lemma the red-nosed gerbil

popecatapetal

i've had my father and son pair of gerbils for three weeks now. they seem to be settling in fine, but i just noticed the son has a red streak up his nose. preliminaries studies of the internet reveal it could be mucous, but i'm very worried it's blood, as i've been keeping him on wood shavings, and the internet tells me this can be bad.
what should i do? is savlon an acceptable antibacterial ointment to use on him until i can get to a vet's? has anyone on here had problems like this before? if he has an allergy to wood shavings, what can i use instead? he's in a plastic tub with a wire lid, but he can't reach the lid.
i know i'm probably over reacting vastly, but they're my first away-from-family pets, and i really want them to be okay.

popecatapetal

update an hour later - the little guy has left a puddle of blood on my dressing table with a poo floating in it... this sounds serious... he was licking himself afterwards, which explains the red nose too... can anyone explain this? and does anyone know of a vet in the foxrock area or vicinity that is good with small animals?

popecatapetal

update number 2 - lemma the gerbil may have a bladder infection. red pee is a sign of such, and i will take him to a vet tomorrow to get antibiotics. if anyone ever has a medical emergency, 1890564036 is the number of an emergency vet line, which was immensely helpful.

Nala

it's good that you're getting him to the vet, remember never, ever give an animal any sort of human medication or cream of any kind without checking with a vet first.