Can Gerbils Eat Cantaloupe? (5 Clear Food Facts)

If you own pet gerbils, there may be times when you are tempted to share your tantalizing cantaloupe with them. But then you wonder, is cantaloupe safe for gerbils to eat? And is it otherwise alright for gerbils to eat cantaloupe? Read on, to find out.

Can gerbils eat cantaloupe? Yes, cantaloupe is alright for gerbils to eat, but in small quantities (like maximum 1 teaspoonful) and only once in a long while (like once per 2 weeks at most). Just ensure that the gerbils don’t eat the cantaloupe seeds, which can be poisonous to them.

Therefore you can use cantaloupe as a (very occasional) treat for your gerbils.

Are Cantaloupe Safe For Gerbils To Eat?

Cantaloupe is largely safe for gerbils to eat: with the exception of the cantaloupe seeds which are poisonous to gerbils.

Granted, the level of sugar and moisture in cantaloupe may be quite high, considering a gerbil’s biology. But if a gerbil only eats the cantaloupe on an occasional basis, that shouldn’t be too problematic.

To further investigate the appropriateness of cantaloupe for gerbils, we need to ask ourselves, can gerbils eat cantaloupe in the wild? And the answer is ‘yes’, gerbils do eat fruits like cantaloupe in the wild when they encounter them.

But such encounters are admittedly rare.

Are Cantaloupe Beneficial For Gerbils To Eat?

Cantaloupe is rich in zinc, calcium, iron, folic acid, fiber and moisture: all these being useful nutrients for gerbils.

Therefore cantaloupe is beneficial for gerbils to eat. The only exception is that of the cantaloupe seeds, which contain cyanide – a poisonous substance to gerbils.

Can A Gerbil Eat Cantaloupe?

Most gerbils like eating cantaloupe whenever it is offered to them, though a few may shun it.

All in all, the cantaloupe fruit flesh is alright for gerbils to eat. While the cantaloupe seeds and peels may be problematic for gerbils, the core cantaloupe fruit flesh is good for them – in moderation.

Can Baby Gerbils Eat Cantaloupe?

Baby gerbils may eat cantaloupe, but very little of it. Thus while feeding an adult a teaspoonful of cantaloupe, for a baby gerbil, that may be half a teaspoonful.

Just ensure that the baby gerbils don’t eat cantaloupe seeds, as those are poisonous to gerbils.

Ideally, offer the baby gerbil very little cantaloupe at first, and watch the reaction. If all is well, you can continue offering the baby gerbil cantaloupe, but always in moderation.

Can Gerbils Eat Fresh Cantaloupe?

Fresh cantaloupe is alright for gerbils to eat.

From the fresh cantaloupe fruit, gerbils can get iron, calcium, zinc, folic acid, fiber, moisture and other key nutrients.

Just ensure that the gerbils don’t have too much fresh cantaloupe, as the sugar in it may cause stomach upsets while the moisture content in it can cause diarrhea.

Can Gerbils Eat Cantaloupe Seeds?

Gerbils should never eat cantaloupe seeds.

The problem with cantaloupe seeds is in that they contain cyanide, which is outright poisonous to gerbils.

How Often Can I Feed My Gerbil Cantaloupe?

Cantaloupe is the sort of food that a gerbil should only eat once in a very long while. It is best not to go beyond feeding the gerbil on cantaloupe more than once per two weeks.

This, by the way, is a similar answer to what you would get if the question was on how often can I feed my gerbil cantaloupe. So for these sorts of small pets, cantaloupe should a treat, not a staple.

How Much Cantaloupe Can Gerbils Eat?

Gerbils shouldn’t eat much cantaloupe. Within a day, a gerbil should not eat more than 1 teaspoonful of cantaloupe.

If a cantaloupe eats too much cantaloupe, it may develop diarrhea, stomach upset and other problems. That is due to the sugar and moisture content of the cantaloupe.

Final Verdict – Can Gerbils Eat Cantaloupe

Gerbils can eat cantaloupe: but only once in a long while, and in very small quantities.

In cantaloupe, there are nutrients like zinc, iron, folic acid, moisture and fiber, which a gerbil would find helpful.

But cantaloupe does have a rather high sugar and moisture content, which can cause stomach upsets and other problems in gerbils. That is why moderation is so important.

While feeding gerbils on cantaloupe, be sure that they don’t eat the seeds. Cantaloupe seeds contain cyanide, an outright poisonous substance for gerbils.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet gerbil a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️