What should I feed my gerbils?

With their soft, grey-brown fur, long, fluffy tails, delicate, pointed nose and large, dark eyes, gerbils have buckets of pet appeal. In the wild, these resilient rodents forage for whatever food they can find in harsh, desert environments across Africa, India and Asia, surviving on grasses, herbs, seeds, roots, bulbs and insects. To keep them happy and healthy, pet gerbils need a diet that replicates what they would eat naturally.

“Gerbils are omnivores, which means they naturally eat a mix of vegetation and animal matter. They require a diet that contains protein, plus fibre to help their digestive system function correctly, as well as essential nutrients and minerals for bone, teeth and heart health, and to support a healthy coat,” advises Burgess in-house vet Dr Suzanne Moyes. “Gerbils can eat very small portions of suitable fruit and vegetables – but not too much, as this can cause diarrhoea, which is a serious health issue for these small rodents, requiring a trip to the vet.”

If you’re not sure about the best way to feed your gerbils, our Q&A can help!

Q: What’s the best daily diet for gerbils?

A: To ensure your gerbils get all the nutrients they need, small pet experts agree that choosing a pelleted dry food created especially for omnivorous rodents is the best choice. Foods formulated for other small animals, such as rabbits, guinea pigs or chinchillas, should not be fed to gerbils, as these won’t meet their nutritional requirements. Avoid muesli mixes, too.

Dr Suzanne Moyes reveals: “With muesli-style mixes, gerbils will pick out the bits they fancy and leave the rest – known as selective feeding – which puts them at risk of not getting all the nutrients they need. The way to overcome this is to feed them an all-in-one, pelleted food, which contains all of the nutrients they need in each crunchy mouthful.”

A healthy gerbil diet should comprise:

• Nutrition-packed nuggets – especially designed for omnivorous rodents such as gerbils, which contains all the protein, nutrients and minerals they need for bone, teeth and heart health and to support a healthy coat. Feed each gerbil around a tablespoon a day.
• Some tasty, high-quality feeding hay provides fibre, which promotes healthy digestion. Munching on hay will help keep their continually growing front teeth in good shape. If a gerbil has teeth problems, they may stop eating.
• Fresh, clean water must always be available – keep their bottle spotlessly clean and change the water daily. Ensure that your gerbils can reach and drink from the bottle with ease.

Feed your gerbils once a day. As these small rodents are diurnal, which means they are active during the daytime, the best feeding time is in the morning. Only feed the amount they need each day. As food can be difficult to come by in their natural habitat, gerbils are hard-wired hoarders – so stay vigilant and remove any stale food items they’ve secretly stashed away!

Q: What fresh foods are suitable for gerbils?

A: As opportunistic omnivores, gerbils will enjoy very small amounts of chopped, fresh food – just a thumbnail-sized portion, two or three times a week. Be aware that as their digestive system was designed for life in a dry, desert environment, too much fresh food can cause upset tummies.  

The following fresh foods are suitable for gerbils:

• Vegetables and herbs: Carrot, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chicory, spinach, sweet peppers, cucumber, cress, courgette, pumpkin, fennel, basil, sage, parsley, coriander
• Fruit: Apple, pear, peach, melon

And, as gerbils naturally eat leaves and herbs, some Lucious Leaves (a tempting mix of dried dandelion leaves, nettle leaves, red clover and ribwort) will add some welcome variety to their diet. Delicious, nutritious Botanical Blends (a selection of dried hedgerow herbs) will also be relished by your gerbil friends. Mix a handful in with their feeding hay, so they can forage away to their heart’s content, just as they would in the wild.

Q: What foods should be avoided?

There are several foods that you shouldn’t give your gerbils. These include:

• Sweet treats – Colourful gerbil treats are often very high in sugar, which is bad for your gerbils’ teeth and tummy.
• Nuts and certain seeds – Gerbils don’t naturally eat nuts, which are very high in fat, as are sunflower seeds. Pumpkin seeds are a better choice as an occasional treat.
• Human food – High-carb bread, pasta, crackers and biscuits can cause digestive problems. Chocolate and dairy products are particularly dangerous, and citrus fruit can upset their sensitive tummies. Potatoes, rhubarb, tomato leaves, onions and garlic are also poisonous to rodents.

Ultimately, if you’re not sure if something’s safe for your gerbils to eat, it’s best avoided.

Q: Do gerbils need things to chew on?

A: Absolutely! Chewing, gnawing and shredding stuff is a natural gerbil behaviour that makes them happy, so provide a variety of things for them to get their teeth into, such as cardboard, Coconut Leaf Twists and Banana Leaf Balls wrapped in seagrass, and natural wood branches – safe woods include apple, hazelnut and hawthorn (wash thoroughly).

You can also treat your gerbils to Forage & Feast Mini Bales, which are bite-sized bundles of hay topped with a choice of flavoursome flowers – Cornflower, Rosehip or Marigold, and Forage & Feast Hay Bars, which are perfect for hand feeding and come in three appetising varieties – Marigold, Cornflower or Rose.

Q: How can I make feeding time more fun for my gerbils?

A: As well as ensuring that your gerbils get all the nutrition they need, nuggets are also ideal for adding enrichment, making feeding time extra fun for these smart, small pets who like to keep busy. In the wild, gerbils would spend a lot of time searching out food, and you can encourage this foraging behaviour by scattering a few nuggets around your pets’ accommodation – which will also avoid squabbles around the food bowl! You could also try:

• Hiding hay, food pellets and greens in paper bags and cardboard tubes to provide your gerbil chums with additional foraging challenges. 
• Providing some special activity toys suitable for small animals, such as maze boards and treat balls, in which you can hide some yummy nuggets.
• Filling a box with hay, then throw in a few nuggets and watch some brilliant gerbil burrowing action!

Dr Suzanne Moyes says: “Enrichment is really important as it facilitates natural behaviours such as foraging, burrowing, chewing and gnawing, which minimises stress-related behaviours and will boost your gerbils’ quality of life. Providing food and treats in innovative ways is a great way for gerbil owners to make their pets’ lives more interesting and rewarding by increasing cognitive problem-solving and reducing boredom.”

Q: Why do gerbils eat some of their droppings?

A: While this behaviour seems rather strange to us humans, it’s actually the natural way that gerbils get all the nutrients they need and helps them stay hydrated (although they still need access to fresh water). This process (known as coprophagy) allows them to extract unabsorbed vitamins and moisture from their food as it passes through the digestive tract a second time – a crucial survival trait for their desert-dwelling ancestors.

So now you know! If your gerbils are eating their droppings, it’s a sign that everything’s working properly!

CARE MORE Find lots of useful advice on caring for all your gerbils from Burgess, the pet experts. Health, housing, feeding, companionship and gerbil behaviour – it’s all here >>

WHY CHOOSE BURGESS EXCEL NUGGETS FOR YOUR GERBILS? 

Burgess Hamster, Gerbil & Mouse Nuggets are nutritionally balanced, crafted from only the best quality ingredients in a tasty recipe to help keep your gerbils happy and healthy.

• Small nuggets designed for little mouths
• Added linseed to support a healthy skin and coat
• Peas for protein and to ensure the nuggets are extra scrummy! 

With a whole host of *5-STAR REVIEWS*, take a look at what our customers have told us:

* Burgess brand foods for small pets – quality products with the correct nutrients for your pet. * Good food – my boy seems to really enjoy it. * Gerbil loves them. Decided to try these to add variety, and my gerbil adores them. More interested in this than any other food. * Excellent quality, great for small rodents. * Great gerbil food – mine love it. * Fab food! This is the only food that all 3 of my gerbils will eat! I have tried them on a lot of different brands that contain multiple ingredients, but my fussy eaters would only pick and choose their favourite bits, resulting in a lot of waste food and money! These nuggets stop waste, and my gerbils love this stuff! *

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All our high-quality recipes have been formulated by vets, and, with a long tradition of supporting British farmers, we actively source all our ingredients as close to our Yorkshire mill as possible.

*It’s no surprise that 92% of UK vets recommend our Burgess Excel small pets range!*

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NEED SOME EXPERT GERBIL FEEDING ADVICE?

If you are at all unsure about the best way of feeding your gerbils, or have any concerns about specific nutritional requirements, ask your local veterinary practice for advice. You can also call our expert team on 44 (0)0800 413 969 who’ll be happy to help. They’re available 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can use our online form to get in touch.