Grapes are a staple summertime snack, and itâs not hard to understand why that is. These little fruits are not only packed with flavor, but theyâre also packed with nutrients! Some of the most prominent vitamins and minerals in grapes are vitamin C, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, potassium, and manganese. With the great taste and health benefits that come with grapes, you may be wondering: Can gerbils eat grapes?
Although there is much debate, you can feed your gerbils grapes as an occasional snack. Some sources state that grapes are dangerous to gerbils, while many others state that thereâs no problem. Weâll touch on the reasoning behind the controversy within this article so that you can better understand it.
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What Do Gerbils Eat In The Wild?
In order to understand why grapes are fine for gerbils to eat, it helps to know what they would normally eat in the wild. Gerbils have only been kept as pets for a short amount of time, so for thousands of years they have been roaming free throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. During this time, their digestive systems became fine-tuned to efficiently process the food that they most commonly encounter.
This characteristic is what makes it so important to match your gerbilâs food to their natural diet â itâs what their bodies are optimized for!
Gerbils are classified as omnivores while eating a diet that mostly resembles that of an herbivore. This means that gerbils can eat a wide variety of different foods, but they stick to plant matter for the most part. Because of this trait, gerbils are able to get most of their essential nutrients from eating a selection of fruits, vegetables, and grains.
While in the wild, gerbils scavenge for their food, eating any food that they manage to come across. While the exact food thatâs eaten by gerbils varies depending on the region that theyâre located in, a general trend still exists. The pillars of a gerbilâs diet include seeds, nuts, grasses, roots, fruits, insects, bulbs, and bird eggs.
Controversy Surrounding Grapes For Gerbils
After looking at a wild gerbilâs diet, it may seem obvious that grapes would be okay for them to eat. Gerbils donât necessarily have access to many grapes in the wild, but they eat many fruits that are similar. However, controversy does still exist, and this topic is one that has a lack of hard scientific evidence supporting either side of it.
The main source stating that the consumption of grapes isnât safe for gerbils is from the RSPCA. In this post, they state that grapes and rhubarb are poisonous to rodents. Despite the fact that the RSPCA is generally a credible source, thereâs virtually no sources backing up this claim. The idea that grapes are toxic most likely stemmed from the fact that they are very toxic to dogs.
The exact chemical in grapes that causes kidney failure in dogs hasnât been found, but itâs a well-documented problem for dogs. However, dogs and rodents have extremely different digestive systems. Dogs are primarily carnivorous while many rodents are primarily herbivorous, so their digestive systems are fundamentally different. Making the claim that grapes arenât safe for gerbils just because theyâre not safe for dogs is an understandable but ultimately untrue claim.
Fortunately, people have been feeding their gerbils grapes for many years and have documented their experiences. Research hasnât turned up any cases where grape consumption has caused immediate or even eventual death in gerbils. However, just because grapes arenât toxic to gerbils, doesnât mean that they can be fed without caution.
How To Properly Feed Gerbils Grapes
The main reason why grapes canât be fed to gerbils frequently is their high sugar content. In the wild, gerbils arenât exposed to many foods that are very high in sugar. This has made gerbils a lot worse at digesting sugar than humans, resulting in them requiring a lot less of it in their diet. So, grapes can be a great snack, but they must be fed in moderation.
In terms of the amount and frequency of feedings, a small grape fed about 2-3 times per week is generally a healthy amount. When feeding these grapes, it helps if itâs cut up into very small pieces. This makes the juicy part of the grape more accessible, and it also helps prevent choking.
If you do choose to feed your gerbil grapes, you also need to make sure that all of their dietary needs are being met. While grapes are nutritious, they are certainly not a staple of a gerbilâs diet.
First and foremost, you need to make sure that your gerbil is getting a high-quality seed mixture. This should be the staple food of a gerbilâs diet as it will give them a diverse food that provides tons of essential nutrients. Once youâve ensured that your gerbilâs dietary needs are being met, you can then supplement their diets with treats.
Vegetables are a nice treat that can be fed once daily, while fruits should be fed in small amounts 2-3 times per week.
Ways Gerbils Can Eat Grapes
There are a couple of ways that gerbils can eat grapes! They donât have to be limited to eating the standard grape that we all know and love. Below are some of the most popular ways that grapes are consumed and whether or not theyâre suitable for gerbils.
- Fresh grapes â This is the most common way that grapes are eaten by mostly anyone â all natural! Fresh organic grapes can either be purchased or grown in your own garden. The skin and seeds are safe for gerbils, and the entire thing makes for a good snack. When serving these grapes, cut them into small pieces to make them easier and safer for your gerbil to eat.
- Dried grapes â Another popular way that grapes are eaten is dried. These can be raisins, currants, or sultanas â all just dried grapes. These are safe to eat, but caution should be taken. When a fruit is dried, a good portion of the water is removed. This results in the grapes now having a higher concentration of sugar in each bite. Since gerbils should avoid more than a little bit of sugar, dried grapes should be given in smaller amounts.
- Frozen grapes â This is an excellent hot weather snack that many rodent owners love. Just putting a few grapes in the freezer will help preserve them and keep them ready for a quick snack. Just be warned that these can be pretty messy, so be ready to clean any remnants out of your gerbilâs cage.
- Liquid grapes â Grapes are commonly consumed in liquid form through either juice or wine. Juice is way too sugary for gerbils, and even a small amount of alcohol can be fatal for them. Therefore, both of these grape products should be avoided at all costs.
