Can Gerbils Eat Grapes? [Things You Must Know]

Gerbils can eat grapes in small quantities. They are a rich source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, B6, thiamine, potassium, etc. Also, gerbils love the sweet taste of grapes. Despite these nutrients, grapes are not the best snack option for gerbils due to their high sugar content.

However, a bite or two won’t likely make your gerbil sick, but too much natural sugar can be harmful. Thus, if you want to feed grapes to your gerbils, do it occasionally, like a snack a few times a week.

Can Gerbils Eat Grapes

Read to know more.

Are Gerbils Allowed Grapes?

Gerbils can eat grapes because one or two won’t likely harm your pet. They are enriched with vitamins and minerals, so offering a grape or two is fine, but you must not make it a habit of feeding them. It’s not good for them due to its high sugar and water content.

If your gerbils eat a large number of grapes, they might have problems.

While they are not poisonous, sugar isn’t good either. Eating things high in sugar can cause ingestion. At worse, your gerbil may experience diarrhea, and loose stool, which eventually leads to dehydration.

Moreover, feeding grapes or sugary treats on a daily basis can lead to obesity.

Therefore, gerbils can have grapes but in moderation. They should primarily eat grass, grains, and pellets, and treats should only be fed occasionally.

Do Gerbils Like Grapes?

Gerbils enjoy having sweet treats so they will like grapes too. As omnivores, they eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and apple or strawberries.

Still, not all gerbils are the same, and they can have their own preferences. Some may like the taste of grapes, while others dislike it. So, whether your furry friend likes it or not depends on their choice.

Remember, grapes have a high sugar content which is not suitable for their digestive system. It can have several health problems like diarrhea, gas, and other issues like diabetes. Excess sugar can also negatively affect their dental health.

You can offer a few grapes to your gerbils and see whether they eat them. 

Can Grapes Be Bad For Gerbils?

Grapes do not have any toxic substances; however, they are high in sugar which is not good for gerbils. Excess sugar in gerbil’s bodies can negatively impact their health, such as diabetes or obesity. Also, it can upset their digestive system.

Can Grapes Be Bad For Gerbils

Often grapes are farmed with high amounts of pesticides, which can severely harm or even kill your gerbils. So, wash the fruit thoroughly before offering it to your pets.

Moreover, grapes with seeds can be highly risky, too, as they can choke your little bud. So either buy seedless grapes or remove them manually before giving them to your gerbils.

Another issue could be parasites or micro-organisms; they might not be visible to you but can be extremely dangerous for pets. They can seriously make your pet sick.

Now you have known all the risks, feed them accordingly.

Health Benefits of Grapes For Gerbils.

Grapes are highly nutritious as their own. They are a rich source of vitamins C, K, B6, thiamine, and potassium; however, there are no particular health benefits of grapes for gerbils except for some vitamins. In fact, too many grapes can be harmful to your pet. 

Although grapes are high in sugar, they still contain some vital vitamins and minerals that are great for gerbils.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one cup of grapes contains:

  • Calories: 104
  • Fat: 0.24g
  • Carbohydrates: 28g
  • Fiber: 1.5g
  • Sugars: 24g
  • Protein: 1.1g
  • Calcium: 15 mg
  • Potassium: 255 mg

Grapes contain a decent amount of potassium (6% DA) which is good for maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. 

The antioxidant properties of grapes are excellent for fighting severe chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. They aid in repairing the cell damaged by free radicals, which causes oxidative stress.

The high water content of grapes can be an additional benefit for keeping your gerbil hydrated for a long time. However, too much water is harmful and can cause diarrhea.

Can Gerbils Eat Raisins?

Raisins are nothing but dried grapes. Since they are made from grapes, they are absolutely safe for gerbils. It contains no harmful compounds; however, they are sweeter because the juice is concentrated.

Can Gerbils Eat Raisins

Several types of raisins are found in different regions of the country, like green, golden or blackish, but most are safe for pets. Raisins are less harmful than grapes because they do not contain high amounts of water, so there is no risk of diarrhea.

Some varieties of raisins are highly nutritious. Sultana, for example, contains a high amount of fiber, iron, potassium, and other essential minerals.

Thus, it’s ok for your gerbils to have a few bites of raisins, but more than that can be harmful due to highly concentrated sugar.

How Often Can Gerbils Eat Grapes?

2-3 times a week shouldn’t cause any harm. 

This is because grapes are high in sugar content which is not suitable for gerbils. They usually eat grass, seeds, fruits, and vegetables; those aren’t really high in sugar. So, their digestive system is developed that way, making it harder for them to digest the sugar in high quantities, resulting in upset stomach, gastric, and diarrhea.

If your gerbil enjoys grapes, offer them a few times a week in a small serving. It’s essential to keep their diet balanced.

You can also chop it into small pieces so that your gerbils can eat them easily. It also prevents choking.

How Many Grapes Can Gerbils Eat?

A handful

Gerbils are small rodents from deserted southern Africa and Asia regions. Due to low water availability, their diet primarily contains grass, seeds, and fruits or vegetables grown in their surroundings.

So, their digestive system is habituated to eating low-water-dense food. Gerbils can have grapes; however, they shouldn’t exceed more than 10% of their total diet as they are high in water content and can lead to digestive issues like diarrhea, loose stool, or dehydration.

Thus, 2-3 pieces of grapes should be fine along with their regular diet. While feeding grapes, you should focus on creating a balanced diet for your gerbils with various foods.

Can Gerbils Eat All Types of Grapes?

Well, it depends!

Gerbils can eat fresh grapes, but other varieties of grapes are available in the market—for example, frozen, juiced, or dried. We enjoy grapes in various forms, but can gerbils have them too? Well, not really! Some are safe; others should be avoided at any cost.

Here are some popular forms of grapes available in the market.

Fresh Grapes:

These are the most popular way of consuming grapes. They are fresh juicy, and highly nutritious. It’s safe and can be given to gerbils in small quantities; however, be cautious about the sugar content, as too much can lead to harmful consequences like diabetes or obesity.

To feed, chop them into small pieces, and if possible, remove the seeds and serve them to your gerbils occasionally.

Dried grapes

Dried or dehydrated grapes are another popular concept in the modern era. They are easily accessible. They are safe but more concentrated, so their sugar content is relatively high. So, if you opt for dried grapes, offer them in moderate quantities, as too much can lead to health problems.

Frozen grapes: 

Last but not least, frozen ones. These are very popular forms of grapes commonly consumed in the hot summer. The best thing is that it can be found in most seasons in every supermarket. You can give 1-2 pieces of frozen grapes to your gerbils after they’ve room temperature. Excessive can harm your gerbils, so be aware of that.

Juices:

Packed grapes juice should be avoided given to gerbils because it often contains a lot of added sugar and preservatives to get the sweet flavor. These chemicals are hazardous for pets. However, if the juice is prepared in-house with no added sugar, you can let your gerbil have them in small quantities.

Other liquid beverages, like wine, should be strictly avoided. They contain alcohol which is extremely dangerous for pets and can lead to life-threatening conditions.

Healthy Alternative To Grapes

While grapes is safe for gerbils, it shouldn’t be a staple part of their diet. Grapes are high in sugar which is not healthy for gerbils. It could harm your gerbils if they had too much. However, there are a lot more safe and more nutritious options.

For example, in moderation, apples, bananas, pears, and berries are good.

Avoid canned vegetables are fruits as they most likely have added salt, sugar, artificial colors, preservatives, and other additives that are harmful to your gerbils.  

Here are some healthy options:

  • Apple (seedless)
  • Pears
  • Melon
  • Banana
  • Strawberries

Final Thoughts

To summarize, gerbils can have grapes in moderation. They are highly nutritious; however, for several reasons, it’s not a good choice for gerbils. Gerbils in the wild eat various fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts, but since they are from a deserted region, most of their food is dry or low in water content.

On the other hand, grapes are high in the waterside, so they need to be more suitable for them in large quantities. Moreover, the sweetness of grapes is another issue. They do not get a lot of opportunities to have sweet treats, and their body has adapted that way. So, too much sweetness can harm your pet.

Thus, it’s best to feed grapes in moderation. It’s important to keep their diet balanced to keep your gerbil happy and healthy. You can contact your veterinarian if you have any doubts about any particular food.

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