Can Gerbils Eat Honey? Sweet And Healthy Treats

Gerbils are small rodents mostly found in Mongolia and widely kept as pets. Like other pets, gerbils require a healthy diet to grow strong and remain healthy. Honey has multiple health benefits, from antioxidants to nutrients, a reason pet owners wonder, can gerbils eat honey?

Gerbils can eat honey, though in small amounts. Their digestive system cannot handle excess sugar in honey which can cause stomach upset and nausea. Their diet should contain mainly vegetables, fruits, and sometimes worms.

Although honey is a sweet treat, not every pet can take it. Continue reading below to educate yourself on alternative healthy treats for your pet gerbils.

Can Gerbils Eat Honey?

Despite honey having a variety of health benefits, gerbils get complications while digesting it. Vegetables and worms are their main diets in grasslands and shrublands, which are their natural habitats. Occasionally, these rodents will eat fruits, their prime source of sugar in the wild. Naturally, gerbils can do just fine without sugar in their diet.

Some pet veterinarians discourage gerbil owners from serving them honey at all. Since it is sweet, gerbil pets will be excited while eating it and demand more, which owners will happily provide. The pet will then quickly develop a potentially fatal health problem. There are many treats in pet stores with a healthy amount of honey in them.

Which Treats Are Healthy for Gerbils

Gerbils like sweet treats and treats that they can sit and grasp while they eat. There are a variety of treats that your pet gerbil will enjoy and benefit from health-wise. In the list below are several healthy treats for your pet.

• Sweet corn – Sweet corn qualifies in both sweetness and can be grasped by gerbils as they enjoy it. Corn contains potassium, selenium, vitamins B, C, E, and fiber which can benefit these rodents. However, serve sweet corn as occasional treats rather than the main diet to steer clear of the numerous potential health risks.
• Insects – Gerbils are omnivores and can eat both flesh and plants. They enjoy a variety of insects, including mealworms, locusts, crickets, and super worms. Insects contain over 20 percent of the proteins which gerbils require for healthy growth. For additional proteins, serve hard-boiled eggs to your pet but not in excess.
• Nuts – Gerbils can enjoy macadamia nuts, pistachios, pecans, and peanuts, among others. Nuts are quality for filing down their ever-growing teeth, working as edible chew toys for them. Nuts contain nutrients like potassium, magnesium, carbohydrates, iron, and proteins. Some nut types, like chestnuts, need to be cooked to make digestion easier.
• Fruits – Gerbils can eat sweet fruits like mangos, apples, bananas, and berries, to name a few. Fruits are a great source of minerals like potassium, copper, and magnesium, which can help prevent seizures. Wash and prepare fruits keenly, with some like the apple seeds being toxic to your pet gerbils.
• Plants – Vegetables are natural foods for these pets back in the wild. They can feed on broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, and pumpkins, among other vegetables. Broccoli and carrots are crunchy, which these pets enjoy gnawing on while exercising their teeth. Vegetables are a source of vitamins, protein, calcium, fiber, and water, which can benefit your pet.
• Cereals – Cereals like puffed rice and shredded wheat are some of the treats a gerbil pet can enjoy. These treats should have no additional sweeteners, flavors, or colors to be fully helpful to pets. Most of them are crunchy and dry, which stimulates these pets’ as they feed.

Treats should be occasional, especially for those high on sugar, to avoid health complications for your pets. Treats with too much water can also cause loose stool for gerbils and should be given limitedly. In general, treats should be occasional and in limited amounts to avoid health complications while bonding with your pet.

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Is Honey Safe for Gerbils?

Most sources disregard honey as a gerbil treat, claiming their digestive system cannot process it. The claims are fair since most gerbil pet parents don’t take the precautions that accompany pet foods seriously. If a gerbil owner is supposed to serve them a certain amount of food, in most cases, they overfeed them. The health risk of feeding honey to gerbils is epilepsy seizure which is common when they are young. 

However, some treats in pet stores for gerbils and other rodents contain 2 to 5 percent honey. This shows that honey and other sugars are safe if served within the health limit. An example is the Living World, and biscuit drops treat containing 4 and 2 percent honey respectively. So, honey is safe for gerbils if fed in low amounts and infrequently.

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Can Gerbils Eat Honey Cheerios?

Gerbils can eat honey cheerios but should be occasional and in a few bites. The sugar is within the amounts your pet can take without health complications. However, limit the cheerios your pet eats and provide water after this serving.

Can Gerbils Eat Honey Nut Cheerios?

Yes, Gerbils can eat honey nut cheerios but at a lower amount. Too much of it can cause health issues because these cheerios have artificial elements like flavor and brown sugar.

Which Foods Are Toxic to Gerbils

Gerbils have body sizes ranging between 4 to 5 inches, and their tiny digestive systems are sensitive. Any toxins in their diet can easily cause harm to these rodents’ health, and owners should be cautious. Most of the disregarded foods are mainly human diet foods which these pets find hard to digest.

Other discounted foods for these pets are sugary foods, including honey. Pets fed on a sugary diet are at high risk of becoming diabetic, getting heart diseases, and having diarrhea. Also, avoid chocolate because it contains theobromine which is toxic to pet gerbils.

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Conclusion

Despite loving your pets so much, there are certain foods you can only enjoy alone without them. These foods may expose small rodents like gerbils to multiple health issues and potential death. Their small digestive systems can’t digest everything humans can, and it’s best to give them only the recommended amounts.

Gerbils can eat honey but in small amounts. There are a variety of other foods these pets can enjoy without putting their health on the line. Hope this article has helped you make the right decision regarding your pet’s diet.