Can Gerbils Eat Mealworms? Do They Have Any Nutritional Advantages?
Mealworms are the larval form of beetles of the family Tenebrionid. They appear in a dark brown color and are often fed to omnivore pets for nutrients, including proteins. As a loving gerbils owner, you might at times wonder how well you can feed your gerbils with mealworms.
So, can gerbils eat mealworms? Yes, gerbils are omnivore pets who can benefit from various nutrients in mealworms. These insects contain nutrients, including proteins, vitamins, fat, and fiber, much needed by these rodents. However, feed your pet two or three mealworms and mix them with other healthy foods. In this article, you will learn about several nutritional advantages mealworms have for your pet. You will also learn about the advised healthy number of mealworms your pet should have and how often.
Can Pet Gerbils Eat Mealworms?
Gerbils can eat these worm-like insects as part of their carnivore appetite and benefit from numerous nutritional gains. In the wild, these rodents are burrowers, and during their drilling endeavors, they encounter these insects. Since each type of food has different health benefits for your pet, it’s best to mix this diet with others.
Mealworms can be harvested in nature or bought from a local pet store near you. In recent years, several food safety authorities dimmed mealworms as safe for human consumption, which means they are purchasable in food stores. Due to their burrowing nature and eat-all attitude, in nature mealworms are widely discovered in various spots. Below are some familiar sources of mealworms in the wild.
- Decaying logs – Mealworms eat both fresh and decaying organic materials, and rotting wood is a perfect residence for them. To harvest these insects, carefully slice the decaying log and bag them.
- Tree branches – The insects can also be harvested from tree branches, especially near the ground. In other cases, they live on the inner parts of decaying tree bucks.
- Stored grains – These opportunistic feeders can live in a grain store. If your grain store has some decaying grains, it can provide the perfect environment for mealworms to thrive.
- Wooden basements – If your basement regularly floods, you will likely find these insects eating the decaying wood.
Gerbils can eat both dried and live versions of mealworms, each having different levels of nutrients. You can serve your pet other insects, including wax worms, crickets, super worms, and locusts. Each of these insects has different nutrients that can be alternated according to your pet’s nutritional needs.
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Do Gerbils Like Mealworms?
While some pets might seem uninterested in mealworms, gerbils like them a lot. They get a chance to taste these insects which they burrow in the wild. Mealworms are also delicious and a great source of nutrients that are rewarding to your pet’s health. For a hunting simulation, place a few moving insects near your pet and let it hunt.
Nutritional Advantages of Feeding Mealworms to Your Gerbil
Like other pets, gerbils require a healthy diet that meets most of their nutritional needs. Mealworms are a great source of proteins and fats, among other nutrients. In the following table are different nutrients obtained from mealworms and their benefits to your pet.
However, if you’re wondering how many mealworms are for gerbils, you should feed them two or three at a time. This is to create room for other healthier diets, including fruits and vegetables, which are also nutritionally rewarding. Too many proteins can lead to several metabolic problems in their bones, kidney, and liver.
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How Much Mealworms Should Gerbils Eat?
Like most foods, mealworms should be taken in moderation. If you’re wondering how many mealworms for gerbils, they should be two or three. This is to save some appetite for other healthier diets, including fruits and vegetables, which are also nutritionally rewarding.
Baby gerbils should eat at least one mealworm. This is enough to give them the required nutrients without compromising their health. Just like adults, they should spare some appetite for other nutritious foods they require to grow.
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Risk Of Over Feeding Mealworms To Gerbils?
If your pet takes too many mealworms, they risk several health risks. The high protein content in this diet is the main culprit. In excess, proteins are stored in your pet’s fat, which in no time can make your pet overweight.
Overfeeding mealworms can lead to metabolic acidosis, due to the acidic residue of proteins. These high protein content negatively influence the bone health of your pet gerbil by causing a calcium and phosphate imbalance. In short, overfeeding mealworms can make your gerbils obese, cause metabolic acidosis, and upset the calcium balance.
How To Prepare Mealworms for Gerbils
Gerbils can eat mealworms in many ways, with fewer preparations required. Most times, gerbils prefer live mealworms over dried ones, which is the version they eat in the wild. As burrowing pets, you can place live mealworms on the floor and let them scavenge like they do in the wild.
Mealworms can be served either live, dried, or sometimes cooked. However, cooking methods can affect the nutritional value of mealworms and should be observed. In most cases, these insects are served raw to the pets along with other healthy diets.
If you have several gerbils that consume a lot of mealworms, you may consider refrigerating them. You can store up your live mealworms in a plastic tin and add a small layer of grains. Veggies or fruit chunks are not necessary here, plus the grains should not exceed one layer. Also, remember to cover the tin with a lid that allows air through.
However, if you intend to keep the mealworms longer, you will need to feed them fresh vegetables. Pouring about half a cup of sliced raw carrots or potatoes will help. For maximal effectiveness, spread the slices across the tin and close.
The mealworms will eat them whether fresh, decaying, or organic. You can continue keeping them as you remove one or two to feed your gerbil occasionally. Avoid feeding your gerbil too many mealworms because they may trigger a calcium imbalance.
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Video Of Gerbils Eating Mealworms
FAQ
Despite some answers being straightforward, uncertain and caring gerbil owners remain with questions. These questions may range from the pet’s attitude towards these foods to potential health risks. Below are common questions asked on this topic, with their well-researched answers.
How Often Should Gerbils Eat Mealworm?
Gerbils can eat two or three mealworms daily without much health risk. The number of mealworms is crucial, with your pet being at risk of developing kidney and coronary heart issues. However, daily intake is acceptable as long as it is within the required amounts.
Can Juvenile Gerbil Pets Eat Mealworms?
Baby gerbils require various nutritional gains, like proteins and fats that are found in mealworms. A growing gerbil can eat a maximum of two worms to avoid excess proteins. At a young age, these pets require a balanced diet to ensure healthy growth.
Wrapping Up
Mealworms have several health benefits for both humans and animals. They are a rich source of proteins required for the repair and development of body tissues. Mealworms can be harvested in several spots in nature and can also be purchased from pet stores near you.
However, it’s best to mix these servings with other healthy foods for a completely balanced diet. Hopefully, you can now make a better decision while serving your pet this diet as guided by this article.
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