>summer that might be helpful. One day I found Mario to be very lethargic
with his
>eyes glued shut. I wet a Q-tip to try to moisten his eyes to help him get
them
>open. Instead, he started chewing on it and it dawned on me that he had
been too
>weak to reach the water bottle and was dehydrated, and he was drinking the
water!
>I just kept wetting the Q-tip and offering it to him until he showed no
more
>interest. I continued to do this several times a day until he recovered. It
seems
>to be an easier way to help a sick gerbil get water than using an
eyedropper or
>syringe. Best of luck in treating your sick ones.
NO! NEVER EVER EVER use ANYTHING with FIBERS!
Fibers if ingested (either the cotton on a Q-tip or other stuff like
fluffy bedding) can cause fatal intestinal blockages! No.
If you think your gerbil is in need of rehydration, offer an eyedropper
with a slight bit of moisture at the tip. (not dripping, but a bit of
fluid out past the tip). It will probably lap at the water if you touch
it to the lips. Or, you can leave fluid on the lips and the animal
can suck it in and swallow.
Or, you can actually insert the tip into the mouth and deliver a little
fluid.
I have had both pups and sick adults, and sometimes all I had to
do was offer the dropper next to the mouth and they would take
what was offered. If they are worse off, then you may have to
pick them up and put the fluid in the mouth. After a few feedings
though (I use about 4-8 drops every fifteen to thirty minutes for
any animal over 8 weeks old), just offering the dropper or
touching it to the lips is enough to get the animal to lap.
I can't say it enough...never ever ever ever ever, give your animals
a chance to get into fibers (hair, cotton, poly stuffing, threads, cloth).
You might be 'lucky' for a time but sooner or later your animal will
suffer for it.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
If an animal is having hydration problems offer apple chunks or
applesauce from an eyedropper. There is a lot of moisture in
both and it tastes good too....the animal will usually readily take the
sauce or gnaw on the apple. You can score the apple chunk
too to make it easy for the animal to break bits off.
