|
|
Post by paul on Feb 22, 2011 0:48:44 GMT -8
A freaquently asked question but believe it or not gerbils can eat meat, but not meat like; chicken, lamb, beef, steak but insects like locusts and crickets. Gerbils love the odd box of locusts or crickets because they have to work to catch them when they jump around the cage trying to escape the gerbils.
Crickets
Crickets are probably the best because they small and lively. The crickets come in tubs of usually 10-20 which is a lot considering that each gerbil should only have a maxium of 3 per day costing about £2.00-£3.00 per box. You should never give your gerbils crickets if you have a pregnant female or babies because the crickets will probably bite them which isn't good. Ask for medium or 5th grade crickets when buying them.
Locusts
Locusts are good because they are large and give the gerbils a challenge when they use there huge back legs to spring around the cage. The locust usually come tubs of 8-12, each gerbil should only be fed a maxium of 2 locusts per day costing about £2.00-£3.00. You should never give your gerbils locusts if you have a pregnant female or babies because the locusts will probably bite them which isn't good. Ask for medium or large locusts when buying them.
|
|
|
|
Post by gibbo3771 on May 2, 2011 7:14:25 GMT -8
Hm, anyone verify this? Not that I do not trust you ofc, just always good to verify. Plus I want to see how a gerbil goes about catching something that can move.....  |
|
racammann
Member
I currently have 2 female gerbils - Suki and Zip. Littermates born end of Jan 2011.
Posts: 556
|
Post by racammann on May 2, 2011 7:39:51 GMT -8
It is known that gerbils are omnivorous and will catch and eat insects in the wild as they have a high protein content, which gerbils need in their diet. I personally have never fed my gerbils live crickets, but I know there are people who do, as part of a varied diet, alongside dried gerbil-mix.
My gerbils were a bit indifferent to free-dried mealworms, they bit the heads off and left the rest of the body.
They love occasional small bits of plain roast chicken meat and boiled egg for that extra protein.
|
|
|
|
Post by esztershine on May 2, 2011 7:45:07 GMT -8
i do believe they can eat insects as they do catch them in the wild
Once Ratty-Patty was offered a worm (little) which came from the garden and ate it with such a pleasure like spaghetti!
|
|
racammann
Member
I currently have 2 female gerbils - Suki and Zip. Littermates born end of Jan 2011.
Posts: 556
|
Post by racammann on May 2, 2011 8:45:12 GMT -8
This is also partly why many gerbil owners sometimes feed their gerbils milk-bones and cat food, especially pregnant/nursing mums.
|
|
|
|
Post by MoonstoneGerbils on May 3, 2011 16:06:59 GMT -8
Yes, gerbils can and will eat insects. Waxworms, mealworms, crickets are a nice treat! I recommend no more than one insect a day, and even that seems a bit much, unless their diet is low in protein.
|
|
|
|
Post by Vicky on May 4, 2011 2:52:41 GMT -8
on the back of the p@h feed it says theres dry chicken in it which is their 'favourite'. The first time I ever bought that bag when I first had gerbs, I saw it and just thought on the off chance my gerb at the time would like to try a bit of chicken from our sunday roast and so I offered him a bit and he took it and had a bit of a nibble. He seemed to like it.
So now if we ever have chicken for dinner I always give them a little bit.
My mum went nuts the first time I gave my gerb some but my dad said that gerbils aren't stupid, they know what they can and cant eat. and a little bit of chicken or whatever once in a blue moon isn't gunna hurt..right?
|
|
|
|
Post by paul on Jul 4, 2011 13:03:03 GMT -8
I can asure you it is fine to feed your gerbils locusts and crickets because i have and they are still walking and breathing so try it
|
|
doug
Member
Posts: 2,064
|
Post by doug on Jul 4, 2011 16:38:23 GMT -8
It is with caution live food should be fed, items like mealworms are known carriers of e coli, this is why live mealworms are no longer a popular food for those of us that bred exotic finches.
cooked plain chicken is also a fine source as is hard boiled egg which is mentioned above.
Doug
|
|
|
|
Post by SilverGerbil on Jul 9, 2011 21:35:04 GMT -8
I feed mealworms to my animals and crickets too :-) you can often rings breeders who breed them, which means if your like Doug you can feel safe to feed :-)
|
|
|
|
Post by esztershine on Jul 10, 2011 2:26:25 GMT -8
I give my boys dried mealworms and they love it
|
|
|
|
Post by SunshineGerbils on Jul 10, 2011 5:26:10 GMT -8
I give my gerbils mealworms, i try to give them crickets but they cant catch them  , and they LOVE waxworms. |
|
|
|
Post by esztershine on Jul 10, 2011 5:38:31 GMT -8
What do waxworms look like?
|
|
|
|
Post by SilverGerbil on Jul 10, 2011 7:59:04 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by esztershine on Jul 10, 2011 8:09:54 GMT -8
Yuk! They look creepy-crawly but the gerbils love it ;D It is funny as I am having my dinner and looking at waxworms is wierd with some chinese chicken wings ;D But thank you  |
|
, and they LOVE waxworms.
