Why did my gerbil chew its dead cagemate's face? Fight or post-death?

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!

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.

It's possible there could be an injury to the nose or some dried-on discharge. I would use a clean washcloth to gently remove the debris and see if it returns. If it does return or Stuart shows any additional signs of illness, scheduling a vet checkup to rule out issues such as an injury or respiratory issue is best.

Sorry for your loss. By the description, respiratory collapse is likely, probably mycoplasma. Respiratory difficulty can lead to cardiac arrest. A necropsy at a veterinary office can give more answers.

This behavior is called barbering and it’s very common among gerbils. There is usually one aggressor and one victim, just like you are describing. I would recommend separating the gerbils if at all possible. It may be a good idea to just have two in each cage so they won’t be lonely, but it may be safer for the one being attacked. Also be sure to offer plenty of food and water in space so the gerbils don’t feel like they have to compete for resources. If the injuries are severe you may want to take Ghost in to be checked out by the vet and make sure he doesn’t need any antibiotics or pain medication. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.