# New Gerbils advice please :)



## Roxyb937 (Nov 2, 2016)

Hi, adopted 2, 12 week old gerbils over the weekend settling in well, our first pets. this afternoon i was concerned one of thems left eye wasn't open properly. I couldnt really see any gunk but i couldnt get the best look as he is still a little skittish and not entirely sure about being held yet as he still is quite new. i was looking up vets to get him seen but i rang the lady who sold him to me has said its more likely to be sleep or it was irritated from digging or sand bath so i went to look at him, its open fine now and no discharge she said if it looks fine now hold on till tomorrow and check him again, i took the sand bath out and cleaned the gerbilarum at the bottom cause it did seem a bit dusty i kept the bedding as i know they dont like new i just filtered the sand out they flicked in, im keeping a really good eye on him he seems fine now just as active as normal eating and drinking and if im not happy tomorrow i will take him to the vet but all i wanted to ask is should they be registered with a vet, ive read a few forums and people have been writing "they are only gerbils" sort of thing so i dont want to ring and sound daft, i know they dont need the vaccinations bigger pets need ect, but regardless we love them just as much as we would any other pet but just for like future references i didnt know if only cats and dogs get registered.


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

When I had to take my gerbil to the vets, he got registered then, some gerbils can go their whole lives without ever needing to go to the vet, so really I'd say it's up to you. You can either wait until he needs to go to a vets (if that is ever needed) or you could ask about registering him.


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## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

As Animallover says the vets will register them when they need to see a vet, the same as with any pet - or you could phone up & register them in advance . I think its awful that some people think its acceptable to leave an animal like a gerbil to suffer when they are ill. I'm the same as you, I loved my gerbils( my hamsters, all my pets) and when any of them has needed a vet I have never hesitated to take them. I hope your little one will be alright now, sounds as though they have found a lovely, caring home with you  Best of luck with them.


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## Roxyb937 (Nov 2, 2016)

Hi, thanks for the replies. I gave his eye a little wipe with sterile water and took the sand bath out, just letting them use it at playtime when i get them out in the evening until i can get something were they can't flick as much of it out, he's been fine since.  Yeah i was just reading around for advice and literally saw hardly anything so i was unsure if a vet would see him if he wasn't registered first but after reading people putting oh they are only gerbils ect i didn't want to seem stupid.


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

It is an awful thing that people can say 'it is only a gerbil/hamster/*insert small animal breed here*, to me size doesn't matter, regardless if your pet is as tiny as Robo hamster or as big as a Shire horse, they deserve the same level of care, afterall they are all living, feeling beings. 
Sounds like your gerbils are in good hands  
Glad your little man has been fine. 
By the way what sand are you using?


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## Roxyb937 (Nov 2, 2016)

It's called Tiny friends farm bathing sand said its suitable for hamsters gerbils and degus, i got it from pets at home. But they get it everywhere they kick it out the bowl and put bedding in there lol so im just keeping an eye out for something the can still climb in but not kick it out as much lol the bottom of the gerbilarium was so dusty and ive only had them 5 days they sleep and hide in a seethrough plastic running tube thats on my photo theyve filled it with bedding but even that was full of the sand thats what makes me think it was the sand


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Roxyb937 said:


> It's called Tiny friends farm bathing sand said its suitable for hamsters gerbils and degus, i got it from pets at home. But they get it everywhere they kick it out the bowl and put bedding in there lol so im just keeping an eye out for something the can still climb in but not kick it out as much lol the bottom of the gerbilarium was so dusty and ive only had them 5 days they sleep and hide in a seethrough plastic running tube thats on my photo theyve filled it with bedding but even that was full of the sand thats what makes me think it was the sand


That's the sand I use. Shame that sand irritated him as it is very good sand.


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