Protein in the gerbil diet

[Pep and Maxs Mom]

Here's another question...

...what's an appropriate amount of protein for a gerbil diet? Some sources say 10-14%... but many of the lab blocks (for example, Mazuri) have 20-22%.

As I mentioned in another post, I'm trying to help my two older-adult males slim down. They already eat a fairly healthy, standard diet... so I'm wondering if they're getting too much protein.

[meganb52]

Taken from Susan Brown, DVM found on the Veterinary Information website (VIN-a web-based resource for veterinarians and veterinary students)

"As with any pet, good quality food and clean, fresh water must be provided at all times. In the wild, these animals feed on leaves, seeds and roots. Current recommendations for feeding in captivity are pelleted rodent ration containing 20% - 22% protein. These rations are typically processed as dry blocks or pellets designed for rodents. Seed diets are also 'formulated' and sold for gerbils, but these diets should only supplement the basic rodent pellet. Gerbils prefer sunflower-based diets to pellets, but these seeds are low in calcium and high in fat and cholesterol. When fed alone, seed diets often lead to obesity and potential nutritional deficiencies. Other supplements to the diet may include sugarless breakfast cereals, whole wheat breads, pasta, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables; all fed in moderation. Gerbils eat approximately 5 to 8 grams of food daily; eating both day and night.
Although gerbils in the wild require little water to drink because they derive most of their fluid from the foods they ingest, caged gerbils must be provided with a continuous source of clean water. Inadequate water consumption can lead to infertility, lower body weight and eventually death. Water is easily provided in water bottles equipped with sipper tubes. This method also helps keep the water free from contamination. Always make sure that the tubes are positioned low enough to allow the pet easy access. The average adult gerbil drinks approximately 4 to 10 ml of water daily. Although this amount is only a fraction of the total bottle volume, fresh water should be provided daily, not only when the bottle empties."

Hope it helps.

-Megan

[pepandmax]

Hi Megan! Thanks so much for responding. Yes, I've seen that reference, as well... Unfortunately, I have also read:

"Note that gerbils will have different dietary requirements if they are breeders, geriatric, or pets. For non-breeding pets look for a moderate protein content (about 12%) and a fat content between 6% and 8%. For breeding gerbils 15%-16% protein and 7-9% fat is recommended. For geriatric (past breeding age or about two years old) 10-11% protein and 3-5% fat works well. Try to have as much variety in of food as possible in any of these diets to be sure the gerbils are getting all the micronutrients they need."

"Lab blocks are basically seed mixes that are homogenized into blocks and with most of the fat removed. These commonly have 20% protein and 3% fat. In our opinion, this is not enough fat, so you will need to supplement this diet by giving them sunflower seeds. The advantages to this are it is fairly cheap (compared to pellets and gerbil mixes) and they can not scatter it all over the cages, so it doesn't make a mess. This is also an excellent food if you need to be gone for a few days or only want to feed your gerbils every other day."

"Although I've never discussed this with a veterinarian, common sense would dictate gerbils, like most animals, need less protein as they get older. This seems to be a common thing among most household pets; however, it probably affects breeding animals more strongly than others. Breeders, especially females, need a lot of fat and protein to nurture their litters. We do feed gerbils that are retired from breeding a diet that is lower in protein and fat.
members.nanc.com/~mhaines/gerbil.html#section4.2

This source mentions both ~20% and ~10% protein contents. Ahhh! See why I'm confused!

How much protein do you feed your gerbils?

[pepandmax]

Ok... I just found another source, the American Gerbil Society, that says non-breeders need 12% protein and 7% fat. Since the AGS seems to be trustworthy (I'm not a member, so I'm going on others' opinions), I'm going to take their advice, adjusted for my "old men." That means 10-12% protein and about 4% fat.

If anyone disagrees or has better info, please let me know! Thanks!