pad to remain warm when your gerbil isn't able to maintain its body temperature the way it used to. When a much-loved pet dies, its the worst feeling. The covering of fur on the . Others can only be fixed by a vet, like a tumor on your pets scent gland. Similarly, if theyre too cold, theyre at risk of hypothermia. However, before you arrange a burial for your gerbil, make sure its definitely passed away. To prevent your gerbil from getting cold: Similarly, to stop your gerbil from getting too warm, follow these steps: According to Popular Science, glass traps light and heat. They are often malignant, especially in the male because it is often on his ventral gland. Pet gerbils are susceptible to many illnesses and diseases. There is no specific health issue called gerbil sudden death syndrome. However, gerbils can die suddenly when their owners least expect it. Signs of pain include: If your gerbil displays any of these signs, take it to the vet to see if pain medication can help. However, it will still move around, albeit not as quickly as before. Its origin may be parasitic, bacterial, an excess of cerumen or a tumor. Chestnuts are a kind of nut that's popular during the winter. It is possible that we find the animal lethargic, immobile and even in shock. Therefore, a runny nose can be mistaken for a bleeding nose. This stops blood from feeding oxygen to each part of the body. If youve ever met somebody with epilepsy, you might know that epileptic fits have triggers. These are things like flashing lights, for example, which directly cause a seizure. It will only gradually recover the use of its limbs. Diarrhoea does not always appear. If youre concerned about your gerbil, the first step is to contact a veterinarian. If your gerbil starts showing signs of pain, you must manage your pets discomfort. So, when a gerbil dies, it can take you by surprise. Burying your gerbil in the backyard is the best way to show it respect and say your goodbyes. However, even if your gerbil isnt touching its normal food, its still worth encouraging it to eat by replacing stale food and water each day. The significance of recognizing the indicators of a sick gerbil cannot be overstated. You could also cremate the gerbil, but be careful to do it in a safe, controlled environment that reduces the fire risk. Thus, one can find in all the regions of the body. RIs are like severe colds, where your gerbils nose and throat become blocked with snot. % of people told us that this article helped them. Copyright 2016 Click Mag Theme. While some gerbils die suddenly and unexpectedly, others spend a few days deteriorating and display symptoms that make it obvious theyre in their last few days of life. Tularemia. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. Your vet can advise you as to how you can stop more of your pets from dying. i used to feed my gerbils dead moths [psycho emoticon] so i think i just increased their blood lust. More commonly known as a heart attack, heart failure means that one of the arteries in the heart has become blocked. What are the symptoms of a dying gerbil? Some authorities can be quoted as saying that the main symptom of Tyzzer's disease is death and that is not too much of an overstatement. You may even need to start hand-feeding the gerbil for a short while so that it gets the nutrients it needs. A gerbil with heat stroke is weak, dehydrated and can convulse and die. Posts: 5,158. [Gerbil Tail Slip Prevention Guide], Your gerbil collapses onto its side or back, Your gerbils feet and legs twitch violently, Other gerbils playing or fighting with it, Being moved around too quickly when you handle it, Swollen abdomen, caused both by weight gain and bloating, Difficulty controlling one side of the face, and subsequent difficulty eating and drinking, Labored breathing (wheezing, with a clicking noise), Remove your gerbil from its enclosure immediately once you notice its passed away, Take your other gerbils and put them somewhere safe, e.g. I phoned the vet and they said to keep an eye on him, if he seems distressed to bring him in. Larger or bad looking wounds require cures and even sutures. "Told me that my gerbil is probably sick.". The pet and laboratory gerbil is Meriones unguiculatus, commonly known as the Mongolian gerbil. To prevent your gerbil from getting cold: Ensure the room it lives in is kept between 65-75 degrees. Another of the facts about gerbils is that they are omnivorous, which means they'll eat both plant and animal material. Home; Church. Gerbils are popular small pets, but what if you think your gerbil might be dead? This grisly behavior is difficult to understand, but there are good reasons why it happens. If youve never kept gerbils before, one thing that might surprise you is their seizures. Of course, its always best to consult with a veterinarian to be sure. Externally, gerbils are quite ratlike. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. The gerbils begin with wrestling and boxing. Most gerbils with Tyzzer's disease die within 24-48 hours. You will notice a hard lump forming around the scent gland if your gerbil is sick. If there hasn't been any change in a few days, it's time to give your vet . The unfortunate outcome of these fights can be sudden death. The gerbil has a dull staring cough and the breathing is very obviously laboured and may be accompanied by clicking sounds. Read your gerbils cues to understand how much affection its looking for. Tyzzers disease is far more severe than that. The deterioration is usually quick, meaning it sometimes takes owners by surprise. They jump up and down frequently for various reasons. All mammals have a structure in their brains called the circle of Willis. However, what gerbils mean when they make squeaking sounds may not be clear, and it depends on the context. There are no reversing the effects. A friend told me she did . Something may be able to be done to save them, but the sooner you seek help for them, the better their chances are. ", http://www.merckvetmanual.com/pethealth/exotic_pets/gerbils/disorders_and_diseases_of_gerbils.html, http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/gerbils/gerbil-health/signs-of-gerbil-illness.aspx, http://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/gerbils/health. Remember that some gerbils may hide their symptoms of illness, so you should be observant of your gerbil's behavior and . This allows it to get some rest. This is why its essential to move the bedding out of the sun. Alternatively, switch it off for a few days. By. With proper care, many gerbils can be saved. Infection, trauma, and poisoning are all potential causes of death in gerbils. Guest Board. This means that they are more susceptible to embolisms than humans. The rough limit for a gerbils lifespan is three to five years, at the absolute maximum. Some conditions cant be cured at all, such as strokes. Heart failure is a condition that can affect any animal with a heart. However, if their condition is too far gone, the vet will be able to help them cross over peacefully. When your gerbil is in the final stages of life, you can be a bit more relaxed with the number of treats you feed it. Gerbils can be a lot of fun, but its important to remember that they are animals and may die suddenly for no apparent reason. However, dont leave your gerbil to suffer. Lethargy is another frequent indication that a gerbil is dying. Unfortunately, because gerbils only have a short lifespan, theres not a lot you can do once their bodies start to shut down. What are the signs of a gerbil dying? Otherwise, it may become disturbed by the constant burrowing and exercising of its cagemates. Allergies. Give your gerbil a good check once a week, looking for bald patches running your finger over its belly. For some reason gerbils gnaw and pull at their deceased companions. Lastly, some people may not know how to save a dying gerbil. (who is kind of the wild one) and put her in her own box with food and water. A loss of appetite might be a symptom of a variety of illnesses. If your gerbil dies suddenly, you will have to dispose of it. The treatment willconsist of cleaning the cage, changing the litter and putting a less irritating one. If you have multiple gerbils in the cage, its a good idea to isolate your dying gerbil. The same thing happens to gerbils when they get colds. Euthanizing your gerbil will help to prevent it from suffering any further. There are many reasons why gerbils die, and some have noticeable symptoms. Isolate any gerbils you know to have the disease in a separate enclosure. These may be unrelated to seizures caused by genetics. Often the gerbil dies immediately. Like people, these pets can experience many health issues. I think my gerbil (the last of 2) is dying. At this point, the choice is yours to place your deceased gerbil in a box and perform a burial. Cereal boxes. Early identification and treatment are often essential for a positive outcome in a sick gerbil. Other signs that something may be wrong include lethargy, weight loss, and changes in bathroom habits. While this does incur a small cost, its necessary if you cant figure out the issue on your own. A rapid intervention is necessary for the treatment to act and prevent irreversible sequelae. Your pet gerbil can reach old age if youre a good owner. However, gerbils only have a lifespan of approximately 3-5 years, depending on the species. If your gerbil is the dominant one in a group, it will frequently use its scent gland to mark territory. Sometimes, you may hear your gerbils squeaking. They are a leading cause of injury and death in older populations. While each seizure wont cause lasting damage, their continuation can cause issues. If you're not sure whether your gerbil is dying, keep an eye . Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. 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