How to Medicate Your Gerbil

Gerbils can be difficult to medicate because they don't enjoy being restrained. It is important to give the medicine quickly to reduce stress. The techniques below describe how to give liquid and pill medications.

Liquid Medication

• Draw up the prescribed amount of medication in a syringe or eyedropper.
• Hold the head and neck of the gerbil with one hand.
• Use the other hand to place the tip of the syringe or eyedropper just behind the front teeth.
• The gerbil will usually open his/her mouth trying to remove the syringe.
• While the gerbil is chewing at the syringe or eyedropper, slowly administer the medication.

Tablet Medication

• If the medication comes in tablet form, crushing the medicine works best. Pill crushers are available at your local pharmacy.
• Crush the medication using a pill crusher or other method.
• Once the medication is in powder form, mix the medicine with a small amount of flavored Sustacal or Ensure.
• About 1/16 teaspoon (0.25 ml) of flavored diet supplement should be enough.
• After mixing the powdered medication with the supplement, follow the instructions for administering liquid form medication.