Have you ever wondered if gerbils can eat watermelon? Are you worried about the health risks of feeding your gerbil watermelon. So Can gerbils eat watermelon?
Yes Gerbils can eat watermelon and it is completely safe for them to eat. Watermelon is high in water and sugar content so for this reason it should only be given as a treat to your gerbils.
How often can I feed a gerbil watermelon?
You can feed gerbils watermelon as a snack, which means not so often.
Gerbils are pet rodents, and they make as great companions for children and adults. They are easy to take care of and are social animals; hence, they require a lot of attention. They are amusing creatures who prefer large open spaces to solitary and confines ones. Gerbils are often used as a child’s first pet because they are less complicated compared to other household pets. However, you may find yourself in a fix of what and what not to feed your cute little pet.
[youtube v=”UJAMml1zyq0″]
Watermelons are nutritious. They supply vitamins and minerals including protein, carbohydrate, fiber, fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated), calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, thiamin, selenium, niacin, zinc, copper, and lycopene, beta carotene, alpha-carotene, riboflavin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K. The standard diet of your pet rodent should consist of around sixteen percent protein and between nine percent fat. Watermelon isn’t a good source of protein or fat but very high in water.
While this fruit may not be of high nutritional value for your pet, it contains a few nutrients that may contribute to healthy growth. You can include watermelon as a once in a while snack but it shouldn’t be included in an every-day diet for your pet gerbil.
Can gerbils eat watermelon pips?
Gerbils can eat watermelon seeds as they also contain nutrients and vitamins separate from the fruit itself. Gerbils mainly feed on seeds and pellets for a balanced diet. They naturally feed on seeds of various grasses, bulbs, leaves, and herbs, but you may also include fruit seeds like watermelon pips as a safe supplement for your pet rodent.
Watermelon pips or seeds are generally safe to eat. They contain fats, protein, vitamin B, potassium, magnesium, and zinc which provides a series of health benefits to the consumer. It is best eaten when they’re sprouted, which is the removal of the tough black shell; a process that takes up to a few days or a week. You can make sprouted watermelon seeds yourself by placing the seeds in a bowl and adding water.
Leave it to soak until the black hardshell becomes soft and starts to break away. Peel off the shell and serve it to your gerbil as a healthy snack.
If you prefer not to go through the stress of sprouting them yourself, you can always purchase sprouted watermelon seeds online or at health food stores.
Can baby gerbils eat carrots?
Yes, baby gerbils can eat carrots without fear of health risks or poisonous effects. White, purple, and orange carrots are perfectly safe to feed your gerbil as long as they are chopped into small pieces for easy consumption.
Carrot is an excellent source of potassium, fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It is advisable to eat the carrots washed but unpeeled as it retains most of the nutrients. This fruit is also high in sugar, hence should only make up a little percentage of your pet’s diet.
There are different ways to prepare carrot as food for your pet, such as:
- Fresh carrot flesh
- Baked carrot chips
- Dehydrated carrots
Fresh carrot flesh is when the fruit is served while it’s still hard before it becomes soft and bendy. You can make baked carrot chips by cutting them into thin slices and baking them in an oven until they are hard and brittle. It is advisable to make these treats for your pet rodents at home rather than commercial products because they often contain sugars and chemical additives.
Carrots contain sixty percent water, and drying will help reduce it, resulting in a smaller portion with more nutrients and sugar. Carrots should be served as treats and not be included in a daily diet.
Do gerbils like watermelon?
Gerbils like most fruits and vegetables including watermelon. Although gerbils out in the wild mainly feed on seeds rather than fruits, they also enjoy the deliciousness of most fruits.
Seeds and pellet contain all the nutrients needed for your pet’s healthy growth, but fruits are also a healthy supplement. For a domestic gerbil, it is the responsibility of the pet owner to know the nutritional value of these fruits to determine how often or not to include them in a gerbil’s diet.
Is watermelon poisonous for gerbils?
Watermelons are not poisonous for gerbils, but they are made up of ninety-two percent water. A lot of water isn’t ideal for your pet because gerbils are known to live in arid regions where water is scarce. Including this fruit, in your gerbil’s regular diet may cause diarrhea. This problem can easily be fixed by drying or dehydrating the fruit to reduce the water content, resulting in a healthier snack for your pet.
This fruit also has high sugar content, which may cause diabetes; a rare but possible condition for a gerbil to develop. Although watermelon will not kill your gerbil, other food choices are of higher nutritional value for your pet rodent.
How to prepare watermelon for your gerbils
Here are two ways you can feed watermelon to your gerbil.
- Fresh seedless watermelons
- Dried or dehydrated seedless watermelons
Fresh watermelons have a high percentage of water, so you shouldn’t offer more than a small piece since gerbils are tiny pets that don’t require much food. It is advisable to remove all the seeds from the fruits for easy digestion. Chop the small piece of fresh watermelon into smaller pieces before serving your gerbil. Ensure that all leftover pieces are taken out of the cage to avoid them going rotten and breeding harmful organisms.
Dried or dehydrated seedless watermelon is when a high percentage of water has been extracted from the fruit resulting in a wrinkled texture with deep-red color. They are also called watermelon chips but are not baked or fried like other food chips. This preparation does not rid the fruit of its nutritional value; hence, it has similar contents as fresh watermelons.
They are easier to chew and digest and don’t rotten as quickly as fresh watermelons. They are also less likely to cause diarrhea because of their low water content.
To dehydrate them, slice the fruit into small and equal pieces and arrange them on a dehydrator tray. Place it in your dehydrator and set it on low to heat to dry for several hours (preferably overnight) depending on how dry you want it.
The dryer the fruit determines how long it’ll last, and it is best stored in an air-tight container until consumption.
How do I feed my gerbil’s watermelon?
Place pieces of fresh or dried watermelon in a small bowl or arrange on a platform that makes it easy for your pet to reach. Place it in your gerbil’s cage and monitor the feeding process to avoid unforeseen health risks.
It is best to always take out remnants of the fruit to prevent them from going bad and breeding harmful organisms that may cause diseases.