> 1. Our gerbils (and forgive me because I probably > don't think of them in > "proper" genetic colors) are Ember (golden blond > with a white stomach and > bright red eyes, hence the name) and Tanzi (black > all over with a few tiny > white patches (looks like she was on the outskirts > of a shaken paint brush) > with black eyes, she is named after Tanzanite the > gemstone). Ember is the > one that still shows a bit of the red nose, is she > light enough in color to > be more likely to have allergies? > Ember is probably argente and Tanzi a spotted black :) Ember probably is light enough to show the allergies more. If she's an argente like I suspect then they have very light coloured noses and will show up the allergy easier than a dark coloured.
> a bit of timothy, (but I think some aspen will have > to be added until we can > get a different litter because they can now move > their house around with no Heh :) Didn't you know that's a gerbils favourite pasttime *G* > float away. They both > seemed to perk up and have been acting more lively > ever since. Could they > have been dehydrated?!?! As far as the red nose Yes, they could have been dehydrated. I would keep a fresh bottle of water in as they obviously don't like the medicated one. > goes, our current residence > can be a bit musty (there has been a floor rot out > in the past, we rent and > are hoping to buy SOON) and our allergies have been > acting up, so I am > thinking this may be it, It very well could be - dust mold is also a common allergy in the winter time and gerbils are sensitive to alot of air borne allergens. Try vacuuming more often (if you have carpet) or mopping daily if linoleum/hard surface. Also, dust frequently. Essentially treat the house as if you had asthmatic kids in it. The lung association http://www.lung.ca/ will give you lots of info on how to treat a house in this manner. > Now, through your replies I have more questions. > Does anyone have any > experience with CareFresh or Yesterdays News? > I know carefresh is highly recommended by the American Gerbil society www.agsgerbils.org - I've never used it because it is very expensive in Canada and I get aspen for cheap from our local feed shop. > Moulting was mentioned. I have never heard of this > with gerbils, can you > explain? > Gerbils moult their coats - much like a dog or cat. I believe they do this with the seasons. > is soooooo dusty. Should I get play sand or > aquarium sand or does it > matter? > I would get washed play sand - note repti-sand is not a good option as it has an appealing taste and can lead to animals eating it and get it impacted in their gut. Regular aquarium sand is the same as washed play sand but ever so much more expensive. I've used washed play sand before. Wet it somewhat to allow it to be diggable and they should have fun. It's more a matter of trial and error - My gerbies didn't like it so we switched back to aspen. If I did it again I'd probably mix sand with soil to make it more like their natural environment. Just make sure not to get soil with added percalite if you do this. I believe percalite is toxic to small animals. > On dosing them with meds, our vet said they may be > too old for the "kitten > pinch" method. (But I am putting much less stock in > what the vet said after > hearing from you all.) What do you think (just in > case we need to medicate > them in the future)? The tube sock sounds like a > good idea, but what if > they eat it, will it harm them? > My old gerbies can still be done with the pinch method - they look most indignant when it's done *G* A little tube sock shouldn't harm them. However, I wouldn't let it reside in their cage. They're more likely to try and shred it for nesting in IMO. > I actually work at a pharmaceutical company that > makes various antibiotic > ointments (bacitracin, double and triple) and > various hydrocortisone creams > (0.5%, 1.0%, with aloe, without aloe etc.) Would > this be an option if their > noses seem to get infected from overcleaning? > Or I believe some people have used polysporin before on gerbies? > Another question, we have bought the cotton fluff > pads in the past and > cotton bedding. I have read that this can cause > "plugs" in their intestines > and lead to trouble. What do you all think? > I don't use it anymore. Give them some torn up kleenex or paper towel or toilet paper. Make sure it's unscented with no lotions and they will turn this into a nest. > Sorry again for the long message, but I can't > believe this resource was here > all the time and I just now found it (kid in a candy > store kind of thing I > guess.) Are their gerbil chat rooms? Heh :) I believe there are *G* There's also a pile of gerbil lists at www.yahoogroups.com including the AGS. The AGS is the American Gerbil Society and an excellent resource. You can attain free membership - information on their website www.agsgerbils.org. Jenn ______________________________________________________ Send your holiday cheer with http://greetings.yahoo.ca
