Are you worried about feeding your gerbils spinach? You are not alone. This is the dilemma of many gerbil owners.
Is it safe for your gerbils to eat spinach?
Let’s find out from this article
Can Gerbils Eat Spinach?
Gerbils can eat spinach but in moderation. Spinach is a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as Vitamin K, and potassium, which are beneficial for your gerbils’ health. Spinach has a high amount of oxalates which can lead to kidney and urinary diseases. So don’t overfeed your gerbils’ spinach. Gerbils can eat spinach raw or cooked.
Spinach
Spinach is a leafy green vegetable. It is a nutritious vegetable that is grown worldwide.
It belongs to the family Chenopodiaceae.
It can be eaten raw or cooked. It can be stored by freezing or kept in a refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts About Spinach
Spinach contains a good amount of vitamins and minerals which are beneficial to your gerbil’s overall health.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 100g of spinach contains the following nutritional values:
- Calories – 24 kcal
- Protein – 2.35g
- Carbohydrates – 3.53g
- Fiber – 2.4g
- Fat – 0g
- Sugar – 0g
- Calcium – 94mg
- Iron – 2.7mg
- Potassium – 553mg
- Sodium- 76mg
- Vitamin C – 28.2mg
- Vitamin K – 482 mcg
Benefits Of Spinach For Gerbils
Spinach has a good amount of Vitamins and minerals which will benefit your gerbils immensely if fed in moderation.
Here is a list of some of the benefits we found for your gerbils:
Maintains Good Blood Pressure
From the nutritional table above, you see spinach contains a high amount of potassium.
Feeding your gerbils foods high in potassium tends to reduce their blood pressure.
This is good, especially for older gerbils with blood pressure issues
Healthy Eyes
Spinach contains an antioxidant known as lutein. It is known to help with age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
This helps to prevent future vision impairment and blindness.
Helps with Digestive Health
Spinach also contains a good amount of fiber which is good for your gerbils’ digestive health
Gerbils need a daily requirement of fiber in their diet to keep their digestive system functioning.
Here is a table of the daily requirement of fiber according to the age of your gerbils
| Age | Daily Fiber Requirement( % of diet) |
| Juvenile( up to 3 months) | 10% – 15% |
| Adult( 3 months to 2 years) | 5% – 10% |
| Senior ( Over 2 years) | 5% – 8% |
Bone Health
The nutrient value list above shows spinach has a high amount of Vitamin K. Vitamin K helps with bone health and growth.
Healthy Blood
Spinach has a good amount of iron. Iron helps in the formation of hemoglobin in the body.
Hemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen from the lung to all parts of the body.
Risks Feeding Gerbils Spinach
Feeding your gerbils a small amount of spinach once or twice a week has numerous benefits for your gerbils. However, overfeeding can come along with some risks.
Here are some of the risks you should be aware of;
High Oxalates
Spinach is known to have a high amount of oxalates. This has been liked to kidney and urinary tract diseases.
Digestive issue
Spinach has a high amount of fiber. Fiber is good for your gerbil. If you feed too much fiber, your gerbils are prone to bloating and diarrhea.
Pesticides Contamination
Residual pesticides found on spinach can have an impact on your gerbils’ health. So it is important you wash your spinach properly before feeding it to your gerbils
If you have the means, always go with the organic ones. That way you reduce the risk of residual pesticide ingestion in your gerbils.
Here is a list of some of the signs of pesticides contamination:
- Difficulty breathing
- Sweating
- Diarrhea
- Convulsions
- Build up of fluid in the lung
- Excessive drooling
- Abdominal cramping
- Death
If you observe any of the above symptoms consult a Vet to rule out any pesticide contamination.
How Much Spinach Should Gerbils Eat?
Gerbils can’t have spinach every day. The high oxalic acid in spinach has been linked to kidney issues in gerbils.
So you must feed your gerbils spinach in moderation.
A handful amount of spinach once or twice a week as treat is ideal.
Do Gerbils Like Spinach
As omnivores animals, gerbils will eat anything given to them. This ranges from seeds, nuts, fruits vegetables, bugs, insects, and leafy green vegetables.
So Gerbils will like spinach if offered to them. But remember not all gerbils will like spinach.
If this is the first time you are introducing your gerbils to spinach do it gradually.
You must observe how their bodies react to it.
If you notice any loose stools, you must stop feeding them spinach.
There are alternative vegetables you can feed your gerbils if they don’t like spinach.
Here is a list of the alternative vegetables your gerbils can eat:
- Carrots
- Bell peppers
- Cucumber
- Zucchini
- Broccoli
- Peas
- Sweet potatoes
- Parsley
- Kale
Can Gerbils Eat Cooked Spinach?
Gerbils can eat cooked spinach. Cooked spinach has reduced nutrients due to heat.
Cooking spinach also tends to reduce the number of oxalates in spinach.
So feed gerbils cooked spinach in moderation.
Can Gerbils Eat Frozen Spinach?
Gerbils can eat frozen spinach but it is good to allow it to thaw before feeding your gerbils.
Frozen spinach has a good amount of vitamins and minerals which are of immense benefit to your gerbils.
Can Gerbils Eat Baby Spinach?
Baby spinach is the young of matured spinach. The leaves are smaller compared to the mature ones.
Gerbils can eat baby spinach. They contain a good amount of vitamins and minerals which are crucial to the health of your gerbils.
However, you must feed your gerbils in moderation. You must make sure you wash them properly to get rid of dirt and residual pesticides.
Final Thoughts
Can gerbils eat spinach? Yes, gerbils can eat spinach but in moderation.
Spinach contains a good amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals which are beneficial for the overall health of your gerbils.
Spinach has a large of oxalates that can lead to kidney and urinary disease. So make sure you are not overfeeding your gerbil’s spinach.
Feed your gerbils a handful of spinach once or twice a week. Your gerbils can eat fresh or cooked spinach.
You should wash your spinach to remove dirt or residual pesticides before feeding it to your gerbils.