It is important to feed your gerbil a nutritious, balanced diet so that they remain fit, active and healthy, and it is vital that your gerbil has access to fresh water at all times.
Gerbil Food
A range of gerbil mixes and hamster and gerbil mixes are sold in our store and in pet shops. They have been designed with the nutritional needs of gerbils in mind and they consist of a variety of dried cereals, seeds, nuts, fruit and vegetables. You shouldn't feed your gerbil food that has been designed for other animals as it may not be nutritious enough and it could even cause health problems.
Gerbil mix or hamster and gerbil mix should form the main part of your gerbil's diet but you can also feed them some fruit, vegetables and plants to give their diet a little variety.
Gerbil mix is dry and it is stored properly in dry conditions it should stay fresh for a while.
Fruit & Vegetables
You can feed your gerbil a variety of fruit and vegetables to supplement his diet and he will enjoy them as a tasty treat. Only feed fruit and vegetables in small amounts because if your gerbil leaves them, they can become mouldy.
A variety of fruit and vegetables are safe for your gerbil to eat and these include: apple (seedless), carrots, cucumber, parsley, broccoli, cauliflower and small amount of lettuce.
Vegetables that should NOT be fed to your gerbil are: raw kidney beans, onion, tomato leaves, rhubarb leaves, raw rhubarb, potato tops and raw potato.
Ensure you wash any vegetables thoroughly before your feed them to your gerbil.
Plants & Flowers
Plants and flowers are a nice treat for your gerbil but you should ALWAYS make sure that they are safe for your gerbil to eat. If you are in any doubt about the safety of the plant, DO NOT feed it to your gerbil.
Examples of some SAFE plants are: dandelion, clover, yarrow and chickweed.
Examples of plants and flowers that are poisonous to gerbils and should NEVER be fed are: daffodils, ivy, yew, oleander, clematis, buttercups, nightshades, hemlock, hydrangea, poinsettia and rhododendron.
Treats
A wide variety of gerbil treats are available in our store or your local pet shop. Your gerbil will really enjoy these however, treats should be given sparingly to avoid obesity. Other treats can include: biscuits, currents, raisins, sultanas, bread, boiled potatoes, toast and breakfast cereals.
When to Feed
Your gerbil's food should be refreshed daily and make sure you always check their water bottle and top up as required.
Changing your Gerbil's Food
As with all pets, any changes to your gerbil's diet should be done gradually so you don't upset their digestive system.
If you want to introduce some new types of fruit or vegetables to your gerbil's diet, only add one at a time and monitor him for any digestive upsets. This way you will be able to identify which vegetable is causing him problems so you can omit it from his diet.
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