Gerbils might not be as popular as pets, but to your surprise, they make great pets. These curious little species can be very entertaining to watch. If you already have a gerbil or planning to get one, here is one very useful suggestion for you; you need to include a good enclosure for your gerbil, starting from bedding to water to a wheel and most importantly food.
You may supplement your gerbil with fresh fruits and vegetables, but here are 10 best food products that will ensure that your gerbil is receiving the best nutrients for them to grow and remain healthy.
The Best Gerbil Food
Gerbils love a blend of timothy hay, oats and barley, all of which are present in this Oxbow Animal Health Gerbil Fortified Food. These optimally balanced nutrients have a complete and stabilized food that helps maintain your gerbil’s proper weight, digestive function, nutrition level, dental health as well as a good quality of active life for them. The high level of fibre present in the pack helps the digestive system to work steadily.
This pack of food is a total win as it does NOT include seeds, artificial preservatives, high level of sugary fruits, colours or other flavours. However, this is not meant for pregnant or fostering female gerbils. Serve this Oxbow hays only to encourage your gerbil’s active engagement and to provide them with enrichment.
No artificial preservatives added
Handpicked ingredients
Balanced nutrition
Maintains proper nutrition level of food that your gerbil needs
Keeps your gerbil active
- Brand: Oxbow
- Model: 744845302096
- Weight: 1.02 pounds
Exploring the nutritional industry for over 150 years, Kaytee is at the heart of every healthy feeding routine. Kaytee Fiesta Gerbil Food is a gourmet diet that is nutritionally encouraged and made of a high-quality blend of fruits, seeds, vegetables and grains presenting maximum assortments and nutrition for gerbils.
It comprises of prebiotics and probiotics to promote your gerbil’s digestive system and is made with shapes and textures to support dental health during the course of natural chewing activity. This food is naturally processed for the perfect freshness. It is completely rich in natural antioxidants that are good for the general health of your gerbil.
Supports dental health and immune system
Ideal freshness
High-quality blends
Contains prebiotics and probiotics
Rich in natural antioxidants
The blend overall is really good for small species animals
- Brand: Kaytee
- Model: 100502635
- Weight: 4.5 pounds
Higgins Premium Pet foods have been producing high-quality feed for small animals for more than 45 years. This gourmet food mix is a perfect blend of dried mixed fruits, seeds, nuts, grains, legumes and so on. The best part is, it comes all without artificial preservatives, colours or flavourings. This brilliant recipe comes with DHA omega-3 and probiotics for a healthy immune system. You never to worry if the food for your gerbil is dusty because Higgins air-washes the ingredients multiple times to cut off dust. Carefully planned for gerbil’s nutritional needs, this food pack also contains the necessary vitamins, amino acids, minerals, probiotics and DHA omega-3.
Protected probiotics
Naturally conserved
DHA enriched
Natural colours
No preservatives added
Assorted fruits and vegetables
Comes in 2.5 lbs and 5 lbs
- Brand: Higgins
- Model: 56303
- Weight: 2.5 pounds
As you can already guess from the name, Supreme Petfoods is a brand devoted to making superior quality foods for small animals. It has been prudently designed to supply your gerbil with a nutritionally delicious complete daily food necessity. The different shapes, texture and sizes make it visually appealing. The blend of natural ingredients is unique and 100% preservative free. It provides any gerbil to fulfil their nutritional needs and enjoy their tiny mealtime.
As tasty as the mix is, it will enable normal foraging behaviour among your gerbils making sure that they are happy and healthy. There are not many gerbil foods that you find turn out to be of this good quality.
Tasty mix
Different shapes and size
Nutritionally balanced
No added sugar
Especially added linseed for healthy skin and shiny coat of your gerbil
Suitable for all breeds
- Brand: SupremePetfoods
- Model: 5416
- Weight: 2 pounds
This advanced nutrition diet feed from Wild Harvest offers the optimal nutrition for your gerbil, maintaining the requirements that are essential. Although gerbils are very small creatures, they also need a balanced that contains a lot of protein and fibre. Containing bite-sized fruits, natural vegetables, crispy nuts and delightful seeds, it’s a great combination of a variety that is sure to become your gerbil’s favourite!
What can be better than all of these being tasty and healthy as well as providing good nutrition? This Fruit Amp Formula from Wild Harvest provides healthier and more nutritional addition to your pet’s diet. Boosted with antioxidant nutrients, this Fruit Amp makes sure to provide your gerbil with overall good nutrition with its Omega 3 Fatty Acids that is seen as an essential health beneficiary. Aiming to provide products that has a complete meal for your gerbil’s nutritional needs, it provides the perfect blend of feed and treats to meet the dietary needs. Nonetheless, this Fruit Amp with the tantalizing blend of vitamins and minerals will keep your tiny furry friend happy and healthy.
Fruit Amp formula
With seeds, fruits, vegetables and grains
Contains protein and fibre
An advanced diet for your gerbil
Antioxidant nutrients
Omega 3 fatty acids
A perfect blend of vitamins and minerals
- Brand: Wild Harvest
- Model: E1950W
- Weight: 4 pounds
Selected ingredients containing unique and high-quality garden elements that stimulate those found in your gerbil’s natural foraging environment are all present in this Oxbow Garden Select Fortified Food for Gerbils pack. Combining a complete balance of garden fresh flavours and aroma, this feed contains all of the perfect nutrition that can be obtained from mother nature.
These selected garden ingredients include whole yellow pea, rosemary, tomato and thyme for a delectable feast. This trustworthy brand is Project Non-GMO certified and a much-needed nutrition for your pet gerbil.
Promotes dental health
Promotes digestive health
Enhances daily routine
Prevents boredom
Hand-picked and garden ingredients
Complete balance of nutrition
Non-GMO formula
- Brand: Oxbow
- Model: 744845810041
- Weight: 1.5 pounds
Treats. Pets of all species love treat! Your small pets deserve this high-fibre Timothy Hay baked delicious biscuits. These baked crispy hay treats are of carrots or apples that are great for teeth as well as tastes good! Plus, these treats do not make any untidiness around. Fulfil your small pet’s desire to chew these nutritious treats, shaped in different sizes and flavours with no artificial colours. Just be certain not to overfeed these treats to your pets. Treats usually contain high fat or sugary content, which might be detrimental for your pets if you give them too often.
Chewing activity supports dental health
Best during playtime
No artificial colours or flavours
Nutritional variety of carrots and apples
- Brand: Kaytee
- Model: 100037504
- Weight: 4 ounces
Your fatty paws might sometimes need a salad. These 21 nutritiously tasty ingredients make a tempting salad that your small pets. Including aromatic and beneficial marigold, nettle, peppermint and dandelion, your gerbil’s fur is going to be heavenly. If you are the type of pet owner who’s concerned about your pet’s healthy living, this is an ideal feed. In addition, this Rosewood pack contains all the essential vitamins, bioflavonoids, minerals and fibre.
You never need to worry whether preservatives or other chemicals have been mixed with this or not as this food pack is all natural and cereal free with 0% added sugar. Feeding this healthy feedstuff, your gerbil will look forward to their next meal time.
100% natural and cereal free
The natural ingredients include vitamins, minerals, fibre and bioflavonoids
Highly appealing
Very healthy
No added sugar
- Brand: Rosewood Pet
- Model: 76440
- Weight: 7.2 ounces
F.M. Brown believes the need for proper nutrition and great diet for your small pet and hence this Tropical Carnival Fruit and Nut Treat is the foundation of all. This is a perfect combination vitamin from various ingredients like raisins, pineapple, almonds, papaya, carrot, mango and so on, which makes is delicious as well as nutritious. Show some love to your small pet by treating them with this Tropical Carnival Fruit, Nut and Veggie mix. Turns out, your pet will feel highly rewarded with this fresh goodness treat.
Super nutritious as well as delicious
An excellent reward treats
Contains all vitamins
Chunky, chewy and crispy
- Brand: Tropical Carnival
- Model: 423096
- Weight: 8 ounces
Another healthy feed from Kaytee that offers prebiotics and probiotics to support your gerbil’s digestive system Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health Food for gerbils is an excellent nutrition support because of the natural antioxidants that are present in it. The crunchy bits of feed provide great support to the dental health over natural chewing activity.
Overall, this food is rich with its Omega-3, DHA and probiotics that are great for the general health of your gerbil. With more than 150 years of dietary experience, Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health ensures to provide the best. There is no doubt that is feed will look after a long and healthy life.
Large, crispy pieces are entitled to support the dental health of your gerbil
Prebiotics and probiotics present in the feed
Nutritionally balanced
Naturally preserved
Fresh goodness
- Brand: Kaytee
- Model: 100502315
- Weight: 5 pounds
Best Gerbil Food Buying Guide & FAQ
Things to Consider When Buying Gerbil Food
With so many options in hand, feeding your gerbil should not be an issue at all. However, you should always make sure that your pet gerbil is supplemented with the most healthy and nutritious foods available. Their foods include a lot of commercial mixes. To ensure that your gerbil is receiving the necessary daily protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, these are some of the things that you should look into when buying their food:
- Healthy and nutritious
Choose a commercial blend of food that has all the necessary nutrients that your gerbil needs on a daily basis to stay healthy. Suppose, an addition of oats, barley, hay, seeds, fruits could work wonderfully. In addition, you could schedule to provide hem with a salad blend once a while, to boost their immune system. Not to forget treats! Treats are a must for all pets and so is in the case of a pet gerbil. Serve them with feeds that encourage them to nutrients and are as well as healthy.
- No artificialities
Gerbils are very small creatures. Natural food with the right amount of nutrition will suffice. There is no need for you to look for a food pack that contains artificial preservatives. Artificialities might help in the temporary growth of your small pet, but in the long run, it is hazardous.
- No added sugar
Sugar, in other words, are toxic for your small pet. Except for treats, you should always read the product label to see if it contains any added sugar to your gerbil supplies. In case if you are curious about what happens if your gerbil supplies contain sugar, it causes a racing heart rate, panting or restlessness or other liver-related diseases in your gerbil. Hence, sugar is a big no-no.
- Chewy
Gerbils are prone to having dental problems. No matter how gentle your pet gerbil might be, they are picky eaters. The best way to keep their teeth healthy is by providing them with chewy foods, which will keep them chewing for quite long.
Nutritional Needs of Gerbil
Although you can find excellent food packs in the pet stores for your gerbil, you could also prepare a homemade mix for them with small sums of vegetables and fruits. Whichever food you’re providing them with, ensure that their nutritional needs are being fulfilled. Below listed are nutritional needs of your pet gerbil:
- Protein
Protein helps in the growth and brain power of gerbils. In fact, this is like their main fuel for their everyday activities. While having no more than 15% of protein in food mixes leads to a slower growth in gerbils, having too much (+20%) could lead to the damage of liver, kidney stones and skin tears. If your gerbil was recently sick, they might need a small period of time for their protein intake to be 20% more, but make sure to check with your veterinarian before you give them any diet.
- Healthy fat
You might be wondering that fat is detrimental for your gerbil’s health. Well, here’s the true story about giving fats to your gerbils. Fats should never be completely omitted from your gerbil’s food regimen. The ultimate amount of fat varies between 3% – 9%. Not to mention, your gerbil’s age, activity levels and breed are also dependent on the amount of fat to be supplemented to your gerbil. Fat is essential to keep up their energy levels as well as to keep their coat in a healthy condition. If you’re providing fat to your gerbil, check on the limit of how much you are giving them. too much could put them in serious health conditions like obesity, heart disease, stroke, etc.
- Water
Though your pet gerbil might not drink a lot of water, they still need a constant supply of it to keep them hydrated. A tiny water bottle is a good supply to your pet.
- Fresh Produce
Fruits, vegetables and dairy products are good gerbil supplies. For example, apple, apricot, carrot, cooked potato, cucumber, hard boiled eggs, plain yoghurt and a little bit of cheese are completely safe for your small pet. However, fruits like citrus or oranges are acidic and can cause severe diarrhoea. Do keep in mind that if you are giving them raw food, make sure to rinse the fresh fruits and vegetables properly to remove any traces of chemicals or pesticides.
Ingredients to Avoid Feeding Your Gerbil
Gerbils are very picky eaters. It’s not like they will gobble everything you provide them with. However, here are some ingredients that you must avoid giving your gerbil at any cost:
- Oranges or grapefruits: These are extremely acidic and can cause severe diarrhoea. In fact, they are poisonous and can destroy the red blood cells of your small pet.
- Fruit seed: If you plan on eating the fruit and giving the leftover seeds to your gerbil then it might not be a good idea. Fruit seeds are detrimental to your gerbil’s health, which can cause the death of your pet.
- Fruits or vegetables containing too much water: Lettuce, cabbage, watermelon and stuff like this have some dangerous laxative outcomes on your gerbil’s health. Even if you plan on giving it to your pet, feed them in very small amounts.
- Alcohol: Not even a single drop of alcohol should go through your gerbil’s throat. Beverages containing alcohol are also equally harmful. It can instantly kill your pet!
- Chocolate: We all love chocolates and love sharing it with our loved ones. Unfortunately, you cannot share chocolates with your tiny little gerbil, no matter how much you want to. That is because of the toxic chemical called Theobromine present in it. Even a little chunk could cause cardiac arrhythmias, seizures or worst case a heart attack! Additionally, avoid any other sugary content as well.
Common Gerbil Health Problems
Gerbils are very active and robust and are not at all prone to any kind of illness. However, under weather circumstances or by any chance, even if they do fall ill, that would be very unfortunate. Take a look at these few illnesses that your gerbil might encounter:
- Stroke: It is common among older gerbils. Recognize the symptom of a stroke by their paralysis or weakness down one side. Even if you notice this, try to make them feel as comfortable as possible and keep them warm. Stroke is said to follow and cause death among gerbils. Make sure that your gerbil is well fed and provided with enough water until they recover enough to do it by themselves. Seek your vets advise if you find the situation to be very serious.
- Inner ear infections: If you notice your gerbil to be tilting their head to one side, chances are the tiny poor thing has gotten an ear infection. Typically caused by a cyst in the ear known as cholesteatoma, they are usually untearable among gerbils. But the good news is, they are totally treatable using antibiotics this problem has a chance of reoccurring if they are not treated properly the first time. They might even collapse and quickly expire if it becomes totally incapable of caring.
- Diarrhoea: Diarrhoea among gerbils are very dangerous and should be treated immediately as it might be a sign of Tyzzer’s Disease. Plus, if you have a couple of other gerbils in the same cage, separate them immediately from the one that is affected with diarrhoea. Anything that has come in touch with the affected gerbil should be carefully cleaned and sterilized. Worst case scenario is that it can be passed on to humans and become a serious illness for humans too. Diarrhoea among gerbils should NEVER be ignored.
- Respiratory ailment: Forced breathing dull staring cough accompanied by clocking sounds could be alarming respiratory problems among gerbils. Seek veterinary help and provide them with antibiotics if necessary. Early treatments have a good possibility for your gerbil to recover well.
- Sore eyes, ears and nose: Eyes may cause irritation and produce copious quantities of mucus. Your vet will provide you with antibiotic drops if necessary. Ears can have mites. Ear mites are common among all species of pets but gerbils catch it while cleaning their ear. There is no need for you to be scared unless it is blocking the ear canal. But the sore nose is a common illness among gerbils and are caused from aromatic oil formed by cedar shavings. Caged gerbils often get sore noses because of their constantly chewing and rubbing their fur off around their nose.
- Loss of their tail: Your gerbil’s tail is very fragile. The rough handling can be the reason for it to tuft and come away. Usually, the bone will be left behind. It is not very pleasant as the bone dries out and then automatically amputate over a short period of time and heal naturally. There have been cases where the entire tail had been pulled off. If you ever come across something like this, get your gerbil examined by your vet and check that there are no other injuries that have been caused. Gerbils are so strong that they will hardly notice the injury and move on to adopt the loss.
Best Gerbil Food FAQ:
Q: How to change your gerbil diet?
A: Most of these food packs are excellent supplements for gerbils, fulfilling their dietary needs at its best. However, your pet gerbil might get bored with its taste and smell quickly. Hence, they enjoy the process of categorizing their food, using their senses to do that. The best way to keep them interested in food is giving them the freedom where they can pick and choose from a variety of quality foods.
Apart from the regular gerbil supplies, if you’re planning on changing their food habits, give them mealworms, grasshoppers or dried insects. These are high in protein and somewhat really good for your gerbil’s health. In short, you need not to really change your gerbil’s diet, just keep a variety of food handy and change their food habits whenever possible.
You can also give your gerbil mealworms, dried insects, or grasshoppers. Insects are high in protein, which is good for your gerbil’s health, however, be careful not to overfeed as an excess of protein can increase their risk of developing a tumour or kidney inflammation. One insect per week is sufficient.
Q: How much should I feed my gerbil?
A: How much you should feed your gerbil depends on how many gerbils you have and what type of food you buy. If you take a look at the product labels, it will clearly state how much food you are supposed to feed them a day. On an average, gerbils need approximately 10 grams per day. Now you have the liberty to divide it according to 3 – 4 meals per day.
Q: Can gerbil food go bad?
A: Yes. If you are giving your gerbil some raw and fresh fruits and vegetables and if there are leftovers, take it out of their food container and throw it away! Stale food is horrendous for your gerbil’s health.
Our Top Pick
Oxbow believes that quality of life begins with quality care. Oxbow Animal Health Gerbil Fortified Food with its premium blend of timothy hay, oats and barley make the optimally balanced nutrients for your gerbil. This pack helps to maintain your gerbil’s weight, digestive system, nutrition level and dental health, providing a good quality of active life for them. Feeding this pack, you’ll never have to worry about their immune system working steadily. Plus, it does not include seeds, artificial preservatives, high level of sugary fruit, colours or any other flavours. But bear that in mind that it is not meant for pregnant or fostering female gerbils. Supply your gerbils with this Oxbow Animal Health Gerbil Fortified Food and encourage them in their activities.
Sources:
- What Do Gerbils Eat?, WebMD
- Laurie Hess, DVM, Owning a Pet Gerbil, VCA Hospitals
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