How many treats can I give my gerbil?

Keep treats to a small, occasional amount rather than a daily habit. Because gerbils are so small, even a modest-looking treat can represent a meaningful share of their daily food, so it's easy to overdo without meaning to.

Can gerbils eat fresh vegetables as treats?

Yes, small amounts of fresh vegetables work well as an occasional treat for most gerbils, but introduce anything new gradually and in small pieces, since a gerbil's digestive system can be upset by too much at once.

Are seed-based treats bad for gerbils?

Not in moderation, but seed-based treats can be higher in fat than a gerbil's everyday mix, so they're best kept occasional rather than a regular addition, especially alongside a diet that already includes seed.

Can I use treats to tame a nervous gerbil?

Yes, offering a small treat patiently and repeatedly is a common way to help a nervous or newly homed gerbil learn to associate your hand with something positive, which can help with taming over time.

Gerbil treats

Gerbil treats are the occasional extras — dried vegetables, seed mixes, small nibble sticks — that sit outside a gerbil's everyday diet of a proper gerbil or small-rodent mix, and because gerbils are so small, even a modest treat can be a meaningful share of their daily food, so moderation matters more here than for a larger pet.

What gerbil treats usually are

Dried vegetable pieces, small seed-based nibble sticks and the occasional plain, unsalted nut or seed are the most common gerbil treats, generally chosen because they're a step up from the everyday mix rather than because they offer anything a balanced diet doesn't already provide.

Fresh vegetables in small amounts also work well as an occasional treat for most gerbils, though they should be introduced gradually and in small pieces, since a gerbil's small digestive system can be upset by too much of any new food at once.

Why moderation matters more for such a small animal

A gerbil weighs a fraction of what a larger small pet like a rabbit does, which means a treat that looks tiny to a person can represent a genuinely significant share of a gerbil's daily food intake. Overfeeding treats is an easier mistake to make with a gerbil than it might seem.

Sugary or high-fat treats in particular are worth keeping to a genuine occasional basis rather than a daily habit, since gerbils can gain weight and develop health problems from a diet too heavy in treats relative to their proper food, the same as any other small pet.

Using treats sensibly

A small treat works well for hand-taming a gerbil, offered patiently and repeatedly so they learn to associate a hand with something good, which is one of the more useful practical purposes treats serve beyond simply being a reward.

Keep treats to a small, occasional addition alongside a proper gerbil mix as the bulk of the diet, and if you're ever unsure whether something is safe to offer, check with an exotic-experienced vet rather than guessing.

What we stock

Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.

Freeze-Dried Krill Treats for Cats & Dogs

Freeze-dried whole krill, a crunchy single-ingredient treat for cats and dogs.

From£8.99

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Common questions

How many treats can I give my gerbil?: Keep treats to a small, occasional amount rather than a daily habit. Because gerbils are so small, even a modest-looking treat can represent a meaningful share of their daily food, so it's easy to overdo without meaning to.
Can gerbils eat fresh vegetables as treats?: Yes, small amounts of fresh vegetables work well as an occasional treat for most gerbils, but introduce anything new gradually and in small pieces, since a gerbil's digestive system can be upset by too much at once.
Are seed-based treats bad for gerbils?: Not in moderation, but seed-based treats can be higher in fat than a gerbil's everyday mix, so they're best kept occasional rather than a regular addition, especially alongside a diet that already includes seed.
Can I use treats to tame a nervous gerbil?: Yes, offering a small treat patiently and repeatedly is a common way to help a nervous or newly homed gerbil learn to associate your hand with something positive, which can help with taming over time.

Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.