What foods do gerbils eat?

We have all the information you need about gerbil food. It might seem complicated because gerbils are not true vegetarians, even though they mainly eat cereals and grains and need a mixture of food types to keep them healthy, so just follow our easy guide.

Here are the food types you need to think about offering your gerbil:

Fresh water: essential for life
Concentrate: needed for nutritional balance – a mix caters for their natural inclination to forage
Fresh vegetables in small amounts such as carrots, celery, peppers, lettuce, courgette
Fruit: only as an occasional treat
Snacks or treats : mealworms, seeds, nuts

Fresh water – must always be available. It can be provided in a bottle or a bowl. Make sure to check the sipper of the water bottle at least daily as they can become clogged. Water bowls should be heavy so they are not knocked over.

Concentrate – gerbil food concentrates provide the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that may be absent or present in variable amounts in other foods.

Wholegrain’s provided in a gerbil food are recommended to wear down their constantly growing teeth and to keep their gut healthy.

A mix (which can contain cereals and vegetables that might be dried whole or flaked) provides the nutrients that are needed overall in each of the components. It is important when feeding a mix to ensure the bowl is cleared before it is topped up, so that each meal provides all the nutrients your gerbil needs. A high-quality concentrate or mix will contain natural ingredients that gerbils like to eat, without the addition of sugary syrups which can result in digestive upset or dental disease.

Fresh food for gerbils – just a little of what they like each day, introducing new veg carefully.