The gerbils are very cute-looking pets and also they have a very sweet nature too. But one thing that is needed by the gerbil or any pet is that you need to take proper care of them so that they can live happy and healthy life. You need to make sure that the gerbils do not face any kind of problems when they are living with their owners.
As they are furry pets you need to be careful about their health. The more you will provide them with love the better it would be. As gerbils have dense fur then there are chances that they will have fleas in it and because of that fact you need to keep them free from fleas so that they do not have to face any issues that will cause problems to them due to the fleas.
So we will understand the fact that how can we make the gerbils get rid of the fleas. One of the most important things is that you need to understand your pet properly only then you will be able to take care of them.
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How to know that gerbils have fleas on them?
The fleas can cause lots of symptoms to the gerbils and from that, you can easily understand that the gerbils have fleas on them. So some of the symptoms that tell us that the gerbils have fleas are listed below:-
1. Bite marks
The fleas often bite the gerbils and you can easily see the bite marks on them. You need to just carefully observe and go in between their fur and you can spot the bite marks and this is a clear indication that the gerbils have fleas on their body.
2. Dirt of fleas
On the fur of the gerbil, you can find the dirt of the fleas and due to this fact, it is clear that there are fleas. As we know that fleas drink blood from the host and due to this fact they excrete on their body that seems like dirt on their fur. So from this dirt on their body, you can understand that there are fleas on the gerbils.
3. Gerbils start itching themselves
Sometimes there is too much flea infestation that you will notice that they will start itching themselves for that particular reason constantly. From this action, you can know that there is a flea infestation because it causes lots of irritation to the gerbils because the flea sucks blood from their body. So the gerbil itching themselves is one way to understand the fact that they have fleas present on their body.
There are various ways from which we can understand the fact that gerbils have flea manifestation and we need to do something about that. We should understand one thing fleas are not at all good for the gerbils as it causes lots of irritation and even health issues for gerbils.
Because of this, you need to make sure that you get rid of the fleas as soon as possible so that you can provide them with the best lifestyle and they do not face any issues inside their habitat without being their owner.
How to get rid of fleas on a gerbil?
As we know that fleas manifestation is not a great thing for a gerbil which is why you need to understand the fact that how you can get rid of the fleas as soon as possible so that the gerbils can live a healthy lifestyle. So in order to get rid of the fleas that are various ways and some of those ways are listed below:-
1. Anti-flea shampoo
One of the most common and easiest ways to get rid of fleas on the gerbils is that you can get an anti-flea shampoo for them from the market. There are lots of shampoos in the market that are anti- flea but you need to choose the best one. Make sure that the anti-flea shampoo that you will get for the gerbil should be safe for them and also for their skin.
It should not cause any further irritation to the gerbils and also it should be mild on their skin. You just need to shampoo the gerbil with it and it is quite easy for you to get rid of the fleas from the body of your furry little gerbils. These anti-flea shampoos are easily available in the market.
2. Use of spot-on products
You can use the spot- on products spot-on treatment on the body of the gerbil where they are infected by the fleas. You just need to apply these spot-on flea products to the areas where there are fleas and make sure that you need to do this at the time of the day when your gerbil is at their ease and also quite calm.
You just need to make sure that you apply it directly on their skin so that the gerbils cannot lick it directly. The spot-on treatments are highly effective which is why this is widely recommended by vets and you need to just use it on your gerbil. This spot-on treatment is quite easy to use and that is why it is widely used.
3. Clean the gerbil cage
In order to keep the gerbils free from fleas, you also need to clean their surroundings. The most important thing that you need to keep clean is their cage and you need to make sure that you keep their cage neat and clean so that there is no issue of a flea infestation as the fleas breed in places where it is too dirty and that is the reason you also need to keep their cages clean so that you do not let the fleas to breed in their surroundings.
4. Use of anti-flea powder
You can even use the anti-flea powder on your gerbils in order to get rid of the fleas from their body. You can just sprinkle the powder onto their body and it will be easy for you to get rid of the fleas from their body. You just need to get the best anti-flea powder from the market that is effective and also that is mild on the skin and does not cause any irritation to the gerbils. Make sure that you get the powder after consulting the vet so that you know whether it is safe for the gerbils or not.
5. Use of sand baths
You can even use sand baths for the gerbils because that is a natural way of grooming the gerbils. In the wild, this is the way in which the gerbils groom themselves, and also this is one way to get rid of the fleas the gerbils. You just need to place the sand inside a deep bowl and let your gerbil be inside that. The gerbils will immediately know what to do with that sand they will start bathing with it.
The gerbils will not be able to get rid of the fleas fully from their body but still, it will be effective and also a natural way to get rid of the fleas. You need to understand the fact that you should not use ordinary sand instead you need to use the sand that is used for kid’s playing or the sand that is used by the reptiles for sand bathing and both of these sands are easily available in the market.
6. Consult a vet
The best thing you can do is consult a vet if you want to get rid of the fleas from the body of the gerbils. The vet can recommend you any of the above methods or even an oral medication that is best suited for your gerbil. The vet will recommend the way to get rid of the fleas from the gerbil depending on your gerbil because not all methods are highly effective on the gerbils.
Even the vet will be able to guide you that which anti-flea shampoo or powder is best for the gerbils so that you can get rid of their fleas as soon as possible. You need to make sure that you follow the guide given by the vet properly so that you can provide them with a healthy lifestyle.
These are the various ways in which you can provide the gerbils with the best methods so that you can easily get rid of the fleas from the body of the gerbils. The more you will be careful with the gerbils the better lifestyle you will be able to provide to them.
You need to make sure that the gerbils are able to enjoy their life when they are living with their owners and one way to find that is whether the gerbils are living a healthy life with them or not and only then it is possible to provide them with the best of everything. Also, you need to understand your pet in the best way possible so that they can enjoy living with you.
Final thoughts:
The gerbil and their owners play a very special bond with each other so you need to make sure that you know what is best for them. So in order to know your gerbil properly you need to understand the fact that what is best for them and what is not. The gerbils are cute pets and as an owner, you can spend time with them so that you are able to provide them with the best of everything.
If the gerbil is happy and healthy it clearly means that you are taking proper care of them and also you are able to provide them with a life that is most suited for them. The gerbils are also sensitive in nature and that is why you need to take proper care of them and do not try to ignore them. The gerbils will build a strong bond with their owners with each passing day and that is only possible if you will be with them and also understand them.
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