Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. It is good to include a small amount of protein in your gerbil diet. It is easy to find apples prepared in nearly every way you can think of, from cooked to pureed to canned to dried. Otherwise, you can let them go without food. Sneezing, wheezing, coughing, runny nose, and crusty eyes are all symptoms of allergies, but they are also symptoms of more serious illnesses. And most of Gerbils that come from the wild originally ate anything that they could find in their habitat to get their dietary requirements. This is due to the polyphenols contained in cranberries which protect cells from damage and disease. 23. Fruits are food for gerbils but should only be given in small amounts. Obviously, its a good idea to give them food each day, but if you forget once or twice, your gerbil will be ok. On top of that, a gerbil has a metabolism that is meant to live in harsh conditions. Specially formulated seed and pellet mixes contain all nutrients that your gerbil needs to live a long and healthy life. I am Eddie, animal journalist and founder of ThePetSavvy. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Table scraps are fine as long as they are still fresh from that day. This way, the insects cant escape or burrow into the substrate. Mealworm and darkling beetles are not poisonous, so you dont need to worry if your gerbil eats one. Gerbils should not eat cranberries because they are not part of their natural diet and could actually be harmful to them. A couple of things, as fried banana chips and locally acquired banana bread, are not suitable for gerbils and should never be given. They should be cut up into slices that are small enough for them to hold. Avoid citrus fruits, avocados, kidney beans, onion, shallots, and dandelion. So, your gerbil needs a more varied diet with more fiber and dried foods. Berries contain the right proportion of carbohydrates to proteins and fats. What do gerbils eat if you decide to keep one as a pet? The simple setup of having a cage-attached bottle can easily give your gerbil water whenever they need it. Weight gain happens easily with gerbils since they dont know when to stop eating fatty foods. If youve ever wondered if rhubarb is good for gerbils, think again. As theyre larger, locusts contain more calories and protein than crickets. Can Gerbils Eat Cooked, Canned or Dehydrated Apples? Individuals with diabetes need foods that can help manage blood sugar and weight. Can gerbils eat kiwis? You might be tempted to give your gerbils big chunks of veggies because its cute, but big pieces can easily become choking hazards. Seeds are an important part of a gerbils diet because they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. They are more expensive because of this, but well worth it for an occasional gerbil treat. In the wild, they feed on many things, such as . Dates are one serious candidate for the title of healthiest dried fruit, with high levels of iron, fiber, potassium, antioxidants, and more. Don't panic! The recommended dietary magnesium concentration is 1.5 grams per kilogram, while the minimum is 1.0 grams per kilogram. these foods have very little water content in them. Gerbils can eat any berry that you buy from a store. Pellets are also easier to digest and are more enjoyable for gerbils. While dried berries contain less water, they do have more sugar per piece. Oatmeal, that hearty, humble breakfast staple, can be a great addition to a diabetes diet. Home. Can gerbils eat lemons? If your gerbil doesnt like waxworms, try mealworms or superworms instead. For optimal health, feed your gerbil a range of different insects. Do Gerbils Hide Their Food: How Long Can They Go without It? They are an excellent source of vitamins C, A, and E, potassium, and fiber. A large plastic box with a tight-fitting lid (and some air holes) works well. Too much birdseed can cause weight gain and other health problems. 19. All pets require versatile food and cranberries have a different flavor than the staple food of bearded dragons. Do gerbils recognize their owners? Nothing more because they are a very sweet fruit. Thousands of people suffering from erratic blood sugar has been using thisground-breaking solution, To help them burn away dangerous fat from their vital organs and bellies. The answer would be yes, but you need to watch out for what type of dried cranberries they are. Live mealworms will quickly pupate and turn into beetles if not fed to your gerbil straight away. Hard treats like dog biscuits are fine in minimal amounts due to the content that wasnt meant for your gerbil. [Gerbil Tail Slip Prevention Guide]. While stabilizing their blood sugar levels naturally and effectively. I thought they might be bad due to they're a bit bitter. They provide a good source of vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin C. However, it is important to remember that too much of anything can be harmful to birds so it should only be offered in moderation. Dried cranberries are easy to find, quick to eat, and extremely versatile. Below you can find the most important data of common berries: Gerbils have a very simple stomach and dont have a well-developed cecum and colon. Pet gerbils can enjoy a wide variety of different kinds of insects, depending on whats available. This creates a mess, spreading bacteria and parasites. Rinse the cranberries in a colander and pick out any stems and leaves. As most fruits and dried fruit have higher sugar content, you should only give these to a gerbil once a week. Add equal portions of puffed rice, puffed corn, puffed wheat, dry rice, dry cat food, and an equal portion of gerbil seed mix into a plastic container. This result is sometimes called impaired fasting glucose. There are also several ways to feed berries to gerbils (fresh, dried, dehydrated) and some are better than others.Table of ContentsDo Gerbils Eat Berries in the Wild?Nutritional Value of Berries (Analysis)Blackberries (FoodData)Blueberries (FoodData)Raspberries (FoodData)Strawberries (FoodData)Red and white currants (FoodData)Blackcurrants (FoodData)FiberMineralsVitaminsWaterSugarCalcium to phosphorus ratio of berriesCan Gerbils Eat Berries? You can choose fruits that are ripe but don't contain seeds to avoid the dangers of overfeeding. The quick answer is YES you can feed them to your rabbit but with a few conditions. more nutritious, since they're picked at the peak of their season and don't lose as much in transit to the store. For this reason, it is advisable to treat cranberries as an occasional snack . This also ensures it wont get bored with its food. Winter White's, Chinese & Russian Campbell Hamsters. (Toxicity of Persin to Gerbils)Continue. Both these options are sugar-free and preservative-free. It is essential to understand the specific nuts, seeds, grains, and twigs that gerbils can feed on. However, there are berry bushes that can grow in the desert. Yes gerbils can eat cranberries. Can Gerbils Eat Berries? I eat cranberries like candy, so I was a bit worried for my friend's gerbils, and if it was okay for gerbils to eat. Gerbils enjoy eating berries because theyre sweet and tasty. But be sure to remove the seeds before feeding your gerbils, as . However, they contain lots of sugar, so they should be fed sparingly. Gerbils have a natural instinct to ignore dead insects. If your gerbil starts showing signs of illness after eating cranberries, take them to the vet right away. But this can lead to selective eating. All the same, issues apply as they do to other berries. When we think of savory snacks, berries come to mind. 8. Oatmeal. A dead insect could have died of poisoning, which would then harm your gerbil to eat it. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.Additionally, PetFood.Guide participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission from purchases made through our links. There are plenty of other ways that you can get animal protein into your gerbils diet. Bananas can be healthy snacks however the main (staple . It is OK for a rabbit to eat cranberries but these small fruits have a high level of acid which can be irritating to the gut if they are eaten in large quantities. They may be shaped like thick wafers or cubes. Do not start throwing the whole bag in their cage, that might be overdoing it. So, if you want to feed your gerbil treats, then berries are a . Italian parsley (flat-leaf) has more flavor, and less of the "curly" look than regular parsley. We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. Thats because they have a different nutrient profile to other berries. Gerbils can not eat canned raspberries, in fact, they should not eat any canned food for that matter, they contain a lot of substances that could be harmful to your gerbil. Gerbils can eat fresh and dried strawberries but only as a treat. However, gerbils need less protein and fat than they need carbohydrates. Seeds are an important part of a gerbil's diet because they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. And other sweeteners can harm garden birds and should never be left out for . Any amount more than that will contribute to a diet that can make your gerbil gain weight. As it is plant-based and whole-grain, you can also feed popcorn to gerbils. Chins can become obese, which can lead to a number of health issues. Chan School of Public Health. As omnivores, gerbils can eat a wide variety of food: vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers, cereals and nuts, pellets, meat and insects, dairies, grass and hay, chewing snacks, and wood snacks. Better yet, the soft yet crunchy texture helps to remove plaque that causes tooth decay. Read More Can Gerbils Eat Kiwi? It provides all the necessary nutrients and contains various dried fruits and nuts. Dried cranberries are a popular snack, but can rats eat them too? But, if you give dried or dehydrated berries, you should limit them to half a teaspoon. Compared to dog biscuits, lab blocks are much harder and fibrous. Firstly, the crumbly structure can make them unusable and ineffective for teeth-wearing. If you want to give your gerbil a treat, try offering them some hay or fresh vegetables instead. Into a cup add equal parts of barley, green and yellow dried peas, dry cat food, small macaroni, whole-grain egg noodles (crushed), raisins, and dried cranberries. Strawberries arent toxic to, Popcorn is a healthy snack. There are several benefits of choosing dried crickets or mealworms for your gerbil: However, most gerbils prefer live insects. Ground corn, Soybean meal, Ground wheat, Oat groats, Squash seeds, Dried bananas, Dried papaya, Dried pineapple, Dried coconut, Dried cranberries, Sugar, Safflower seeds, Corn gluten meal, Ground flaxseeds, Dicalcium phosphate, Dried cane molasses, Dried beet molasses, Wheat germ meal, Calcium carbonate, Vegetable oil (preserved with mixed . Since about 90-95% of the water has been removed, smaller pieces of strawberry have higher amounts of sugar. Berries have between 1 and 6% fiber per serving. Do not give a gerbil any of the following plants and flowers: The biggest mistake you can make is giving a gerbil old fruits and vegetables that are not fresh. But if there is food that does have a toxic effect, its often because too much of it was given. Furthermore, cranberries are full of vitamin E, C, and K1. Insects are an essential part of a wild gerbils diet. Yes, birds can eat dried cranberries. Gerbils thrive on variety in their diet, and can benefit from the addition of laboratory blocks to their daily meals. Gerbils can eat new and dried bananas yet similarly as an occasional treat. However, there are some things you have to watch out for: Check whether the berry contains any parasites. They need their calories to come from roughly 80% carbs, 15% protein, and 5% fat. The same can be mentioned about fruits since older fruits will ripen after a few days and actually increase in natural sugars. This can lead to health problems for their digestive systems and this can easily be avoided by not feeding them cranberries in the first place. Never miss your meds. All rights reserved. They make a healthy snack, although not a suitable regular food. Gerbils will happily eat superworms as a treat, but they shouldnt be the only insect you offer because of their lower protein content.