relatively new gerbils, one has a bald patch?

Question
hey there! i have two relatively new gerbils, they're brothers, and they were about 10-12 weeks old when i got them around the beginning of june this year, so they're pretty young... anyway they both chew on the bars of their cage A LOT, which worries me, and now my one gerbil Papi has a bald spot right above where his nose is, in between his eyes. i am wondering if it is due to the fact that they chew on the bars, or if it is a skin irritation issue, and what i should do about it. this bald/odd patch appeared only a couple days ago. thank you so much for your help!

Answer
Hi Meg

Are you giving your gerbils plenty to chew?  Their teeth are constantly growing, therefore they have to grind them down.  They need to be given cardboard (ideally the inner tube from a toilet roll is the best) every day to chew.  I usually get all my friends and neighbors to save theirs for me.  The gerbils then make a deep bedding out of this and burrow in it, which is all part of the fun for them.

If you are already doing this, then I would advise putting some wooden toys in their cage so that he can chew those.  Giving them plenty to chew will also stop them getting bored.  

Don't worry about the bald patch on his nose - providing it doesn't bleed, in which case you'll need to clean it up, the fur should grow back OK.

Regards