[youtube v=”EPww4oMLEZo”]
It is common knowledge that Gerbils are lovers of fruits. However, you don’t expect them to eat every type of fruit they come across; not even humans can. Now, it’s time to find out if gerbils eat apples?
Gerbils can eat apples, and it is healthy for them. They obtain several diets from it, including some dietary fibers and vitamins. They can eat any apple, including red, green, and yellow apples.
Nevertheless, you should ration the way you feed apples to your Gerbils because it contains high sugar. It is best to offer it to them at most, twice a week. If Gerbils consume too much of apples, they might develop diarrhea due to too much sugar.
Do They Like Apples?
There is a striking difference between eating a particular food and liking it. Gerbils eat apples and they like them.
Apples are one of the fruits Gerbils love the most. They can eat it in various forms, and it is still healthy for them. Likewise, they are happy eating apples, and they particularly love its unique and irresistible taste.
How to Prepare Apples for Gerbils
Some individuals might find it funny, but you indeed have to prepare your apple before you feed it to your Gerbils. How you prepare the apples will influence a lot of things, including taste and nutritional components.
You can prepare apples for Gerbils in various ways. It can be cooked, dried, sauced, or fresh/raw.
- Fresh/Raw Apple: It is not strange to find humans and animals eating fresh fruits. Gerbils are not exceptions to this generality. They can eat fresh or raw apples, which is one of the obvious ways to feed them. All you have to do is cut off the apple into pieces that are comfortable for the pets to retrieve and snack on.
- Cooked Apple:Although it is less common to cook apples before giving it to Gerbils, it is safe. You can cook the apples alone. However, you should ensure that you are not cooking them with sugar or other ingredients that aren’t safe for your pets.
- Dried Apple Pieces:You might need to use a little technique for this form of apple preparation. Most Gerbils treats only contain apples in their dried form. First off, you should cut the apples into smaller pieces to ease the dehydration process.
You can even bake it in the oven to hasten the dehydration process. Drying apples requires a level of patience. If you are buying a commercially dried apple, you should be careful with your choice. Some low-quality products add artificial sweeteners and nasty preservatives that might not be safe for Gerbils.
- Apple Sauce:The apple sauce is otherwise known as apple puree. This form is one of the best for Gerbils because it increases the concentration of nutrients. However, you should avoid adding sweeteners and other undesirable additives.
What Types of Apples to Feed Gerbils
Apples are one of the most diversified types of fruits. There are several types of it, and each of them has unique tastes and appearance. They come in various colors, sizes, and shapes.
There are red, yellow, and green apples. All apples are not the same in taste, and nutritional composition and Gerbils can eat most of them. Below is a list of the six most common types of apples Gerbils can eat and their nutritional uniqueness.
- Granny Smith: Granny smith is one of the most popular green apples. It contains phytonutrients rich in antioxidants and can prevent obesity-related conditions. This type is tangy and sweet.
- Fuji:Fuji appears like a blend of red and green apples. This type of apple is light and sweet. Fuji apples are high in polyphenols, B-vitamins, and fibers.
- Red Delicious:This name says it all. It is a red apple that is sweet and mild. Red delicious apples are rich in polyphenols, antioxidants, and necessary micronutrients.
- Honeycrisp:Honeycrisp is a light and sweet apple. It is one of the few apples that can maintain their antioxidant level after long cold storage.
- Gala: Gala is a pure red apple. This type of apple is incredibly rich in potassium, which is a vital nutrient for Gerbils. It is also one of the sweetest varieties of apple.
- Crimson Gold:Crimson gold is another blend of red and green apple. It is sweet-tart, and it contains a high level of antioxidants.
Can I Give My Gerbil Apple Juice?
It is normal to ask questions like, “Since Gerbils like apples, shouldn’t they be able to take apple juice?” Unfortunately, things are not always the way they seem.
First off, it is essential to ascertain that Gerbils can go crazy for apple juice. But it doesn’t mean it is entirely healthy for them. Apple juice contains a significantly high amount of sugar, which might cause an imbalance in Gerbil’s diet.
Gerbils cannot have a large number of sugars. Too much sugar in their system can cause diarrhea, which might lead to other slight health complications. It is best to stick with other standard forms of apple.
Can Gerbils Eat Apple Skin?
Apple skins are one of the most palatable parts of apples, and Gerbils appears to like it very much. You don’t have to think twice about feeding Gerbils with apple skins because they will gladly jump at them.
In fact, apple skin contains the healthiest polyphenols and the dietary fibers prevalent in apples. However, you should ensure that the skin is hygienic enough for the Gerbils. Make sure that the apple skin is clean and not bruised.
Can Gerbils Eat Apple Tree Branches?
Gerbils eat herbs, and interestingly, apple tree branches (wood and bark) are one of the tastiest fruit woods Gerbils can find. Needless to say, Gerbils will eat apple tree branches because they are delicious and have an enticing smell.
They prefer fresh apple tree branches because they are tastier and they offer a better smell. Younger apple branches are also more appropriate than the older apple tree branches.
However, it would be best to take necessary precautions while purchasing commercial orchards because anyone could have sprayed them with chemicals. Likewise, it would be best to be careful of branches that snap off quickly because they might either be long dead or diseased. Apple tree branches covered with lichen, ivy, mistletoes, or other plant overgrowth are also unhealthy for Gerbils.
Can Gerbils Eat Apple Peel?
Gerbils do not select against apple peel, which means they will gladly eat apple peel. Apple peels are similar to apple skin, but it contains a little amount of flesh.
Nevertheless, it would be best to take certain precautions before feeding Gerbils with an apple peel. Ensure that you wash it thoroughly and make it hygienic. Also, you should ensure that the apple peel is not bruised to mitigate the risk of contamination.
Can Gerbils Eat Apple Seeds / Pips?
As much as Gerbils love different parts of apples, the seeds/ pips are certainly not part of them. It would be best not to give Gerbils apple seeds because it is entirely unsafe for them.
Apple seeds are like capsules that house a lot of chemicals, which are considered unsafe for Gerbils. Most of the substances, like amygdalin, in apple seeds are supposed to ensure germination and keep predators away. Therefore, Gerbils cannot digest these chemicals in their guts.
In apples, the seeds are one of the bad parts you should avoid. It is best to keep these seeds away from them because Gerbils will chew almost anything.
Conclusion
Gerbils love apples, and they eat various parts of it, including apple skin, peels, and even branches. Apples are healthy for them when they eat it occasionally in a well-rationed manner. They can eat these apples cooked, sauced, fresh, and dried. If you want to spice your Gerbils’ diet, you can consider feeding them some healthy apples.
