Lillian,
Although it is possible that an animal would have enough parasites to cause
sever anemia in an animal it does not happen over night.
They would have had to be there for sometime. Have you ever given a stray
cat or dog a flea bath? If you start with the body it can have horrifying
results. All of the fleas from all over the body will rush to the head and
face. It does look like they are multiplying rapidly, although they are
simply gather to safe, non treated, territory.
It might be that as you washed the gerbil that "little red devils" headed
for higher ground. If the majority had been hidden under the fur, it may
have looked like the were multiplying as they came to the top.
I think that it is quite impossible that they were hatching by the hundreds.
It is unlikely that the gerbils had been infested for only 24 hours.
I would get a small baby food jar or medicine bottle and get a specimen of
the parasite. Then you should be able to have a vet tell you what they are,
and how to properly treat your gerbils.
Please be sure that you carefully treat all of your gerbils before selling
or shipping any.
I cannot emphasize the importance of garunteeing that your gerbils are
healthy, before sending them to a new home.
Good luck to both of you, as you attempt to identify and irradicat these
parasites from your gerbils.
Janet
