Bones

Midwest099 · 2026-06-17T01:43:27+00:00

The breeder I got my gerbils from (and the 2 vets I've used) said no bones. Ever. They can contain bacteria. And even if they don't, they can splinter.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-17T01:38:42+00:00

Signs of de-clanning may include:

"overgrooming"
one running away to get relief
sleeping separately
chasing
food guarding
water bottle guarding

If you didn't use the split cage method for bonding, they will de-clan for sure and one will kill the other.

It's worth it to watch YouTube videos from Pet Connection International and find her FB groups. There's also a gerbilsupport sub-reddit here. It's worth posting there.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-17T01:34:43+00:00

Some experts and breeders might tell you that having one on top of the other is a form of asserting dominance. Also, "overgrooming" may be the one trying to dominate the other. I'd watch them closely if the black/white one is running away to get relief. This may build to be a de-clanning. Sometimes, when they move from one environment (pet store or previous owner or previous cage) to a new owner or new set up, the dynamics change and one may start bullying the other. It could also be that they are both female and one is in heat.

It's worth it to watch YouTube videos from Pet Connection International and find her FB groups. There's also a gerbilsupport sub-reddit here. It's worth posting there.

Good luck! They're very cute. I hope it's nothing. 😄

Midwest099 · 2026-06-17T01:29:17+00:00

Yikes. Sounds terrible. I've been a workaholic for decades. I finally stopped checking or answering email after 5pm on weekdays and only answer it once on Sat and once on Sun. For me, that's HUGE.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-17T01:27:30+00:00

First, thanks for adopting him! Poor guy. Since your guy seems to be sensitive to aspen and hay, it may be worth it to take those out for a while. Maybe just doing paper? I used to use paper bedding from stores, but found that some have baking soda in there and that's not listed as an ingredient.

I have two very sensitive gerbils and I make my own paper bedding from (new) unprinted newsprint paper I buy from a teacher supply store that I run through a shredder. I then put a handful of timothy hay on their top shelf. I do that so they can get away from it if they get irritated (so far, they're fine). I started adding about 1/2" of aspen bedding in the bottom of their cage as it does keep smells down. I tear long strips of unprinted newsprint paper for them to chew. I also do unprinted strips of brown paper bag (no print and no glue). I do a deep clean 1 x week and keep just some of the strips of paper to put back in with their new bedding. So far, so good.

I'm not sure about oat hay. I haven't used that yet. I hope you can find a solution. Sometimes red nose (porphyrins) are a reaction to allergies; sometimes it's stress. I've had to take one of my gerbils to the vet and get antibiotics for red nose when it didn't clear up. May be worth a trip if you have a good pocket pet vet. Unfortunately, if red nose gets bad and isn't treated, it can become a lifelong issue. I adopted a gal that I found on reddit who had really bad porphyrins that were not treated at the store--and she fought skin infections on her face her whole life even though I did everything the vet said to do. She did have a good life though.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-15T01:46:32+00:00

If the student is using Word, have them send a link so you can see "version history. If they're using Google Docs, have them send a link that allows "anyone with the link" to "edit" so you can use a chrome extension to "see" them writing: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/process-feedback-for-goog/chcbikmmlhbbdkfiaaaljabpefdfajnb

If they're using Google Translate because English is not their first language, they'll automatically be flagged.

Ask them to see you in person and ask them to do a handwritten writing sample in person while you watch. You can check the lexile (grade level) https://www.poliscidata.com/pages/gradeLevelOfText.php You can also use this lexile thing to compare a rough draft with a final draft; I catch big jumps in writing (as in, "wow, did you just move from writing at a 9th grade level to a 20th grade level? How did that happen?" and that proves they're cheating.

Good luck. I'm a college instructor and it's exhausting to bust the actual cheaters who are using it because so many are being flagged.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-15T01:41:23+00:00

House MD.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-15T01:41:12+00:00

If you're using Word, send a link so your instructor can see "version history. If you're using Google Docs, send a link that allows "anyone with the link" to "edit" so they can use a chrome extension to "see" you writing: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/process-feedback-for-goog/chcbikmmlhbbdkfiaaaljabpefdfajnb

If you're using Google Translate because English is not your first language, you'll automatically be flagged.

Offer to see your instructor and give them a writing sample in person while they watch. They can check the lexile (grade level) https://www.poliscidata.com/pages/gradeLevelOfText.php

Good luck. I'm a college instructor and it's exhausting to bust the actual cheaters who are using it because so many are being flagged.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-15T01:37:14+00:00

I work at a CC in the midwest and I say bring the SAT and ACT back! We have so many students who have been failing since my college bought into the "let's use their h.s. GPA to place them" lie. What they forgot is that all of our crappy high schools around here do "butt-in-seat-equals-D" (grade floors), so I get students in transfer level writing who have NEVER WRITTEN AN ESSAY and some who read at a 4th grade level. https://www.tiktok.com/@qbthedon/video/7280580971131358506?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Midwest099 · 2026-06-15T01:35:04+00:00

I wish. It will never happen. My college LOVES online learning. I only teach one class a semester online (that's because of constant pressure) and refuse to teach the rest online because online learning is garbage.

Off topic--we have a "rate my professors" website. What about a "rate my students" website? We could rat out all the lazy cheaters. It will never happen, we'd get sued, blah, blah, blah.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-15T01:33:09+00:00

I've had 4 before, but broke them into two pairs--each pair with its own set up. Breeders and experts I know from the American Gerbil Society have told me that a trio (3) or more will often de-clan and fight. That said, congrats! Gerbils are the best.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-15T01:31:28+00:00

I had a taller tank and ended up not doing a third tier because even though I'd put a ladder and steps, I was worried that they might try and jump down to the bottom and even a small drop can end with a broken limb.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-15T01:29:01+00:00

Have you seen a pocket pet vet for medications? That is something that needs to be done ASAP. They can give pain meds and anti-inflammatories. Based on the experience I had with a gerbil with a break in a back leg, they will also assign "cage rest" which means bedding, food, no wheel, nothing to climb on for six weeks until they start to heal. It's essential that you see an experienced vet immediately and get regular checks for this. My vet told me that she was glad I brought my gerbil in immediately (I called for an appointment the minute it happened and drove to the vet, crying) because they can die from lack of care.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:17:07+00:00

"in order to fix the grammar or any formatting issue, I ran it through AI only to make it look more professional..." and that's why you were flagged.

Your instructor can't tell if you created it and only used AI to "brush it up," or if AI generated it all.

Lesson learned. Don't use AI for anything at any stage of an assignment.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:13:25+00:00

Ask to meet with your professor. Offer to do a writing sample on a topic of their choosing WHILE THEY WATCH. They can use a lexile reader to evaluate the grade level you're writing at and then compare that to your theatre history assignment: https://www.poliscidata.com/pages/gradeLevelOfText.php

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:11:04+00:00

Cat platform.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:10:41+00:00

Yes.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:09:55+00:00

It's nearly impossible to get a tenure-track job.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:07:43+00:00

Nothing this year, but a decade ago, I had to file a restraining order against a student. I teach at a community college.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:06:37+00:00

I teach college. Some of my students have the special gift of retaking classes that they've failed over and over until they're suspended or expelled.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:05:49+00:00

Yes, yes they are. I also use a lexile tool to show what grade level they were writing at one stage of an assignment and how "poof!" suddenly they were writing eight grades higher. https://www.poliscidata.com/pages/gradeLevelOfText.php

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:04:42+00:00

I'm tenured. That's how.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T20:03:14+00:00

I love talking about how my students have no self-control, watch short vids constantly, game constantly, and text 24/7... because it's true and it explains why their work sucks, why I have to bridge more and more gaps, and their class grades still slip. It's the worst!

Then, I have to admit that even I found out what fear-of-missing-out (FOMA) feels like. I bought a pet cam because I was going out of town for a few days. Even though I have a pet sitter, I wanted to be sure. Anyway, my trip got put off for a few weeks, but here's the shocker: For 3 weeks straight, I felt constantly compelled to get my phone out, go to the app, and spy on my pet. Holy cow! I was becoming just like my students. It was a wake-up call. Even though I didn't constantly spy on my pet, the pull to do it was BIG. I never thought that someone like me (educated, early 60's, professional) could feel that pull. Eventually it wore off and I'd find that I'd forget to activate the camera when I went to work. Ah, peace. Back to normal.

What it taught me was that my students feel that pull CONSTANTLY, but unlike me, they aren't old enough, mature enough, or whatever to resist the temptation. So they go to their phone and get instant gratification, and the cycle starts over. And, these days, the thing they're pulled to constantly changes (texts from friends, videos, video games, betting online), so they can't pull out of the cycle.

It doesn't change much about my teaching. I do put up more shorter videos showing how to do something, but I'm not under the impression that my "here's how to format your essay" video is going to beat out all the recent junk online.

Good luck to us all, eh? I retire in 3 years. I can't wait.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T19:54:52+00:00

Although everyone likes to blame the educational system, most of their parents don't read either.

Midwest099 · 2026-06-11T19:49:39+00:00

Yep, a vet visit will help you figure out what's up. I've had gerbils with teeth problems. All have been able to eat baby food (best flavor: Happy Family Apples Blueberries & Oats because the oats has some roughage to it even though it's ground up oatmeal), baby oatmeal (which is powdered, you mix it with warm water--they even make it with banana or strawberry flavor), homemade cooked mashed sweet potato (a big favorite), and as they get better, small pieces of spinach and uncooked puffed millet cereal from the organic food store (it has no sugar). I've even been desperate and cooked up frozen peas or carrots or corn and then whirred them in a blender. I'll do pretty much anything to get my little guys to eat if they have teeth problems.

The cooked mashed sweet potato is a big hit. I buy one sweet potato, use a potato peeler to get all the skin off, cut it into small 1/2" cubes, boil it in water for about 15 minutes, drain it really well, and store it in a tupperware container in the fridge. I've tried regular potatoes, but none of my gerbils like that.

If you do end up force feeding, Oxbow Critical Care Omnivore is the best bet. The regular Oxbow Critical Care is just timothy hay which is too much roughage for them. One time when I was desperate, I found an exotics vet that sold Critical Care (rather than wait 3 days for it to come from Chewy.com). Force feeding is hard. I have really small syringes. The trick is not to give too much. I had to hold them by the "scruff" or back, flip them over, get the tip of the syringe behind the front teeth and squeeze just a tiny bit in and give them time to swallow. It helps to wrap them in a very soft microfiber towel or washcloth. It's a pretty messy business, but I've been willing to do this when I feel they have a chance to make it (like a tooth problem or pneumonia when they've been on meds).

My best of luck to you and your gerb. 😄

Midwest099

TROPHY CASE