General information on gerbils- Illnesses and info on aging/ages
Gerbils usually live to be between two and five years old. For a gerbil to reach six is possible, but quite rare. Still, most healthy gerbils do live past two, normally to at least three or four.
Now different factors can obviously play a role. For example, gerbils from pet stores are less likely to be overly healthy, and are probably going to fall in the 2-3 years range.
Gerbils from a quality breeder, on the other hand, might do better.
Still, any gerbil can get sick. As with any animal, there are tons of illnesses and ailments a gerbil can get, but I'm only going to go over the more common ones.
Tumors/cysts
I've had gerbils get tumors/cysts before. One of the more common kinds is a scent gland tumor, especially on males.
Gerbils' scent glands are on their bellies, and depending on the gerbil, you may be able to see it as a little strip of skin.
Scent gland tumors are most common in elderly males, but can happen to any gerbil.
They are also treatable, as the scent gland can be removed by a vet.
The tumor may look like a little bump, a scabby spot, or you might just be able to feel it.
Another is aural cholesteatoma, which is a cyst in the ear. This, too, is usually found in older gerbils. But when my girl Puddles got on, she was under six months old.
The most noticeable symptom is a head tilt. For Puddles, it quickly got to the point where she couldn't walk straight and would even spin in circles because her head was so tilted.
This cyst isn't actually treatable, but the condition it causes can be reduced by veterinary care.
Female gerbils can get ovarian tumors and cysts, which will show up with different symptoms if the female is used for breeding. If not, or additionally, the abdomen may appear bloated or distended.
Skin tumors can grow anywhere on the gerbil, but usually around the nose or ears. They will appear as just a small bump or scabbed area, but if the gerbil scratches at it, it will bleed quite a bit.
For more information on tumors and cysts, see the eGerbil website: http://www.egerbil.com/neoplasia.html
Teeth breaking/falling out
When a gerbil gets older, it's somewhat likely that its teeth may break or fall out.
But don't worry, this isn't too serious. So long as you can get the gerbil to eat soft foods for a couple of weeks while they grow back, it should be fine.
Some soft foods to try are:
Peanut butter (gerbils like peanut butter, but keep in mind it isn't good for them)
Sugar free applesauce
Soft fruits
Sugar free yogurt
Baby food
Plain oatmeal, or just oats mixed with a bit of milk
Seizures
This is believed to be an inherited disease, so as long as you get your gerbils from a good breeder/other source, it shouldn't be a problem.
A mild seizure just may be when a gerbil freezes and doesn't respond for a few minutes. Or perhaps their muscles might twitch, sometimes violently if it's a more severe case.
Seizures usually start when gerbils are around two months old, and they will probably grow out of it eventually. So there's no need for treatment.
Respiratory problems
Gerbils have rather delicate respiratory systems. Thus, the need to only use quality bedding! RIs, or respiratory infections, are most common in pups or elderly gerbils.
They can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or environment. Stay away from pine and cedar, or any softwood, bedding.
Symptoms of an RI are: rumpled, messy fur; clicking noises when breathing; and unusual lethargic behavior such as hunching in a corner.
Finally, here are a list of symptoms to watch out for that may be signs of illness or injury in your gerbil:
Lethargy
Red, irritated nose (most often associated with allergies to a bedding/etc.)
Messy, oily, fluffed up fur
Sleeping significantly more than usual (keep in mind that they may be awake at night)
Sleeping in odd places or odd positions
Stumbling when walking
Not eating/drinking normally
Diarrhea
Any unusual bumps or lumps, cuts or bleeding areas
More information on gerbil health/ailments: http://agsgerbils.org/Learn/Gerbil_Care_Handbook/health.php
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