Contents
Gerbil Breeding
When breeding gerbils, larger cages are recommended, in addition, nest boxes should be made of nesting material, paper or cloth base is ideal, do not use cotton or synthetic fibers as these can be left behind among the gerbil’s cheek pouches affecting their own movement and can be constricting to the limbs. Gerbils need a lot of exercise, so exercise equipment is very important.
Gerbils are omnivores, and the best gerbil food for wild gerbils feeds primarily on grains, plant seeds and plant parts (leaves, stems, tubers and roots), earthworms, snails, and insects, depending on the season. Commercial rodent mixes (seeds, grains and nuts) are the typical diet.
The optimal gerbil food has lower dietary protein requirements than rat mice (13.7- 16.7%), a small amount of timothy fine grass is sufficient to add fiber to the diet, and providing substance for gerbils to nibble on is important. Dog cookies or branches of unprocessed fruit trees are recommended for nibbling.
When it comes to gerbils, there are a number of problems that may be encountered during the course of feeding and management, such as tail de-setting injuries, hairiness and malnutrition, high humidity, dehydration, poor ventilation, gastric and anal blockages, nasal dermatitis, and obesity, all of which are related to a poor diet, especially an excessive intake of sunflower seeds.
Survival of gerbils
Gerbils are pack animals, living in groups in the wild, they are highly territorial and have a social hierarchy within each group. Larger males are usually more dominant, and gerbils that are just over 10 weeks old are particularly fond of fighting.
They are best housed in “sandworms,” which are glass or plastic containers with close mesh or plastic lids and a deep lower section. Gerbils usually rest on their hind legs, so they need to be housed at a certain height, with a recommended minimum height of 15 centimeters.
They are also veteran burrowers and must be provided with a deep substrate to enable them to construct tunnels and burrows, at least 3 cm deep. Common substrates include paper by-products, sawdust and peat. Gerbils will take a considerable amount of time to create a burrow system, they will constantly rearrange their burrows and even the use of cardboard rolls and cardboard boxes to enrich the internal surroundings will be quickly destroyed by the gerbils. At the same time, we have to provide gnawing wood.
Because their urine is particularly low and their feces are very dry and odorless, this only requires us to clean them every few weeks, the only disadvantage is that the animals are very difficult to catch.
The boxes should be kept out of direct sunlight as well as away from heaters to prevent the phenomenon of thermal stress that occurs when the boxes are not free to rise and fall. Gerbils, being a desert species, should be provided with a litter or dust bath, which can be made with chinchilla products, which will keep the hamster’s fur clean while regulating the temperature.
Best Gerbil Food
The diet of wild gerbils varies from season to season and can be fed a pelleted diet supplemented with a small number of fresh fruits and vegetables, but it is important to prevent the consumption of too many sunflower seeds as this can cause them to become obese and undernourished. As the pellets do not contain enough dietary water on their own, this can lead to dehydration problems, which can be avoided by soaking the pellets in water first.
Food is best distributed into the tube to encourage active foraging, with adult gerbils consuming an average of 4-10 grams of food per day. Diets are recommended to be high in protein but less than 5% fat. Gerbils can rapidly elevate cholesterol in the serum and liver when consuming foods with too much fat. Additionally, water requirements are determined by diet and environmental humidity, and it is best to provide bottled water and replace it promptly on a daily basis.
Best types of gerbil food
Best Gerbil Food: Seed Mixtures
These are loose seed mixtures, and the best gerbil food sometimes incorporates pellets or dried vegetables and fruits. Most of these are nutritionally balanced, but only if your gerbil eats everything in the mixture. Unfortunately, many gerbils will pick and choose their favorite items and leave the rest of the mixture in their bowl if there are ingredients that the gerbil has been avoiding that would cause an imbalance in the diet.
This can be especially true if the mixture contains a lot of sunflower seeds (which are often favored by gerbils but are very fattening) and the diet alone is unbalanced. Since loose seed mixtures do not guarantee a complete and balanced diet without eating all the contents, they are not suitable for use as a gerbil’s sole food.
Best Gerbil Food: Particles and Lab Blocks
These gerbil diets offer the advantage of nutritional balance. Pellets are small pieces and lab blocks are larger pieces of food, similar to small cookies. Both are great choices, but some consider lab blocks to be ideal because they have some in-depth scientific research behind them.
Unlike loose mixtures, gerbils can’t pick and choose the components of the diet they want to eat, so blocks and blobs ensure a well-balanced diet is maintained in every bite. However, this food is varied and not very concentrated. So while pellets and lab nuggets can make a good basic diet, it is still recommended to supplement other foods with some mental health.
What Salad is the Best Gerbil Food?
Feeding your pet gerbil a combination of foods can help overcome the disadvantages of different types of diets. A pelleted or lab block diet can form a balanced base for a gerbil’s diet, while loose seed mixtures and other foods can add interest and variety.
Make sure your gerbils eat enough pellets or lab chunks to get those nutritional benefits before giving them seed mixtures or other foods. Avoid including seed mixtures containing sunflower seeds at all, and keeping them as a special food can be very helpful in taming and training your pet gerbil.
Treating Gerbils
Many gerbils love fruits and vegetables. Start by offering small amounts of fresh vegetables or fruit to prevent diarrhea from eating too much at once. Make sure all vegetables and fruits are well washed and free of pesticides. You can try items such as carrots, broccoli, dandelion greens, apples and berries. Avoid raw kidney beans, raw potatoes, onions, potato leaves and rhubarb leaves.
Nuts are available, but be cautious because of their high fat content. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds can be offered in small amounts, for their high fat content. Whole wheat bread can be offered plain or toasted. Unsweetened breakfast cereals tend to be gerbils’ favorite treats. Small amounts of scrambled or hard-boiled eggs can be offered. Sometimes try offering mealworms to your gerbil. Some gerbils like to chew on puppy cookies (without meat) to help keep their teeth submitted (because just like hamsters, their teeth keep growing).
How to feed your gerbil
The best option for feeding your gerbils is to use weights made of ceramic that they won’t chew or tip over. If desired, place a lab block or pill diet in a petri dish and add a little seed mixture (about a teaspoon).
Once you get a feel for how much the gerbils have eaten, try feeding them as much as you can over a 24-hour period (but not too little) and remove any uneaten food before they are fed again if they get wet or soiled. Establish a process of feeding the gerbils at approximately the same time each day (evenings work well).
Place any items to be disposed of in another bowl and remove them after a few hours if they have not been consumed to prevent spoilage. Alternatively, you can hand feed. This is a great way to earn your gerbils’ trust, tame them and provide training and enrichment.