Those seeds that fall from trees in the fall.

[Jes]

The squirresl and every other creature outside eats them so obviously they must be fine for rodents. Gerbils in the wild would eat them.

Anyway, collected a bunch today and gave them all a few. They fight over them. It's funny. One gerbil sticks it in their mouth and goes after the seed and someone else grabs the bottom/brush thingy part and runs off with it.

I'll put like 5 in a pile and they fight like that. I can't help but laugh at the stupidity and childish behaviour of wanting what the other has.

[AndreaS15]

I would not feed anything from outside to gerbils.
One, because it could carry any kind of ickies to make them sick, two not all nuts/seeds are good for pets.
Example - Walnut shells are poison to dogs and horses, who know what other animals.

[lizzy]

I'm inclined to agree with Andrea.. you can't generalise things like that, things that are fine for one type of animal doesn't necessarily mean they're okay for rodents, besides not all rodents can eat everything.

and just because gerbils in the wild would eat them doesn't mean we should give them to pet gerbils, there's a reason gerbils in the wild don't live as long as those domesticated! that's like saying "gerbils in the wild don't need vet treatment so gerbils domesticated don't need it!"

[Ritzie/Admin]

Do you know what kind of seeds they are? I've fed my gerbils often with walnuts. They are fine only as a treat (they contain too much fat). Hazel nuts are fine too. I gues acorns are fine too, although I've never given them to my gerbils. So I'm not sure about that. But when looking to other animals, other rodents are able to eat them, I gues they are safe too.

Wash them always good before giving. And keep in mind that food that is taken from outside can have been in contact with wild rodents, and therefor contains diseases and/or parasites. You can buy the seeds also in several shops. And freezing it might also be an option of course.

But I can tell you they like them.

[morian]

i gave my gerbs acorns once and they LOVED them. but i assumed they were fattening (seeing as how squirrels pretty much live off just acorns...and being wild i would think they need plenty of calories)

one thing to worry about with any kind of nut from outside like that, is that bugs eat them, too. the acorns i gave my gerbils i split apart first...and did find a few with bugs in them. and you probably wouldnt want the nuts to be too ripe either...so its not like you can pick them right off a tree.