Pedialyte is only good for 48 hrs after the bottle has been opened.
If you have a gerbil vet (I think you said you did), try and get your hands
on something called Emeraid II (2), made by LaFeber . It is a powder that
you mix with water that is labeled for tube/hand feeding ill and neonate
birds, but it works
absolute wonders for rodents and reptiles as well. While baby food and soft
cereals are good and may sustain life, they don't really come close to
meeting the nutritional/calorie requirements of our little fuzzballs.
My gerbil Joan (put to sleep last week at almost 4 yrs old) began to have
chronic problems with broken teeth as she got older. She had been on the
Emeraid II for a good 5 months as her staple diet, given that she couldn't
regularly manage hard food. When the vet started her on it, she had lost 20
grams from her usual weight due to her difficulties eating, and that was in
spite of me feeding pedialyte, baby food and baby cereal. Within 2 weeks of
regular feedings of Emeraid II, she gained back 15 grams and was her plump
self again. She was on it up until we put her to sleep (her breathing
became increasingly labored- necropsy revealed lung cancer). Sometimes I
would mix it with a bit of baby food for variety, since she ate it so much.
You do have to get it from a vet, as it is for veterinary use only. I got
an 8oz jar for $8, and in all that time have only used 1/2 of it. It stays
good for a year. I now think it's an absolute staple for gerbils owners to
have in the event of an emergency where the adult animal can't eat. The jar
I have has the phone # for ordering- if you're interested I can pass it on.
Best of luck with your little one!
Jill
----------
> From: Tana and The Little Rascals <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: pedialyte
> Date: Sunday, May 06, 2001 9:35 PM
>
> Deb Rebel wrote:
>
> > >Those of you who have used Pedialyte for sick gerbils, how long can
you
> > >leave it in the water bottle? I've never used it before. I have a
> > >gerbil with an ear infection that apparently is so bad it's making her
> > >jaw hurt, she won't eat anything solid. I'm feeding her cooked
oatmeal,
> > >yogurt with fruit in it, applesauce, and I just got some baby food and
> > >Pedialyte from the grocery store. I did notice she is drinking fine
so
> > >I'm hoping the Pedialyte will get some extra nutrition in her.
> >
> > Pedialyte is mostly a rehydration solution for dehydration. It
> > has little other nutritive value.
> >
> > I would put an inch in the waterbottle, and either change it daily
> > or refill when needed (if it needs filling sooner than a day).
> >
> > You need to take your gerbil to the vet, or otherwise get some
> > antibiotics for her. If you go to the vet it'll probably be Baytril,
> > otherwise use a tetracycline (ornacycline) in the water bottle
> > for ten days.
> >
> > Deb
> > Rebel's Rodent Ranch
>
> I should have mentioned, she's been to the vet and is on antibiotics. :)
>
> --
> Tana and The Little Rascals
> http://members.home.net/tlr-gerbilry
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