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Post by supergerbil on Apr 23, 2014 18:31:39 GMT -8
When I was doing gerbil research I found most sites said that 12% protein is good for gerbils food. A couple said 16%. I was confused on which to believe and I went for 12%. Now it seems people on here recommend higher protein levels. I was curious if this was true. Also, the food I am using is vitakraft hamster and gerbil formula. It has 13%, and I have added mealworms. Is this okay? I will need more food soon and I am pretty positive the Petco near me has LM Browns food (I have seen people here recommend Tropical Carnival, so I will see if they have it.) I am fine with switching if necessary. Any help appreciated!
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rhianna
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Post by rhianna on Apr 23, 2014 19:36:54 GMT -8
Most gerbils need 12-14% protein. A gerbil who is young and growing will need a bit more; around 15-16%. This is the same for females who are pregnant or nursing. Too much protein can cause kidney/liver problems which are potentially fatal. I go a bit more in depth here: gerbilgerbil.tumblr.com/dietreq |
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Post by supergerbil on Apr 24, 2014 5:05:04 GMT -8
Okay that's very helpful. With that info I will probably stick with the same food. Next time I will probably take out the mealworms because Skittles is the only one who will eat them.
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rhianna
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Post by rhianna on Apr 24, 2014 8:28:22 GMT -8
Actually, I would highly recommend that you switch foods. That brand is not recommended for various reasons. Scroll down to the bottom of this page (it's the last brand listed) to see why: gerbilgerbil.tumblr.com/foodmasterlistIf I were you, I'd stick with the original plan of switching to Tropical Carnival. If you can't get TC then you should pick a different food that is on one of the first two sections of that list. Tropical Carnival is available at Petsmart, if you have one near you. |
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Post by supergerbil on Apr 24, 2014 17:26:45 GMT -8
Oh wow! Thanks for clearing that up. Didn't know it was bad. We usually go to Petco because it's a lot closer but we do have a Petsmart not super far away (15 minutes). I might just buy two bags at a time (and freeze one of them) to save a trip. I could also order the Tropical Carnival online. That site is also very helpful and I have bookmarked it for future use.
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rhianna
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Post by rhianna on Apr 25, 2014 5:13:25 GMT -8
I usually travel about the same distance to go to Petsmart. When I used to use Tropical Carnival, one bag would last me at least a month with three adult gerbils. Buying two at a time and freezing one would limit you to one trip every 2-3 months which I'm sure is pretty manageable  |
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Post by supergerbil on Apr 25, 2014 12:53:24 GMT -8
Sounds good. I am going tomorrow to pick up some food. We probably wouldn't really need to buy two bags but then my mom doesn't have to drive there again for a while.
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