Picky eater

[luna1baby]

The very first food I got my gerbil was a seed mix. It had a LOT of seeds. I know that seeds aren't very good for gerbils, (If it has a lot of seeds) and it had a lot of seed in it too. Luckily I got a new mix with less seed in it. But the thing is, I noticed that with her 2 new food mixes, she's a picky eater. She only eats the small seeds in it. I got her a new food today when I realised this also and it's called Oxbow hamster and gerbil kibble. To describe it, it looks like Chocolate Cheerios if you know what cheerios are. There's Timothy hay in it also. She isn't eating that either. The cause may be because the first food I got her had a ton of seeds in it, and she was like "NOW I LOVE SEEDS AND I WILL ALWAYS EAT THEM CAUSE THEY MY FAV!" But I don't know. Does anyone know how to stop picky eating? I have 2 types of food that she doesn't even eat! She eats some out of her seed mix she has now, but like I said, she eats only like two small seeds in it. APPARENTLY the lady at the pet store said that the food I got today, the "chocolate cheerio" one, said that they love them. They just "can't resist" them and they're super healthy! Well with my Luna, they may be super healthy, but Luna baby hates it! Anyone know how to stop picky eating, and make her eat the new "chocolate cheerios" I have now because it's healthy? Please respond back! Also, I have a ton of questions on this forum. I'm used to reptiles, dogs, and fish. Rodents open up a new world for me. So if people respond, i'd just like to declare that you're helping me with my bond of rodents! Thank you to those who help me with all my questions! Bai bai 

[luna1baby]

I'd also like to declare that her new food does not have a variety, but yet, it's supposed to be healthy, and the lady there suggested it aside every other food. It just has brown kibble with the important recipe of Timothy hay. I also put in her new food mixed with her other food after just trying it by itself, and she just ate the little seeds again whilst avoiding everything else. Including the kibble.

[catnut]

i'm also abit confused what is best to feed a gerbil and I've had gerbils for 25 years! I've stuck mainly with seed mixes(Hagen) and ones without coloured foods-most of my gerbils have done well on that, one living well over 4 years and he was never a chubby gerbil. Oxbow is supposed to be what is best for gerbils but if they won't eat it, then it is no good for yours. What I do is limit the sunflower seeds(afew of the tiny black seeds a day and limit the corn as there is big corn and small corn pieces),then add afew organic large oats per day. I only give limited treats- a pea per week, carrot pieces(small) and 2 pumpkin seeds per week. My adam is nearing 3 years old and 100 grams- I've had to take out all the sunnies as he has an issue that seems to be better without sunnies.

Tammy

[catnut]

how cute is Luna, she wears the hat?! Adam is a rescue so I'm lucky I can touch his head, I tried everything but he would not be tamed,lol. Some of my past gerbils would let me put hats and capes on them for pics, though.

[luna1baby]

Thank you for the advice! I'll certainly try that. I already give my gerbil daily veggies but to be honest, I never thought of peas. And my profile pic isn't Luna, if you look up "Gerbils in hats" you'll get a bunch of cute pics of gerbils in hats! I change it once a month to what goes with the season.

[PurpleSheep]

Do you use a food bowl? If so, you could leave the food in there and not refill it until she has eaten all of it, not just the nice seeds! Or you could of course only feed her the healthy food and stop giving her the seed mix for a few weeks, so she gets used to the new food.

Hopefully either of these will work, but just like humans, all gerbils are different and she may just really not like the healthy food. You can always try a different brand if she really doesn't eat it. However, I would definitely feed her less of the seed mix and use them as treats rather than her main food.

[luna1baby]

Dec 3, 2016 22:31:58 GMT -8 PurpleSheep said:

Do you use a food bowl? If so, you could leave the food in there and not refill it until she has eaten all of it, not just the nice seeds! Or you could of course only feed her the healthy food and stop giving her the seed mix for a few weeks, so she gets used to the new food.

Hopefully either of these will work, but just like humans, all gerbils are different and she may just really not like the healthy food. You can always try a different brand if she really doesn't eat it. However, I would definitely feed her less of the seed mix and use them as treats rather than her main food.

Thank you! I'll definitely try that!

[catnut]

how much veggies and what do you give luna? maybe she would eat more of her food with only veggies for 2-4 days per week.

[luna1baby]

Dec 5, 2016 15:36:25 GMT -8 catnut said:

how much veggies and what do you give luna? maybe she would eat more of her food with only veggies for 2-4 days per week.

I give her lettuce once a week.