Nutrition
Domestic gerbil diet
When gerbils are being kept as household pets we essentially replicate their wild diet by offering them a dried food mix, supplemented with a small amount of either fruit or vegetables. The dry feed can either be a homemade mix or a pre-packaged commercial mix sold from your local pet shop. Usually it is recommended that a single gerbil needs approximately one tablespoonful (approx 10-15 grams) of this feed per day, and that no more food should be added until the bowl is empty. This article contains information on correct diet, good and bad foods and safe woods.
Read the full Domestic Gerbil Diet article
Wild gerbil diet
Wild Mongolian gerbils are omnivorous rodents, whose naturally curious nature rewards them with several different sources of foodstuffs in the harsh landscape where they live. By nature gerbils are constantly on the lookout for new and varied food sources, even if their food chambers in their burrows are adequately stocked. Technically gerbils are classed as a hoarding rodent, and around August gerbil communities begin gathering seeds and other foodstuffs to last them through the adverse weather periods that are common to the region.
Read the full Wild Gerbil Diet article
Millet Seed Reference Guide
Millet plant species form a unique agronomic group of small seeded grasses that are able to grow well and set seed in the most difficult of terrains. Millets are probably the world's earliest food plants used by humans, and certainly the first cereal grain that was used for domestic purposes.
Read the full Millet Seeds article
Sunflower seeds re-examined
In experiments with gerbils fed solely on sunflower seeds the concluding data showed that they eventually caused obesity, and also led to osteoporosis through calcium depletion. Many *bibles* on rodents and Internet websites have continued spreading this message, and over the years this information has been translated into sunflower seeds being a very bad source of nutrition for gerbils and rodents in general.
Read the full Sunflower Seeds article
Alfalfa Hay, Timothy Hay & Other Meadow grasses
There are mainly two common types of hays, legumes and grass hays. Timothy hay is an example of grass hay and Alfalfa is legume hay. As a crop they are often grown together. Both crops can vary tremendously in quality, especially grass hays, depending, on type, what location it's grown, and at what particular stage it's harvested.
Read the full article on Hay and other Meadow Grasses
Understanding Sugars
Many rodents are susceptible to type 2 diabetes, and care must be taken when designing their diets. In the gerbil world, it is the Fat Sand rat that is very susceptible to this condition. However, occasionally Mongolian gerbils can suffer from this condition, but its occurrence is rare. A useful tool for testing for Diabetes is a glucose test strip, which can be bought over the counter from any chemists. Exercise is very beneficial for type 2 diabetics and exercise wheels help keep this condition very manageable.