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Post by mygerbilprince on Apr 21, 2022 13:37:37 GMT -8
I harvested some dandelion root from a pesticide free area but now I'm wondering how to dry them and properly give them to my gerbils? Any help is appreciated.
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Post by sparkbubble on Apr 22, 2022 13:59:24 GMT -8
I thought dandelions were laxatives and dehydrate gerbils? Is that only the leaves?
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Post by mygerbilprince on Apr 22, 2022 18:37:18 GMT -8
I have no idea... I read they were good treats but I can't seem to find the video I saw it in. Can anyone confirm or deny they are safe?
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Post by Markpd on Apr 24, 2022 13:54:35 GMT -8
I guess you guys didn't see the 'safe and unsafe food list' in this forum section then? Check it out, it's an excellent article by LilyandDaisy. But anyway, the short answer is the leaves are safe in moderation, they aren't a laxative but they are diuretic which will make them wee more. I feed my boys 2 leaves a week each, they seem quite healthy and they relish them! I'm not sure if the root is safe though, I don't think the food guide mentions the roots (it's not normally something that's fed to gerbils AFAIK), but check the article anyway as I may have forgotten part of it.
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Post by mygerbilprince on Apr 24, 2022 15:07:13 GMT -8
OK thanks. I threw them away because I didn't want to take the risk. I might get some leaves for them though. Thanks for the help.
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Apr 24, 2022 15:37:40 GMT -8
The root is safe. It is sometimes sold as a small animal treat. I feed it often. It can have a diuretic effect like the leaves but it still shouldn't be a problem in moderation, provided your gerbils always have access to water.
I will check what I wrote in the food guide and clarify that the whole plant is safe if it's not already there.
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Post by Markpd on Apr 25, 2022 11:06:02 GMT -8
Actually, root is in there as safe (at least from your March 25th edit) .
OK thanks. I threw them away because I didn't want to take the risk. I might get some leaves for them though. Thanks for the help.
Turns out it is in the safe list, oh well, I'm sure theirs plenty more where that came from!
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Post by sparkbubble on Apr 25, 2022 13:02:31 GMT -8
Yikes, I'm sorry I scared you into wasting it!
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Post by mygerbilprince on Apr 27, 2022 18:08:34 GMT -8
Not your fault! Better safe than sorry, they were getting old anyway!
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