Tips for changing feeding frequency of gerbils

[gerbilmomm]

Hello,
I have two gerbils (~9 months old). The breeder I got them from fed them twice a day, so I have continued feeding them twice a day. I give them each about a tablespoon of Gerri Gerbil at each feeding, plus a pinch of quinoa/millet/oatmeal/Nature's Path organic rice puffs. I give them one of the following as a treat roughly every other day: cucumbers, uncooked vegetable pasta, broccoli, celery, apples, and sunflower seeds.

I love interacting with them so I enjoy feeding them twice a day, but I will be on vacation for a month this summer. My plan is to have someone come to the house daily to check up on them and replenish food/water. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get them used to a once per day feeding schedule or strong reasons why I should not try this?

Thanks!
Mom of Milk and Honey

[catnut]

you can just give them more food once a day ,i'm sure they won't notice as long as there is enough food for them both.

[amura]

Gerbils do not eat at once all you offer them. If you give them more food than they would eat right away they may just grab it and store it.
I usually feed mine twice a day, but just because I enjoy having chances to interact with them. If I'm in a rush and I can't spend time with them in the morning I just feed them once a day. Sometimes I leave for the weekend and leave them food enough for two days.
I've read about some people who even feed them less often.

Btw 2 tablespoons a day sounds like a lot of food.
I give them one tablespoon a day, and when I cleaned the tank I realized he had a big stash of food - I even weighted it: 35 grams of food! ^^;
I suppose every gerbil is different, but maybe you should check whether they really eat that much or they are storing it somewhere.

[Markpd]

I've only ever fed my boys once a day (don't have time to before work, plus they're not usually up then anyway), they eat some of the food when I put it in in the evening, and then randomly eat more through until the next feed.

And yea agreed 2 tablespoons each per day does sound like a lot (compared to my boys anyway), is their weight ok?
I use a soupspoon (which makes comparisons tricky), and I give about 1/2 each per day, which was (until very recently) 7g each (I weigh it). Even that ended up being too much for Blake (through the winter at least, he went up to 120g!), and I've cut his feed to 5g/day.

[gerbilmomm]

Thanks all for the feedback! Yes, they definitely don't finish everything I give them, so usually I throw out the remainder with whatever bedding has accumulated in their food bowl from their digging. Agreed I should probably cut back so that less gets wasted! Also, they don't look overweight, but it's probably a good idea for me to get back to weighing them or weighing their food, which I think is also a great idea.

Thanks again,
Gerbil Momm