Can Gerbils Eat Blueberries? (Explained)

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Blueberries are known as a superfood. It is a fruit that a lot of people enjoy.

But regarding our gerbil pets, can they eat blueberries?

Let’s find out from this article

Can Gerbils Eat Blueberries?

Gerbils can eat blueberries but in moderation. Blueberries contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other ingredients that are beneficial for your gerbils’ overall health. It has about 85% water content. Overfeeding your gerbils with blueberries leads to digestive issues such as diarrhea. Feed your gerbils a small amount of blueberries once a week. 

Can Gerbils Eat Blueberries?

Nutrition Facts About Blueberries

Blueberries are a delicious fruit that contains vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to help your gerbils live a healthy life.

Here is the list of the nutrition values of 148 g of blueberries according to blueberry.org:

  • Calories – 80kcal
  • Fat -0.5g
  • Carbohydrates – 21g
  • Fiber – 4g
  • Sugar- 15g
  • Calcium -10mg
  • Potassium -110mg
  • Vitamin C- 14mg
  • Manganese -0.5mg
  • Vitamin K – 29mcg

Are Blueberries Good For Gerbils?

Blueberries have a lot of nutritional benefits which can impact the well–being of your gerbils.

Here are some benefits of blueberries for your gerbils

Good For Hydration.

By now you know gerbils derived much of their water from the food they eat. That is gerbils don’t drink a lot of water,

Blueberries have about 85% water content, Which makes them a good source for your gerbil hydration needs. But you don’t want to feed too many.

Despite the high water content of blueberries, gerbils should be provided with fresh drinking water every day.

You don’t want your gerbils to solely depend on their food for their water needs,

Avoid that like a  plaque

Good Fiber For Gerbils

Blueberry has a good amount of fiber in it. Fiber plays an essential part in the diet of gerbils.

They need fiber in their diet to help them maintain a healthy digestive system.

Gerbils also get their fiber from other sources such as Timothy, meadow, alfalfa, and orchard. Hay.

So don’t overfeed food high in fiber. This can lead to digestive issues such as diarrhea.

Full Of Antioxidants

According to a publication by healthline.com, blueberries have the highest antioxidant levels compared to other vegetables and fruits.

Antioxidants help protect the body against free radicals. These free radicals are what contribute to heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.

So feeding your gerbils food high in antioxidants will help prevent such conditions, 

Risks Feeding Your Gerbils Blueberries

Gerbils should derive the maximum benefits from blueberries if they are fed in moderation.

So overfeeding your gerbils blueberry carries with it risks.

Gerbis are prone to digestive issues such as diarrhea. Due t the high amount of water and sugar in blueberries you should always serve them in moderation.

How Many Blueberries Can Gerbils Have?

Gerbils shouldn’t eat blueberries every day. You don’t want to end up with another trip to the Veterinary due to excessive feeding of blueberries.

Feed your gerbils one or two blueberries once a week as treat.

Can Gerbils Eat Frozen Blueberries?

Gerbils can eat frozen blueberries but in moderation.

Frozen blueberries also contain the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients which your gerbils need to maintain good health

Can Gerbils Eat Dried Blueberries?

Gerbils can eat dried blueberries but in small amounts. Dried fruits are high in sugar.  Too much sugar is not healthy for your gerbils.

This can lead to stomach upset and diarrhea.

Can Gerbils Eat Blueberry Cake/Muffin

Gerbils shouldn’t be fed blueberry cake or muffins. Blueberry cake or muffin contains a high amount of sugar. 

They also have other ingredients which are not safe for your gerbil. A typical example is milk.

There are no nutritional benefits in blueberry cake or muffin for gerbils.

So you want to feed your gerbils other treats such as apples or carrots instead of blueberry cake or muffin

Can Gerbils Eat Blueberry Yogurt?

Gerbils can eat blueberry yogurt but it should be unsweetened. It should not have any added sugar.

Also, remember to feed a small amount.

Can Gerbils Have Blueberry Juice?

You should never give your gerbils blueberry juice. Blueberry juice is full of sugar. Sugar has an impact on the digestive health of your gerbils.

In place of blueberry juice, give your gerbils fresh drinking water.

Alternative Fruits To Feed Your Gerbils

There are other fruits your gerbils can eat if they don’t like blueberries.

Here is a list of alternative fruits your gerbils can eat:

Final Thoughts

Can gerbils eat blueberries? The short answer is yes. But remember to feed your gerbils blueberries in moderation. Blueberries contain a high amount of water content.

It is estimated to be around 85%. Blueberries also have a substantial amount of sugar content. That is why you must take care you don’t overfeed them.

Blueberries are nutrient-dense fruit. It contains fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are beneficial to your gerbils’ overall health.

Gerbils can eat fresh or dried blueberries. But give them small amounts as treat once a week. You should never feed your gerbil any byproduct of blueberries.

Examples of such byproducts are blueberry juice, blueberry cake, and a blueberry muffin.

Always remember to take fruit from the cage after an hour. to stop the fruit from going stale and attracting bacteria.

If this is the first time you are feeding your gerbil blueberries, start with a tiny piece and observe how they react to it.

References

Fresh Blueberries

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