There's nothing else to be done by the keepers- she needs to see a gerbil-knowledgeable vet NOW! This situation is serious. Jill ---------- > From: S. M. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: :S.O.S. gerbil mother in trouble! > Date: Friday, October 27, 2000 5:18 PM > > Hello, > I just got a new breeding pair about three weeks ago and yesterday when > I took them out of their cage I noticed both the female's (Milky Way's)eyes > were stuck shut with a tiny bit of mucus (unusual but not unheard of). I > opened her eyes and took the pair into the next room to handle them. I no > sooner got there when I noticed red goo getting all over my thumb, my shirt > and her bottom! A closer inspection revealed that it was coming from Milky > Way's vagina! I quickly put the gerbils back in their cage thinking Milky > Way might be in labor! I was very surprised because when I had held her the > day before she had seemed somehow "slightly plumper" than usual but not even > close to how "fat" my past gerbil mothers have been just before giving birth > (unless there was only one baby in the litter). It also became apparent, > now that her excitement of being out of the cage was over, that she felt > awful. My mom and I talked about it and decided that Milky Way probably had > a miscarriage (she wasn't acting right to be in labor) and she was now > excreting the unrecognizable babies. We thought she would feel better the > next day. > Today she was the same except she had much more mucus around her eyes > and nose and she was breathing faster than normal (a sign of fever maybe). > My mom and I examined her vagina and it was enlarged like yesterday but > today It was tender and it looked like there might be some thing in there > (like the head of a baby maybe). We discussed our options and I finally got > brave and squeezing gently I managed to push out a very premature baby (it > was about the size of a normal baby's head) and the placenta. After that > Milky Way wasn't as tender, but she still feels terrible and is excreting > stuff from her vagina and breathing fast. I've put a warm water bottle in > her cage along with some pieces of fresh fruit (to encourage her to eat them > and get some moisture). I also put Ornacycline in her water in case it > would help her if she has any kind of infection. I think she is in danger of > dying so if anyone has ANY suggestions please tell me!! > I would also like to know what is wrong with her. We have some guesses, > but that is it. Also, if she makes it through this, should I breed her > again? She is a Pink Eyed White (I think) and her mate is spotted. Does > this have anything to do with it? I would love to know what your opinions > are so if you have any, please tell me!! > > Thanks a lot, Sara > > _________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. > > Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at > http://profiles.msn.com. ____________NetZero Free Internet Access and Email_________ Download Now http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html Request a CDROM 1-800-333-3633 ___________________________________________________________
