Can Gerbils Eat Strawberries?

Just like all other animals, gerbils also need a nutritious diet to stay healthy. Many people wonder whether they can add fruits, such as strawberries, to their gerbil’s diet.

This is because they are a source of vitamins, minerals, and a lot of healthy phytochemicals. If you are one of those people, this article is for you!

Are Strawberries Safe For Gerbils

The simple answer is “Yes”, strawberries can be given to gerbils as a treat, but they shouldn’t be fed to them every day.  

Even though they do not contain any toxic substances, they are not particularly useful for a gerbil. They do not have any fat or protein in them. Neither do they contain nutrients like sodium chloride, vitamin B, and magnesium, all of which are essential for the health of the gerbil’s brain. They are rich in vitamin C, but gerbils don’t need it.

They also contain high water content, which is difficult for gerbils to process and can give them diarrhea. 

How Many Strawberries Can Gerbils Eat?

Because of their acidic nature, strawberries should only be given occasionally to gerbils. Feeding them half a teaspoon of chopped strawberries once or twice a week is more than enough. Anything more than that, and you’ll risk giving them stomach issues such as diarrhea. 

It is also recommended to remove the stalk of the strawberries, and cut them into small pieces before giving them to gerbils so they don’t end up choking. Strawberries are also the type of fruit that can rot quickly, so it is important that you remove any leftover pieces from your gerbil’s cage. If mold grows on the strawberries and your gerbils eat them, it can make them sick.

A well-balanced diet is very important for gerbils. While strawberries contain vitamins and minerals as mentioned above, they lack many essential nutrients, so you need to add other staple food to their diet to make up for those nutrients. The staple food may include dry foods such as mixes and pellets, which offer nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

How To Feed Gerbils Strawberries.

Avoid giving too many strawberries to your gerbils at once, instead, start by giving them small quantities. Make sure that you cut the strawberries into smaller pieces. The pieces should be large enough for them to hold in their paws. Cutting them into slices is better than cubes, because you can spot them easily if your gerbils hide them in their cage.

Giving them too many strawberries will also make them hide these in their cage, and then it will be difficult for you to spot them. If strawberries are left in the cage for a longer period, they will attract bacteria and decay quickly. 

Types Of Strawberries You Can Give To Gerbils

The most common types of strawberries that you can give to your gerbils are mentioned below:

• Fresh strawberries: this is the easiest way because it involves eating strawberries just how they come off a plant. All you have to do is cut it into small pieces and then give it to the gerbils. They get quite mushy, so remember to clean up after feeding them.
• Dried strawberries: though they aren’t found often, they can be given to gerbils as a one-off treat. These must not be sweetened.
• Dehydrated strawberries: 60% of the water from these strawberries is removed, which is why they are called dehydrated strawberries. These strawberries are delicious, but removing water also means increasing their nutrients and sugars, which is not good for gerbils, so you need to limit the quantity.

Can You Give Strawberry Jam To Gerbils?

Strawberry jam and Strawberry juice are not good for gerbils at all. To make strawberry jam, a lot of sugar is added to it, which is not good for them as their body cannot process it properly.

When a large amount of sugar is consumed by gerbils, it causes digestive issues in them and it also affects their teeth.

Can You Give Strawberry Leaves To Gerbils?

The short green leaves found on top of strawberries are strawberry leaves. These leaves aren’t tasty but they also do not contain any toxic substance, so it's okay to give them to gerbils.

In fact, leaves contain fiber so your gerbils can easily chew on them. So if you have any strawberry leaves lying around, you can give to them, but they may leave these!

Can You Give Frozen Strawberries To Gerbils?

These strawberries are just like regular strawberries nutritionally. They are frozen so that their freshness can be preserved. 

However, it is not suitable to feed frozen strawberries to your gerbils. If the food is extremely cold, your gerbil might not recognize it, and so they won’t touch it, and it will just rot. Second, if your gerbils eat frozen food, it will reduce their body temperature drastically and may make them sick.

Frozen strawberries can also have bacteria in them, so it is better to avoid them.

Can You Give Wild Strawberries To Gerbils?

Usually, wild strawberries are smaller than the ones you find in the supermarket. They are found in many varieties all over the world.

Just like regular store-bought strawberries, gerbils can eat these as well. But the issue with introducing wild strawberries to gerbils, is that these can easily get infected by parasites, which could then infest your gerbils. 

If you decide to give wild strawberries to your them, wash them properly first because there may have been pesticides, or urinated on by other animals.

Conclusion

Strawberries are common summer fruit in our homes and make for a delicious treat, despite not having many essential nutrients. They also contain a high quantity of water, so should only be given to gerbils in a limited amount. The high sugar and acid content in them are also not suitable, so be careful, and not too much!

Other Questions

What Is Poisonous To Gerbils?

Being omnivores, a variety of food items can be offered to gerbils, some of which include fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. However, you still need to be careful while giving food to eat as certain items can be poisonous to them.

These include nuts, and seeds that are salted, cooked, or flavored. Apples can be given to gerbils, but their seeds are poisonous, so they should be removed. For vegetables, zucchini, rhubarb, cucumber, and baby marrow are not suitable at all for gerbils.

It is also recommended for avocados not to be given to gerbils, because they can lead to fatality. 

Can Gerbils Eat Carrots?

Yes, carrots can be given to gerbils. Many carrots, whether it is orange, white, or purple, can be given to gerbils. Because of their amazing taste, they are often offered as a treat to them. Along with vitamin A, they also contain vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

However, it is recommended to only give a small quantity of carrots to them, because they are high in sugar. As gerbils have a sensitive digestive system, their body cannot process any food that contains an extensive amount of sugar.

Wash the carrots properly before giving them to gerbils if they are unpeeled. 

Can Gerbils Eat Grapes?

Yes, gerbils can eat grapes.

However, not only do grapes contain an outrageous amount of water and sugar, but they are also acidic, so you should not give them over one or two grapes, twice a week.

If you exceed this quantity, it will make them sick because a gerbil's digestive system cannot process large amounts of water and sugar.

Grapes jam, juice, and wine shouldn’t be given to gerbils because they contain additive sugar and alcohol, both of which are not suitable for gerbils. In fact, even a small amount of alcohol can be dangerous for gerbils.