Currently, there is a waiting time due to high demand. Please see our Delivery page for more information.

What Human Food Can Gerbils Eat?

Some fruits and vegetables, and a few varieties of unsalted nuts, are the only human foods suitable for gerbils.

Gerbils have very different digestive systems to humans, adapted to the desert climate in which they evolved. They are unable to eat a lot of the things that we can happily digest. In particular, processed items such as crisps, cakes, sweets, and chocolate can upset your pets’ stomachs, cause major problems with their teeth, and even result in death.

For more detailed information, take a look at the Foods To Avoid page of this guide.


human food
If it's not on our safe foods list, don't offer it to your pets

The following 'human' foods are suitable for gerbils too:

  • Apple
  • Banana
  • Broad beans
  • Blueberries
  • Carrot
  • Cauliflower
  • Chicory
  • Dandelion
  • Grape
  • Grass
  • Pea
  • Parsnip
  • Pear
  • Pumpkin seeds (as a treat only)
  • Sunflower seeds (as a treat only)
  • Strawberries
  • Turnip
  • Unsalted peanut (as a treat only)
  • Customer Images

    Comments

    Denise, 9 January 2024

    I'm looking after my daughter gerbil for her permanently can they eat peppers I try to give them a verity of fruit veg


    Nyah, 23 December 2023

    They are allowed pumpkin seeds!! But no grapes or rhubarb! It’s very poisonous and I don’t know why grape is on the list


    Martha/Texas, 24 July 2023

    Grapes are poisonous to rodent.


    April, 18 May 2019

    I don't thing gerbils should have pumpkin seeds.