Can Gerbils Eat Cheese? What Kind Can They Eat?

gerbils eating cheese

Have you noticed anything wrong with your gerbil after eating cheese? Are you worried whether your gerbil should not eat cheese or not? In this article, I will be giving detailed and valuable information about gerbils and cheese.

Gerbils will eat cheese, but you have to feed it to them in small quantities because they are lactose intolerant. They typically will not find cheese in the wild and it is a food they don’t usually eat.

Cheese is not a natural food for gerbils as they cannot come across it in the wild. But this does not mean your gerbil will not eat cheese when you give it to them.

Do Gerbils Like Cheese?

Gerbils will only eat what they like and will not take what they do not like. Mouse and other rodents like cheese, gerbils are not exempted. Gerbils like cheese and will feed on it whenever you feed it to them.

Cheese provides many health benefits as it contains nutrients like

  • Zinc
  • Phosphorus
  • Calcium
  • Vitamins like vitamin A, B2, and B12.

Although it has several nutritional values, its high quantity is not suitable for gerbils as it contains too much protein and fats, and lesser carbohydrates. Gerbils are lactose intolerant, so you should not feed them too much cheese.

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How Much Cheese Can You Feed a gerbil?

Gerbils do not need much fats and protein in their meals, so you should not feed too much cheese to them. Only feed cheese as snacks and not the main meal because gerbils need more carbohydrate than they need fats and proteins. The highest you should feed your gerbils is to feed it half a teaspoon in one sitting, and that should be enough for days.

How Often Should You Feed a Gerbil Cheese?

Cheese contains too much fat, which is not suitable for your gerbil’s regular consumption. Only feed cheese to your gerbils once in a week, at the most, twice a week. Regular consumption of cheese can cause your gerbil to develop health issues.

Gerbils are lactose intolerant and can not digest to much dairy including cheese.

Can Gerbils Eat Cheddar Cheese?

Cheddar cheese is one of the best cheese to feed your gerbils. You can feed your gerbil with cheddar cheese as it contains enough nutrients, although it has a high-fat content. Your gerbil will eat it, but you have to feed it in small quantities to avoid adverse effects on your gerbil’s health.

Can Gerbils Eat String Cheese?

Gerbils will feed on cheese, but you have to feed it to them in small quantities. String cheese is a type of cheese manufactured while aligning the protein, which makes it stringy. String cheese is suitable for gerbils, but it also contains a high amount of fat, and you should not feed it to them regularly.

Can gerbils Eat American Cheese?

Gerbils can eat American cheese, but you have to feed it to them in small quantities. American cheese is a type of cheese from cheddar, Colby, and other similar cheese. Your gerbil will eat the American cheese if you feed it to them, but you have to give it to them once a week in small quantities.

Can Gerbils Eat Cheese Puffs?

Cheese puffs do not contain cheese, so you do not have to consider the problem of lactose intolerance. There are other things to consider concerning cheese puffs. Although cheese puffs will not cause any adverse effect, they are not suitable for gerbils.

It is better to feed your gerbil with fruits and vegetables than feed them with cheese puffs. Seeds, nuts, vegetables, and fruits offer more nutritional values than cheese puffs.

Can gerbils Eat Cheese and Onion Crisps?

Onion crisps, cheese crisps, and other similar varieties are like cheese puffs; they are not suitable for gerbils. It is best to find alternatives instead of feeding them with onion and cheese crisps. It does not mean your gerbil will not eat them when you feed it, but it is better to feed them fruits and vegetables.

Health Benefits of Cheese for Gerbils

There are several health benefits of feeding cheese to your gerbils. Here are some of the nutritional benefits of cheese to gerbils;

  • Vitamin A : One of the nutritional values of cheese to gerbils is Vitamin A. Cheese are rich in Vitamin A, one of the essential vitamins for gerbils.
  • Vitamin B2 : Cheese is also a rich source of vitamin B2 for gerbils. If you feed your gerbil with cheese, you should not be afraid of vitamin B2 deficiency.
  • Vitamin B12 : Vitamin B12 is also one of the vitamins cheese provides gerbil. Cheese is highly rich in vitamin B12.

Other nutrients embedded in cheese include calcium, zinc, phosphorus, etc.

Side Effects of Cheese for Gerbils

The major and most significant side effect of cheese is the high amount of fat and protein. Cheese is rich in fats and protein, while gerbils are lactose intolerant. Too much cheese can cause health troubles for your gerbil.

Cheese is also low in carbohydrates, so if you make cheese your gerbil’s main meal, it will become deficient in carbohydrates. Cheese is quite a snack but never a meal.

Conclusion

It is essential to know your gerbil will feed on cheese anytime you provide it. You also have to know that too much cheese can affect the gerbil. So you should make sure you do not feed your gerbil with cheese regularly.