And about the tail.. sure it may heal on its own, but so would any wound on any other animal. However! I can only imagine how painful that would be! I dont know about you, but Id rather my pet's wound be treated than it suffer in pain while it heals
but thats just it the gerbil would NOT be in pain. the end of a gerbils tail is supossed to come off, it is a defence mechanism, just like a iguanas tail comes off so does a gerbils, that is why I had the problem with it.

and I dont think that they dont deserve to go the vet just because they are small. my dogs rarly go to the vet, I have not been to the docter since I was really young. my critters have never been to the vet. every single one of them has lived long healthy lives. my gerbils have lived to be 6 years old and one that I gave to a friend from the first litter just died last summer, she was 8 years old. her gerbil did not go to the vet either. we simpley do a bunch of research and care for the problem ourselves.

fo those that are able to take their critters everywhere? that great! I am glad you are able to do that, so if you felt they needed a vet they would not be really stressed about it.

I am problibly made because I know what vets are like around here. their are zippo exotics vets, or reptile vets or bird vets. I would never take ANYTHING for an annual vet visit not even people. my dogs dont go, I dont go and my critters dont go. I prefer that if an animal is going to die, that is die in the comfort of its home. and if and animal is sick I think they will get better faster if they are not in some starnge place they have never seen before and no comfort of their "parents". guess what a gerbil of mine broke her back a while ago, I gave her extra loves and made sure she was cozy in her HOME and guess what? she got better. she has since passed on of old age(6 years old) a vet would have put her down I bet. I dont trust vets or any doctors for that matter. JMHO