Food

 

Food, is obviously a main part of keeping your Gerbil healthy, I use a gerbil mix. It includes what seems like everything the Gerbils need, however there are always things that could also be added in to supplement the things they don't have.

I have heard of plenty of mixes that seem to have way too many sunflower seeds in them, now this may be the case, but you need to check out the fat and protein content of the mix before you begin taking out any of the sunflower seeds.

Best Protein/Fat Figures:
Non breeding gerbils - 12% protein, 6-8% fat
Breeding gerbils - 15-16% protein, 7-9%fat
Old gerbils - 10-11% protein 3-5% fat.

So if the mix has 6-8% fat, then do not remove any of the sunflower seeds, if you do then you run the risk of having Gerbils that are too thin. However, I would advise to seek out a different mix with less sunflower seeds in and still has 6-8% fat. A good mix for this is Gerri Gerbil (difficult to find in the US), it has the perfect levels, so does Burgess Supa Hamster.

For any breeding Gerbils, use these mixes and add in dry dog or cat biscuits to up the levels of protein and fat, also offer the female things like cheese or egg.

As Sunflower seeds are a favourite, you can give these as treats - however they are high in fat, so perhaps they are best kept as a treat rather than part of their main diet. I usually take out any sun flower seeds, keep them in a jar and offer them as treats. Pumpkin seeds are another, as well as peanuts and for the same reason are best kept as treats rather than part of their main diet.

Fresh fruits and veggies are very good and you can give your Gerbils almost anything. If they don't like one type of fruit or veg, just try another. Most of mine like Lettuce, Banana, Broccoli, and Tomato. Some like others more than the next, it's just all personal taste, just like with us. You have to be careful with fresh fruit and veg though, as too much can cause them to have diarrhoea, and also check the cage once they are done for any left overs, as you don't want them going moldy inside the nest.

Rice and pasta can be given, some claim that they will expand in the stomach though so be sure to cook first, this I don't know if it is true or not.

Below are the foods that I add into my gerbils' diet, either by giving them the food by hand or by mixing it in with the rest of their food.

Apple – dried or fresh
Carrot
Banana – dried or fresh
Cucumber
Dried bread
Cheese (very small doses and as a treat!)
Cooked pasta/rice
Grapes
Tomato
Cereals (low sugar, so shredded wheat is ok, all bran, porridge)
Wild birdseed
Dandelion leaves
Grass (make sure no toxins on it)
Dried Dog biscuits - for extra protein and variety in their food
Millet seeds
Walnuts
Hazelnuts
Almonds
Broccoli

NB: only feed in moderation, as with humans a balanced diet is best

Dakota eating some Broccoli.

Siena and pups tuck into some Broccoli.

Saffie gobbling down a peanut.

Food can often also be a good tool to help you tame your gerbils, once they are comfortable enough with you, they will allow you to do all manner of things to them...

Here Siena doesn't care about the fact that we are stroking her forehead, she's too busy eating!

By offering your gerbils treats such as sunflower seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds etc you can often bribe your new Gerbils into gaining trust and friendship. Be careful not to use this trick too often, as it could cause your gerbils to expect treats everytime and they could end up nipping your fingers/hand whilst trying to find them. The best way, I find to tame gerbils is to talk to them a lot, and to sit with your hand in the tank a lot.. and I mean, A LOT. spend half an hour here, half an hour there just with your hand in the tank.

Millet

Millet seeds are good to give to your Gerbils, as they are high in oils, it aids in keeping the Gerbil's coat nice and shiny and sleek. If you buy a wild bird seed it is likely to have millet seeds in it, I feed my gerbils millet in the form of the spray - it is not literally a spray like in a can, the millet it still on its branch. Give each gerbil around an inch per week, any more than this and you could end up with high gerbils!! Millet is indeed a stimulant, so no more than an inch per week!!

 

 

A lot of people find that their Gerbils do not eat the 'green things' in their mixes... I must have weird Gerbils because mine do!

 

Mineral Blocks/Salt licks

I usually have a mineral block in each tank, although usually they just bury it, sometimes you will see your gerbils chewing at it, and it must provide them with something they need...