One of the most important ways to keep your gerbil healthy is to give him or her a balanced diet. Gerbils can eat large selections of seeds and fruit. Remember, a gerbil's diet should be high in carbohydrates, low in fat and should have some minerals such as iron.
Some good ideas for a gerbil's diet could be wheat, most rabbit pellets, sunflower seeds, peanuts and maybe even some sugarless cereals. If you find that your gerbil is not eating a certain item, feel free to cut it. The best way to find the right mixture for your gerbil would be to go through the process of trial and error.
Sunflower seeds are almost always a favourite of a gerbil. After your gerbil(s) get used to them you might even find them throwing all other seeds out of the cage or rejecting them in the process of looking for the sunflower seeds. It is best to keep the amount of sunflower seeds low because a high amount could result in your gerbil having too much body fat.
It is also a good idea to give your gerbil(s) fruits and vegetables such as apples, lettuce, beans, etc... If a young gerbil is brought up with this, they will likely like fruit and vegetables for their entire live. If they are not given them at a young age, they probably will not like them later.
Remember to always keep a good amount of seed in your gerbil's cage! Gerbils prefer a set time to receive their food (e.g. every day around 8:00p.m.). This will prevent them from over eating or not eating enough. |
