Why is my gerbil's nose red with dried mucus? He keeps picking it.

That could be just an injury but it could also be the start of a tumor. Gerbils kept in a wire cage will often spend hours chewing on the cage bars, and this will rub off fur and irritate the nose. The simplest solution to do is keep your gerbil in an aquarium with glass sides. Glad you changed the bowl. I hope you got one that is ceramic or glass - that way she can't chew it. Do you have chew blocks for her? http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/our-products/hay/harvest-stacks-western-timothy-with-carrots https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/you-and-me-wood-chew-sticks-for-small-animals She may need a better diet. I don't know what you are feeding her but I suggest you use a premium diet like Oxbow. This may curb her chewing on other things. https://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/food-treats-and-hay/food/oxbow-essentials-healthy-handfuls-hamster-and-gerbil-food-5173696.html I, of course, would recommend you take Yuki to a vet for an exam. If you don't want to do that just yet I suggest you just monitor the nose for now. Do not apply anything to the nose topically because Yuki will just lick it off and ingesting those topical medications would not be good for her. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see the hairloss you are referring to. This would commonly be caused by overgrooming by a cagemate, but since Jim lives alone, he could be overgrooming himself due to boredom. He may also have mites, a skin infection, or an autoimmune condition. I would recommend having your vet take a small samples of skin from the area and sending it off as a biopsy to definitively determine what is going on.

I am sorry to hear about Peanut. The most common cause of a sore on the nose in a gerbil is a condition called "sore nose" or "nasal dermatitis" and can be related to stress, high humidity levels in the cage, or trauma due to excessive burrowing or injury on cage. I would recommend bringing Peanut to a vet to confirm this is what is affecting Peanut. If the case is mild, they may prescribe a topical antibiotic creme or ointment to apply. In severe cases, oral or injectable antibiotics may be necessary. You can read more about this condition at: https://www.petcoach.co/article/nasal-dermatitis-sore-nose-of-gerbils/ Best of luck to you and Peanut!

This is likely just a pigment change and no big deal but of course, without seeing it I cannot say for sure. If any of the areas look like growths, scabs, scales, flakey or in any way abnormal besides the color change, then I would have your vet take a look. Your vet will be able to ensure there isn't any type of bacterial or fungal infection that needs to be addressed. Keep a close eye on her.

Thanks for reaching out about Ghost and including a photo. By the looks of the picture, a fungal dermatitis (ringworm) should be considered. This is contagious to other rodents and possibly humans. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. AS this is close to the eye, systemic anti-fungal medications are preferred as opposed to topicals that might get into the eye. Good luck.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Rachael is so cute. The nose looks like it has an abrasion from rubbing. Has he been rubbing his nose against the cage bars or something else in his house? That would be my first guess, especially if he does not seem bothered by the spot. Other possibilities would be a bacterial infection, fungal infection, or parasites. I would still recommend taking him to the vet in case the skin is infected and requires antibiotics. In the meantime, I would monitor him closely for any rubbing, and take away anything in his house that you think could be the culprit. I hope this helps, and that Rachael gets better soon!

The injury on the nose may have been due to excessive scratching. This can be caused by infection (bacterial or fungal) or by parasites. It may have also been due to trauma from cage furniture, tank mates (if present) or another family pet (if present). Ideally, Joey should be examined by your veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis. Antibiotics, topical or systemic, can be dispensed if indicated.