From: "[Angela] [Hull]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> I recieved some good advice on my little gerbil with diahrea. But she
won't
> drink anything and I'm not able to get anything into her mouth without
her
> freaking out and wriggling and running all over the place. I've tried
> holding her by the back of the neck..but that didn't work..how do all
of you
> get medication directly into your gerbil's mouths??
Instead of just lifting her by the loose skin on the back of her neck,
you need to do it with your hand along the long axis of her spine --
forefinger and thumb lifting at the neck, but the other fingers also
lifting the skin farther down, so when you lift her, she has less
ability to kick and squirm around.
She won't like it, but gerbils are too small to wrap in a towel -- well,
you could try it if you have someone to help you. Wrap her tightly in a
washcloth and have the person holding her do it firmly, cupping her body
so she can't move much. Then scruff her gently so she can't jerk her
head around, put the tip of the syringe into her cheek, and quickly get
the meds in there. A plunger syringe usually works better than a
dropper.
Michelle
Flutist
