Can gerbils eat celery? Are there better options?

Gerbils are omnivorous animals that would eat pretty much anything they can chew, however they tend to go by a vegetarian diet mostly especially in captivity, In the wild, they do feed on some small insects occasionally and that’s why you should always feed your gerbil some vegetables and fruits along with their seeds mix.

Gerbils are not very picky when it comes to snacks and would eat almost any fruits or vegetables but it does not mean you should give them anything you have left in the fridge, so can gerbils eat celery.

Gerbils can eat celery, but not in great quantities, or as primary food, it could be used as a complementary supplement because it’s rich in antioxidants and some other nutritional elements, but even then there are plenty of other options that are healthier and that gerbils like best.

The gerbil’s diet consists of a seed mix essentially and hay we recommend the Oxbow Garden Select Fortified Food for (check current price at Amazon) it’s healthy and does not have any lose fat seeds so the gerbils do not pick those up first, to complement their diet you need to feed your gerbils fruits and vegetables in small quantities for a more balanced diet.

(carrots, bananas, apples …)almost all fruits and vegetables are valuable options, gerbils tend to like crunchy foods they can gnaw on but diversifying is best for a healthier diet.

Do gerbils eat celery in the wild?

Gerbils live in desert areas hence the name “desert mouse” so celery is not really on the menu of the gerbil in the wild, they don’t really feed on anything that resembles it.

However, gerbils do eat plenty of vegetables and fruits they don’t naturally feed on in the wild, and they don’t really get too picky unless presented with a better option.

You need to check if your gerbil can eat anything before feeding it to him, not all vegetables and fruits are suitable for gerbils, some can be poisonous while others might be hard to digest and gerbils are not always the same so introducing new elements slowly is a good idea.

Is celery good for gerbils?

Celery is very low in fat and cholesterol and is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins A, C, and K; folate; potassium; and manganese, so yes it would be great for your gerbils, but again there are other options they would prefer.

Any fruit or vegetable that is not poisonous for your gerbils is good for them as long as it’s fed in the right amount and the healthy way.

Some vegetables lose a lot of their nutrients when cooked so you need to read about any food you are going to feed your gerbils before you do.

Is celery safe for gerbils?

Celery can present a choking hazard, especially for a small pet like gerbils, always keep an eye on your gerbils when feeding them food they can chock on.

It is always a good idea to introduce a new food item slowly into a gerbil’s diet especially with their sensitive digestif system, all gerbils are unique, the fact that celery is safe for gerbils does not mean it’s the best treat for yours.

Make sure to clean the celery and preferably take off the skin before feeding it to your gerbil to avoid any pesticide residue that could poison your pet, small quantities that do not affect humans could be lethal to small rodents.

How much celery can gerbils eat?

Gerbils feed primarily on seeds mix so vegetable treats should not make more than 10% of their daily diet. They are fed to gerbils to balance their food and can not be a substitute for their diet.

Small bite-size portions are more than enough for a gerbil to get the necessary nutrients his body needs, and you should change the fruit or vegetable that accompanies their diet every day to make it healthier.

Feeding the gerbils celery every day could result in digestif problems, especially that it is rich in water and way more than their body needs, so it will be hard to deal with it.

Can too much celery harm gerbils?

Celery is full of healthy nutrients that are very good for gerbils, but it has a very high level of water, and gerbils are desert animals that are not used to a lot of water in their diet.

Gerbils could have a hard time digesting celery, so consuming too much celery or too many times in a week could result in some health issues:

Diarrhea is the most common situation in gerbils associated with excessive consumption of celery and it’s mainly related to the amount of water in celery that gerbils’ bodies are not used to process.

Here is a video example of a gerbil owner feeding his gerbil a large portion of celery, leaving too much celery in the gerbil cage is wrong and could lead to serious problems, gerbils should never have free access to large amounts of food, they could always be health issues or the least get too fat.

Can gerbils eat celery leaves?

Celery is not the best snack in general for gerbils, it contains too much water for them to process, it does not mean they can’t eat it but it would best to just stick to other vegetables.

Celery leaves aren’t the best thing you can feed your gerbil, the texture is not what they generally like and they’ll eat it if they have no other choice.

I would avoid celery leaves and any leaves in general since they often contain pesticide residues even after thoroughly washing them.

The poisonous residues in small quantities may be insignificant to us but it could be fatal for a rodent that’s the size of a fruit.

Ways your gerbil can eat celery

Celery can be eaten raw or cooked, the crunchy form of raw celery is far more appealing for gerbils but if presented with an alternative they’ll just ignore it.

Raw celery is the only way you can feed it to your gerbil since cooked celery contains even more water and would be even harder for the gerbil’s digestif system to handle.

Dehydrated celery is too hard for gerbils to eat and could pose a choking hazard so it’s better to avoid.

Celery nutrition facts

Celery is full of important nutrients like Minerals, Vitamins, Proteins, and Aminoacids that are great for a healthy diet it is also low on fat and sugar and packed with fibers which makes it a great ingredient for losing weight.

To check the full list of nutrients in celery click the button below:

Minerals

Proteins and Aminoacids

Vitamins

Conclusion: Can gerbils eat celery

Gerbils can eat celery, but should they? This is the question that you should ask. Celery has a lot of great nutrients that could benefit gerbils and make their diet more balanced, but it is also associated with many digestif system situations like diarrhea due to its high level of water and fibers.

The fact that there are other vegetables and fruits that can be given to gerbils that are healthier and contain the same nutrients found in celery is good enough reason to avoid it.

In case you had no choice but to feed your gerbils celery, it is best to only feed them small amounts and no more than once a week, more than that could lead to issues.

Other foods gerbils can eat

• Bananas
• Apples (without seeds)
• Almonds (not bitter almonds)
• Carrots
• Celery
• Broccoli
• Raspberries
• Green beans
• Mealworms
• Cheese
• Cheerios

References