gerbil tumor?

Question
Our 2 year old gerbil has begun acting strangely at times (not too frequently yet) by rolling around and around uncontrollably and walking unsteadily.  Then, he'll come out of it and be fine.  Before I take him to a vet and get an x-ray, have you heard about gerbils having neurological problems and this problem specifically?  It breaks our hearts to watch him do this and the kids get frightened.  Should we take him to the vet? The only way they would know something is to give an xray (which would be expensive) because he's doing this infrequently now.  Thanks for any insight.

Answer
It does sound as though it is neurological. There could be a back injury, brain injury or a tumor it is impossible to tell without veterinary expertise and observation. I have seen this in rabbits and guinea pigs but not every diagnosis is the same.
I do suggest he is checked out by the vet.
2 years old is an average lifespan old gerbils but they can live to 5 years depending on the individual