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Why is my gerbil having seizures, puffy, tired, and red eye discharge?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Other | Unknown - Other | Female | 2 years and 2 months old

My gerbil that I've had for about 2 years or so is having seizures and looks like she can't find her place, She has been looking puffy lately and tired all the time. She also has red discharge from her eye. She has been eating but I think she lost some appetite also. Is she okay?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on October 21st, 2017

All of the symptoms you described are very worrisome, and could indicate that there is something underlying causing Coco to be unwell. As they are all very vague symptoms that can be caused by a number of things including illness, infection, injury, etc, it would be best to bring Coco to a local vet to have her examined and see what is causing it.

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    Answered By Rebeccah Wood

    Licensed Veterinary Technician, Registered Laboratory Animal Technologist

    Published on

    Hello! I'm sorry to hear about Coco's health issues. I am worried about her condition as it sounds like she's got more than one problem. Seizures are actually quite common in gerbils, but gerbil epilepsy usually starts when they are very young and improves with age - seizures later in life may indicate another, more serious condition. A gerbil that looks puffy and tired may be painful, stressed, or dehydrated, and if you noticed that she isn't eating as much, she may also not be drinking as much, which may be causing these symptoms. The red discharge from her eye is probably porphyrin - a red substance secreted by gland behind the eye. You usually don't see this secretion as healthy gerbils are constantly grooming and cleaning themselves - sick gerbils don't groom as much, and so you will see this red substance. Considering all these symptoms, I am very concerned that your gerbil is ill, and she should visit a vet. Unfortunately, the symptoms are all very vague and don't point to any one disease. Respiratory illness, parasites, and nutritional deficiencies can all cause these symptoms, which is why it's even more important that Coco sees a vet to get her diagnosed. Here is a local vet that sees pocket pets: Deer Park Animal Hospital 2822 Center Street Deer Park, TX 77536-4026 281-479-0405 In the meantime, be sure that Coco is kept warm and that she has easy access to food and water. Offer her whatever she likes to eat - keeping her hydrated and her glucose up is important. Good luck, and I sure hope that Coco gets well soon!

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