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Male gerbils weigh around 65-100 grams and females weigh 55 to 85 grams.Like all animals, gerbils have a natural healthy weight range. According to Nutrient Requirements of Laboratory Animals, this range is between 80 and 135 grams for males. For females, this range is between 70 and 110 grams. Any heavier than this and your gerbil may experience weight issues.Male gerbils have the potential to grow bigger than females. They can reach between 80 and 135 grams when fully grown.
Contents
What is a healthy weight for gerbils?
Like all animals, gerbils have a natural healthy weight range. According to Nutrient Requirements of Laboratory Animals, this range is between 80 and 135 grams for males. For females, this range is between 70 and 110 grams. Any heavier than this and your gerbil may experience weight issues.
How much should an adult male gerbil weigh?
Male gerbils have the potential to grow bigger than females. They can reach between 80 and 135 grams when fully grown.
How much does a mature gerbil weigh?
Current weights on my crew run from 39 grams (11-week-old female) to 101 grams (mature male). I think 70g is a good weight for a female, but it depends on body type, too. If she looks or feels too skinny, she may well be.
Is my gerbil underweight?
What’s a Healthy Gerbil Weight? The difference between a healthy and a sick gerbil can be as little as half an ounce. Male gerbils weigh between 80 to 120 grams, while females weigh between 70 and 110 grams.
Why is my gerbil so fat?
But pet gerbils have access to more food than wild gerbils and don’t exercise as much. So, filling up on high-calorie foods may cause your gerbil to become obese. This can result in one of your gerbils looking fatter than the other.
Can you overfeed gerbils?
“Do not overfeed your gerbils,” warns Anastasi. “They may regulate the total amount of food they eat, but not the kind of food. In fact, if they’re being overfed they will search for and eat the high-fat goodies and leave the uneaten high-protein, low-fat pellets and grains.”
How many times a day do gerbils eat?
Like any other pet, your gerbil should have a feeding routine. The specific mix you feed them will have serving instructions and proper portion sizes. You can expect to feed your gerbil about once a day. However, they’ll let you know when they’re hungry by digging into their substrate to search for food.
At what age are gerbils fully grown?
Unfortunately, once a pet gerbil has reached adulthood it’s extraordinarily difficult to accurately determine how old it is. These animals reach adulthood at about three or four months, at which point they will be adult-sized and shaped, with a full body of fur and less rounded heads than the youngsters.
Do gerbils like to be held?
One of the nicest things about having pets is cuddling, stroking, and holding them close to you. But because gerbils get easily nervous and scared, they may not seem to be as affectionate. Most gerbils enjoy petting or sitting in your hand. Some gerbils will allow you to cuddle or hug them once trust is established.
How big should a gerbil be?
Size Matters
The average pet gerbil matures to 5 or 6 inches long, not including the 3- to 4-inch-long tail, and weighs 2 to 4 ounces by adulthood. The most common pet hamsters range from dwarfs at 2 to 4 inches long (about 1.5 ounces) to the Syrian hamster averaging 5 to 7 inches long and weighing 4 to 8 ounces.
How big is a great gerbil?
characteristics. …of the largest is the great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus), which inhabits the deserts of Central Asia and is 15 to 20 cm (5.9 to 7.9 inches) long, with a slightly shorter, densely haired tail.
How big can a gerbil get?
How much does a gerbil eat per day?
How much do gerbils need to eat every day? If you’re buying pellets for your gerbils, read the packet for instructions on recommended amounts. Usually a large teaspoon per gerbil per day is enough.
How much food should a gerbil eat?
You should fill the bowl approximately ¾ full. Gerbils require a high fiber diet for digestive motility. Our favorite food brand is Oxbow’s Healthy Handfuls. Gerbils should be offered one teaspoon of fresh fruit and vegetables (apples or carrots) twice weekly.
How often should you change gerbil water?
5—Water Intake Needs
You should change the water in the container at least once a week, even if there is still water in it, although changing it daily is best.
Why does my gerbil look bloated?
Gerbils can be infected with several strains of Salmonella bacteria. Signs of infection include diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, rough hair coat, a swollen or bloated abdomen, or fetal death in a pregnant female.
How much does a gerbil cost?
Gerbils can be bought from almost any pet store in the U.S. They are sold for between $5 and $10. You’re unlikely to see much higher prices than that. Of course, cheaper doesn’t mean better.
Is my gerbil fat or pregnant?
The first sign of a pregnant gerbil is an increased appetite and steady weight gain. Toward the end of the pregnancy, the gerbil’s belly will look rounded and swollen. You may also notice nesting behavior and a personality change. Pregnant gerbils can become aggressive and nervous as their due date approaches.
How much does a hamster weigh?
how much should gerbils weigh
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Can Gerbils Get Fat? — Gerbil Welfare
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Why Is My Gerbil Losing Weight? — Gerbil Welfare
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- Summary of article content: Articles about How Big Can Gerbils Get? (Male vs. Female Size Range) Mongolian gerbils weigh around 90g on average (approximately 3.2 ounces). That’s about the same weight as … …
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How much should my gerbil weigh?
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- Summary of article content: Articles about How much should my gerbil weigh? Male gerbils weigh around 65-100 grams and females weigh 55 to 85 grams. image-How much should my gerbil weigh? How big do gerbil grow? …
- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How much should my gerbil weigh? Male gerbils weigh around 65-100 grams and females weigh 55 to 85 grams. image-How much should my gerbil weigh? How big do gerbil grow? Mature gerbils weigh between 2 and 4 ounces, with males larger than females. According to the American Gerbil Society, that’s about halfway between a mouse and rat in size. Grown gerbils are about 4 inches long, not including the tail.
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The Adult Size of a Gerbil | Pets on Mom.com
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- Summary of article content: Articles about The Adult Size of a Gerbil | Pets on Mom.com Mature gerbils weigh between 2 and 4 ounces, with males larger than females … The average gestation period for a pregnant gerbil is between 25 and 26 days … …
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Description and Physical Characteristics of Gerbils – All Other Pets – MSD Veterinary Manual
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- Summary of article content: Articles about Description and Physical Characteristics of Gerbils – All Other Pets – MSD Veterinary Manual Adult gerbils weigh 2 to 3 ounces (50 to 90 grams). … Breeding has produced gerbils with many different coat colors, including black, buff, white, gray, … …
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Average weight : gerbil
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Can Gerbils Get Fat? — Gerbil Welfare
In captivity, gerbils eat a mixture of grains, seeds, nuts, and dried vegetables. But some foods can make gerbils fat, while other foods are healthy.
Fatty foods, like nuts and sunflower seeds, can make your gerbil fat if eaten to excess. A lack of exercise also contributes to weight gain. To help an overweight gerbil to lose weight, change its diet to a less fattening gerbil food mix. Provide a running wheel or exercise ball for regular exercise.
The average healthy weight of a gerbil is around 80g to 110g, although this differs between males and females. Overweight gerbils don’t tend to pass away much younger than fitter gerbils.
Obesity in Gerbils
In the harsh wilds of Mongolia, there’s not much to eat apart from grasses and grains. Gerbils have to forage all day to get enough. Gerbils don’t eat meat, and fatty seeds and nuts are rare. This means wild gerbils don’t easily get fat.
But, in captivity, a gerbil can eat what you offer it. So, if you provide it the wrong kinds of food, your gerbil can quickly pile on weight.
There’s also the issue of exercise. In nature, gerbils dig their own burrows. They run around when playing and have to escape from predators. They may have to move around all day when searching for food. Your gerbil doesn’t get any of this exercise in an enclosure.
All of this means that gerbils can get fat in captivity. But when cared for properly, you can avoid the worst of this issue.
What Weight Should Gerbils Be?
Like all animals, gerbils have a natural healthy weight range. According to Nutrient Requirements of Laboratory Animals, this range is between 80 and 135 grams for males. For females, this range is between 70 and 110 grams. Any heavier than this and your gerbil may experience weight issues.
The weight of gerbils varies. There are several reasons why:
The different sexes are different weights, with males being bigger
Some gerbils are naturally bigger or smaller than others
A gerbil’s weight can fluctuate based on when it went to the toilet, when it last ate, or what time of day it is
So, don’t worry if your gerbil doesn’t weigh the ‘correct’ amount. Its weight may fluctuate back to a healthy level by the next time you weigh it. If your gerbil is consistently overweight, that’s bad.
My Gerbil Looks Swollen, Is It Overweight?
Being overweight isn’t the only reason that your gerbil might be swollen. Gerbils are similar to people: they may not be overweight but bloated. The difference between excess weight and bloating is that bloating happens suddenly.
Bloating can occur as a result of bacterial infection. If anything, this is more serious than a weight problem. Bacterial gut infections are a medical emergency, and your gerbil will need antibiotics.
According to Experimental Animals, another reason why your gerbil’s stomach might be bloated is a tumor. Tumors affect a gerbil’s scent gland, which is in the middle of its tummy. These don’t appear suddenly, but over time, so can be mistaken for excess weight.
The final reason your gerbil may be bloated is pregnancy. Gerbils don’t appear pregnant until the last few days of their pregnancy, which only lasts a month or so.
If you’re not sure what the problem is, the safest solution is to contact a vet. They will tell you exactly what’s wrong and what you can do to fix it.
Are My Gerbils Too Fat?
The easiest way to tell if a gerbil is overweight is through comparison. If you’ve owned gerbils for a long time, you’ll know what a heavy or underweight gerbil looks like. You can also compare the gerbil to the other gerbils in the same enclosure.
There are signs you can look out for that a gerbil is overweight. These are if your gerbil is too heavy and too large and if it’s eating too much.
However, weight isn’t too much of a problem. Gerbils regulate their own weight by controlling how much they eat. You can also easily fix your gerbil’s weight issue by changing what you feed it.
And besides that, gerbils don’t live long. So, they don’t get much chance to become overweight. And if they do, it has few effects. Even the most overweight gerbils will only pass away a little early, i.e., a month or two earlier on average.
How to Spot an Overweight Gerbil
The first sign that your gerbil is overweight is that it looks overweight. You can tell by looking that one gerbil is bigger than another. You can also tell by holding the gerbil in your hand. This becomes easy once you’re used to owning gerbils.
However, you shouldn’t base your gerbil’s diet on just suspicions. You should be scientific and weigh your gerbil regularly to see whether it’s gaining or losing weight. This is easy, even if your gerbil is active and won’t stay still.
You’ll need digital scales to do this accurately. You may already have digital kitchen scales at home, but if you don’t, they’re perfect for weighing gerbils. To see how much your gerbil weighs, put it in a bowl and place it on the scales.
If your gerbil doesn’t like staying still, put it in a small but comfortable box. You can weigh the box first to see how much it weighs and then take that amount away from the total. It should only take a few seconds to get the measurement, so your gerbil won’t be too uncomfortable.
Make a note of how much your gerbil weighs in a record book, writing it down each week. This will tell you whether your gerbil is gaining weight, losing weight, or maintaining weight.
Are Some Gerbils Fatter than Others?
Some gerbils are naturally fatter than others, while some are naturally thinner. This happens with all animals. Build can vary as animals can have a stocky frame or big bones, for example.
This is the case with gerbils, as it is with other animals. Gerbil males, especially, are ‘chosen’ by natural selection to be as big as they can. This helps a male fight off other males and find a partner to mate with.
The same applies to gerbils that are smaller. When a gerbil litter is born, they almost immediately start feeding. But if one is weaker than the rest, its siblings will push it out of the way to feed. It gets less food.
The runt of the litter rarely gets no food at all. But over time, it gets much less than its siblings. It ends up much smaller than it could have been. The others, by comparison, are fatter.
None of this is cause for alarm, though. Your gerbils will all be different weights. What is a problem is when your gerbil is consistently overeating.
How to Make a Gerbil Lose Weight
If your gerbil is overweight, it’s best for its health that you help it lose that weight. This is your job because, in captivity, your gerbil has everything provided for it. Your gerbil gets its food in a bowl or sprinkled through the bedding. There are no predators to run from.
This means that your gerbil will only lose weight if you help it to. There are two ways this can be done: either through lowered calorie intake or increased exercise levels. Use both methods to achieve the best results, and help your gerbils be as healthy as possible.
How to Put a Gerbil on a Diet
The easiest fix for an overweight gerbil is for you to change what you feed it. This might sound too simplistic, but it’s true. If you haven’t fully researched what gerbils need, you’re likely feeding your pet the wrong food anyway.
Gerbil foods need to be balanced, like the foods of other animals and the food we eat. This means that the food needs a mixture of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. If you get this mix wrong, the gerbil could end up fatter than it should be.
Gerbils also need a mixture of vitamins and minerals in their food. These won’t help your gerbil lose weight, but they are essential for good health.
Either way, your pets should be fed a gerbil food mix. These mixes are available either from reputable pet stores or online. They usually contain things like:
Alfalfa, maize, wheat, and other grains
Flaked grains like cornflakes
Beans and pulses lie soya
Whole seeds, like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
Dried vegetables like carrots and peas
Dried fruits like raisins
The idea of such a variety is that some foods are high in carbs, while some are high in fats or protein. Grains are high in carbohydrates. However, according to Chemistry Central Journal, sunflower seeds have lots of fat. This also ensures that your gerbil gets lots of different vitamins.
How to Get a Gerbil to Exercise
Aside from monitoring your gerbil’s diet, you can also make it exercise more frequently. The idea is not that your gerbil will eat less but that it will burn off the calories it does eat. This is highly effective, and it’s good for general health too.
Fortunately, gerbils are naturally active animals. They are skittish, so they are quick to run. They also run when they get excited, which is often. So, you won’t need to encourage your gerbil to move quickly, even if it’s overweight.
The best way to get your gerbil to exercise is by getting it an exercise wheel. Gerbils can run in wheels like hamsters can. A wheel will allow your gerbil to approach its top speed when running, which burns the most calories.
You can easily get your gerbil the wrong kind of wheel, though. Issues you can run into include:
Plastic wheels. Gerbils chew on anything in their enclosure. If they chew on plastic, it enters their system, which is bad for them.
Gerbils chew on anything in their enclosure. If they chew on plastic, it enters their system, which is bad for them. Wheels with too many gaps and cracks. Sometimes, the wheel has gaps between the slats it’s made from. Your gerbil’s tail can get stuck in these cracks, which can cause major damage.
These are good reasons why you may not want to buy a wheel. Like all things, you have to consider the benefits and drawbacks before you make your decision.
Other Ways to Get Your Gerbil to Exercise
You could also get your gerbil an exercise ball. These are similar to exercise wheels, except they don’t go in your gerbil’s cage. Instead, you put your gerbil inside it when you take it out of its enclosure.
The issues with exercise balls are similar to those of exercise wheels. Because your gerbil needs to breathe, exercise balls have small slits in their sides. Your gerbil’s tail can get caught in them.
If you don’t want to get a running wheel or exercise ball, let your gerbil out of its enclosure to run around. To do this, you have to prepare your room by shutting off any exits and hiding places. But if you did this every day with your gerbil, it would run around happily exploring.
There’s no point starving your gerbil and giving it almost no food. This would help it lose weight, but your gerbil would be unhappy. Instead, create a healthy feeding plan for all your gerbils.
How Big Can Gerbils Get? (Male vs. Female Size Range)
There are many different species of gerbils. They all vary in size, depending on their species and sex. The kinds of gerbils found in pet stores are medium-sized.
Mongolian gerbils, or domesticated gerbils, can reach up to 5.3 inches in length (excluding the tail). Healthy adult gerbils can weigh up to 135 grams. Females are usually smaller than males. The largest species of gerbil is the Great Gerbil, whose body can reach 8 inches long.
We’ll explore the average gerbil size range and how big you can expect your gerbil to get. We’ll also look at gerbil cage size requirements and what to do if your gerbil is getting too big.
What Is the Average Size of a Gerbil?
There are over 100 different species of gerbils living in the wilds of Asia and Africa. They can range from under 2 inches to over 8 inches in length, excluding their tails.
The most popular type of gerbil kept as a pet are Mongolian gerbils. They’re medium in size.
When they’re born, Mongolian gerbils weigh less than 3 grams. But they grow quickly within their first few months of life.
The average size of an adult Mongolian gerbil is 4 inches long, not including the tail. Gerbils’ tails are usually as long as their bodies, so around 4 inches again.
Mongolian gerbils weigh around 90g on average (approximately 3.2 ounces). That’s about the same weight as a small apple.
The other pet gerbil is the fat-tailed gerbil (Duprasi gerbil.) Fat-tailed gerbils have similar body sizes to Mongolian gerbils, but their tails are shorter, at 2 inches. They also weigh less, around 40g.
No matter the species, male gerbils are usually bigger than female gerbils. They start off the same size but grow larger as they go through sexual maturity.
What’s the Biggest Gerbil Ever?
There’s currently no world record for the biggest Mongolian gerbil. But the award for the largest gerbil species in the world goes to the great gerbil (Rhombomys Optimus).
The appropriately named great gerbil can reach an extraordinary size (for a gerbil, that is). Its body can range from 6 to 8 inches in length. That’s about the same length as a guinea pig.
Great gerbils also have a long tail, which is around the same length as their body. They have long, sharp front claws that they use for digging tunnels.
Great gerbils are found in several Asian countries, including Pakistan, China, Iran, and Mongolia. They live in desert habitats, just like Mongolian gerbils, and they live in communal burrows.
Because they have never been domesticated, great gerbils cannot be kept as pets. They wouldn’t thrive in captivity, and it would be difficult to provide adequate care for them.
According to BBC News, great gerbils may have caused the Black Death of the European middle ages. They are carriers of the Yersinia pestis bacterium, which is responsible for the bubonic plague.
What’s the Smallest Type of Gerbil?
Most gerbils are on the small side. Being small helps them to keep out of sight and avoid predators. There are many tiny species of gerbils, such as the pygmy gerbil and the Somali pygmy gerbil.
But the smallest type of gerbil that we know of is the pouched gerbil, found in western Africa. Even as adults, pouched gerbils rarely exceed 14g in weight or 3 inches in length.
The smallest gerbil you can keep as a pet is the fat-tailed gerbil (or Duprasi gerbil). Fat-tailed gerbils aren’t much shorter than Mongolian gerbils, but they’re a lot lighter at only 40g.
The smallest rodent in the world is not a gerbil — it’s the Baluchistan pygmy jerboa. Jerboas are related to gerbils but have larger back feet for hopping. Pygmy jerboas weigh 3-4 grams as adults.
How Big Do Mongolian Gerbils Get?
Many people are surprised by how big Mongolian gerbils can get. They may look small in the pet store, but that’s because they are still babies.
Usually, gerbils are sent to pet stores as soon as they have been weaned and left their mothers. They are ready to be sold when they are only around 6-8 weeks old and 2-3 inches long.
Your gerbil may continue growing for several weeks or even months after you bring it home.
Not all gerbils are the same size. Some gerbils stay much smaller than others, even as adults. Their size can be affected by:
Some gerbils are genetically inclined to grow larger than others. Being bigger or smaller can run in the family.
Gerbils that are fed high-calorie food, with all the right vitamins and minerals, will grow larger.
The dominant gerbil in the clan will often grow bigger than the others. This is usually because it stops the other gerbils from accessing the food.
Male gerbils usually grow larger than females, though this is not always the case.
The final adult size of your gerbil will depend upon a combination of the above factors.
How Big Do Male Gerbils Get?
Male gerbils have the potential to grow bigger than females. They can reach between 80 and 135 grams when fully grown.
This is an example of sexual dimorphism: differences in males and females of the same species.
In gerbils, the size difference is to do with the contrasting roles of males and females. Male gerbils are the leaders of the clan, so they have to compete for power and territory.
The largest male is usually the most dominant gerbil. That’s because he will almost always win in a fight. He’ll get the first pick of where to live and sleep, what to eat, and who to mate with.
Because of this, the largest males more easily pass their genes on to the next generation. That’s how natural selection makes male gerbils bigger than females.
Male gerbils also tend to be lazier than females. It isn’t always the case, but lazy male gerbils are more prone to obesity.
How Big Do Female Gerbils Get?
In general, female gerbils are smaller than males. Female gerbils can reach between 70 and 110 grams as adults. Each gerbil’s weight within this range depends mostly on genetics and diet.
Unlike male gerbils, females have no reason to grow unusually large. Female gerbils are almost always subordinate to males, regardless of size. They don’t need to fight for territory or dominance.
Instead, a female gerbil’s job is to rear young. Size doesn’t affect the ability to take care of young, so it isn’t a factor.
Female gerbils get larger when they’re pregnant. You can expect a female gerbil to gain a few grams per day throughout pregnancy.
Their abdomen will engorge to accommodate their growing litter as the pregnancy progresses. They will also store fat in other areas to help with milk production.
What Are the Gerbil Cage Size Requirements?
Gerbils are born less than an inch long. They can leave their mother from as early as five or six weeks old. If you’ve got your gerbil from a pet store or breeder, it is probably still a baby and quite small.
You may be tempted to purchase a small cage, such as a hamster cage, for your gerbil. But this would be a mistake, as your gerbil will quickly outgrow it.
Hamster cages are never suitable for gerbils. Gerbils require a large tank to hold substrate for digging tunnels, with a cage on top. The cage must be big enough to hold the exercise wheel, water bottle, hide, and food dish.
Many store-bought gerbilariums aren’t big enough for adult gerbils. Your gerbil may fit while it’s still young, but it will soon run out of the room. This is especially true if you house more than one gerbil in the same cage.
How Big Should a Gerbil Cage Be?
Even if you’re buying a baby gerbil, it’s better to get a large gerbilarium that it will grow into. It’s more economical than purchasing a smaller cage and having to replace it within a few months.
Each gerbil requires at least 10 gallons of space. There is no difference in space requirements for male and female gerbils. Their size disparity isn’t significant enough to require different-sized enclosures.
You must keep at least two gerbils together so they don’t get lonely. So the minimum gerbil cage size is 20 gallons for a pair of gerbils.
There should be at least 15 x 30 inches of floor space for a pair of gerbils. But floor space isn’t as valuable as vertical space. The gerbilarium should be deep enough to hold at least 6-7 inches of substrate.
When Do Gerbils Stop Growing?
By adulthood, they are fully grown. But the definition of ‘adulthood’ can depend on who you ask. There is no precise moment when every gerbil stops growing.
According to Reproduction, Fertility, and Development, most male gerbils reach sexual maturity by 3 months. The same is true for females. But both females and males can become mature sooner than this, from as young as 2.5 months.
Like us, gerbils have their biggest growth spurts before they become fertile. However, they continue growing after they have the potential to become parents, just more slowly.
Most gerbils reach their full size by around 6 months of age. But some may continue to grow until they are a year old. This depends mostly on genetics and diet. There are many reasons why fully grown gerbils might be getting bigger:
Pregnancy . This only applies to female gerbils that have been housed with a male. But pet store owners and breeders have been known to incorrectly sex gerbils. Surprise gerbil pregnancies are far from rare.
. This only applies to female gerbils that have been housed with a male. But pet store owners and breeders have been known to incorrectly sex gerbils. Surprise gerbil pregnancies are far from rare. Tumors . Sadly, tumors are not all that rare in gerbils. They are especially common in older gerbils. Tumors inside the abdomen can create the appearance of a growing gerbil.
. Sadly, tumors are not all that rare in gerbils. They are especially common in older gerbils. Tumors inside the abdomen can create the appearance of a growing gerbil. Obesity. Gerbils can get fat if they overeat and don’t exercise enough.
If you aren’t sure of your gerbil’s age or whether it should still be growing, see a veterinarian.
Is My Gerbil Overweight?
A gerbil that’s getting heavier and wider, but not longer, may be overeating. Both male and female gerbils can become overweight at any age. It’s most common in dominant gerbils, as they can restrict the food supply of the submissive gerbil(s).
Gerbils are supposed to weigh no more than around 110g for females and 135g for males. If your gerbil has a smaller frame, it could even be overweight at a lower weight than this. If it looks chubby and spends less time being active, there may be cause for concern.
According to Veterinary Clinics of North America, a body weight of 20% above normal indicates obesity. Though it might not sound like much, this is a difference of just 20 grams for a gerbil.
Obesity in gerbils can lead to significant health problems. Your gerbil may experience heart problems, skeletal and mobility issues, or diabetes. Obesity can even result in premature death.
As with any other animal, obesity can be tackled by adjusting the diet and increasing exercise. But don’t put your gerbil on a diet without professional advice. It could be that your gerbil has a larger skeleton, and extra weight is normal.
Why Is My Gerbil Losing Weight? — Gerbil Welfare
There are many reasons why you may notice your gerbil getting skinny. This is worrying because losing weight can be a sign of poor health in gerbils.
Your gerbil isn’t eating because it’s sick, it doesn’t like its food, its teeth are too long, or it’s old and dying. Diagnose the reason by examining your gerbil’s behavior and environment. If your gerbil is eating but still losing weight, you’re feeding it the wrong types of food, or your gerbil is severely ill.
If you fear that your gerbil has lost weight suddenly, don’t rely on your instincts. Weigh your gerbil weekly on kitchen scales, and you’ll have a baseline weight that’s normal for your gerbil.
Why Do Gerbils Lose Weight?
According to PeerJ, gerbils can experience similar weight issues to people. Gerbils lose weight if they don’t eat. This means they don’t get any calories into their systems. There are many reasons why gerbils would refuse food, including:
Wrong kind of food. Your gerbil may not recognize what you’re offering as food.
Your gerbil may not recognize what you’re offering as food. You feed your gerbils with a food bowl. Dominant gerbils restrict access to the food bowl, which can lead to other gerbils not getting any food at all, or hardly any.
Dominant gerbils restrict access to the food bowl, which can lead to other gerbils not getting any food at all, or hardly any. Your gerbil can’t eat for some reason. It could be ill, for example.
It could be ill, for example. You aren’t feeding your gerbil frequently enough. Many gerbils are neglected, and aren’t fed as often as they should be.
Many gerbils are neglected, and aren’t fed as often as they should be. A big group of pets all in one enclosure. Your math may have been wrong, and you aren’t leaving enough food each morning. This would cause most of the gerbils to lose weight.
However, a lack of food isn’t the only reason that gerbils can lose weight. But before we come to understand what causes weight loss in gerbils, we have to look at what a gerbil’s average weight is.
What’s a Healthy Gerbil Weight?
The difference between a healthy and a sick gerbil can be as little as half an ounce. Male gerbils weigh between 80 to 120 grams, while females weigh between 70 and 110 grams.
However, this doesn’t apply across the board. A male gerbil that weighs 75 grams isn’t necessarily unhealthy. All gerbils are different, and some have bigger frames than others.
Some gerbils are naturally smaller than others. They may become small because they’re the runts of the litter, for example, and don’t eat enough when they’re young. You may also have misidentified the sex of your gerbil, which leads to inaccurate estimates of healthy weight.
If you’re worried your gerbil may be over or underweight, look for other signs of ill health as well. Underweight gerbils are often ill for other reasons, like dental or gut problems.
Gerbils Lose Weight when Ill
When gerbils get ill, they experience a range of symptoms depending on the issue. Common symptoms include lethargy, sleeping too much, a runny nose and eyes, and wheezing.
However, the relevant symptom here is weight loss. Weight loss is associated with many different gerbil health conditions, including:
Respiratory infection
Infection by parasites
Digestive problems, like persistent regurgitation/vomiting
Excessive seizures
It seems to be an evolutionary adaptation. If a gerbil that’s about to die eats food, it’s essentially wasted. That food could have gone to feed another, healthier gerbil. So, gerbils avoid food when they’re ill and especially when they’re about to pass away.
Gerbil Teeth Too Long
Gerbils have special teeth which are unique to rodents. They have long incisors at the front of their mouth, which are perfect for gnawing at food or tree roots when burrowing.
Because these teeth are so important, they keep growing throughout the rodent’s life. However, this can mean that they grow too long. When they do, they can pierce through your gerbil’s mouth, even into its brain.
Another problem with these teeth being too long is that they can make eating more difficult. While rodents have small molars, their incisors are the teeth they use to crack open seeds and nuts. If they can’t do this, they can’t eat as much or as easily.
Old Gerbil Losing Weight
Once your gerbil reaches two years old, it is reaching the end of its natural lifespan. It will then start to show the signs of aging.
All animals lose weight as they get old—it’s a natural part of getting to that stage of life. It occurs because older animals begin to eat less, which leads to muscle loss and fat burn. It’s a cycle that results in lower weight.
If this is happening, you may want to offer your gerbil something new to eat. This could be beneficial in the short term. This will prevent your gerbil from losing weight too quickly, which can be an issue.
But bear in mind that you won’t stop your gerbil from losing weight entirely. That’s because you can’t reverse aging. All gerbils that reach this age will lose weight, and there’s nothing you can do to stop that.
Gerbil Eating but Losing Weight
This can happen when gerbils are eating the wrong food. A gerbil will happily eat lots of vegetables because many vegetables are sweet and tasty.
But gerbils need a varied diet that includes fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts. Like all animals, they need a mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. They also need vitamins and minerals, which can’t all be gained from vegetables alone.
If you only feed your gerbil vegetables, it misses out on most of the calories of its diet. So, if you mostly feed your gerbil fruit and veg, start feeding it a gerbil food mix instead.
How to Track a Gerbil’s Weight
To keep track of your gerbil’s weight, weigh it regularly and keep a record. This can be difficult on a general-purpose scale. That’s because gerbils are so light, and small differences can mean a lot.
Digital kitchen scales are a good choice for weighing gerbils. These let you weigh things in multiple different denominations (e.g., metric and traditional) so you can easily compare them with the results of other owners online. Using grams is best because grams are more precise than ounces.
They also are accurate to within small margins. They have to be because gerbils are already light, so any weight changes are tiny. Digital scales are also easier to read, so they make much better scales overall.
But as you know, gerbils may be difficult to handle. They love to scurry about. So, to weigh your gerbil, follow these guidelines:
If your gerbil is cool and calm, put it directly on top of the scales in a bowl.
If your gerbil is too excitable, put it inside a breathable box or carry case.
Place the tub on top of the scales and take your reading.
Write down your gerbil’s name and weight clearly in a book, or on your smartphone.
Repeat the process for all of your gerbils.
Repeat this process once every two weeks. With most gerbils, you should see that their weight stays roughly the same over the course of weeks and months.
Should a Gerbil’s Weight Fluctuate?
All animals’ weights naturally fluctuate. There are several reasons why your gerbil’s weight will change over time, including:
When your gerbil last ate
When your gerbil last went to the toilet
What time of day it is
What time of year it is
Whether your gerbil has been recently sick
These factors will make your gerbil’s weight vary each time you weigh them. A variance of around five grams each week is normal. Your gerbil will likely gain the weight back or lose it again by next week.
Changes bigger than this aren’t normal. That’s the case if your gerbil has been gaining or losing weight consistently each week. If that’s the case, there may be a health issue you have to diagnose.
How to Help a Gerbil Gain Weight
If your gerbil is losing weight because it’s sick, treat the illness first and foremost. By treating the illness, your gerbil should get its appetite back.
So, for example, if the issue is a respiratory infection, ensure that its cold doesn’t get any worse. Over the next few days, your gerbil will likely start eating again. There are also several steps you can take at the same time or afterward that will help.
What to Feed a Gerbil That’s Losing Weight
You can also try offering your gerbil treats. Gerbils love treats, especially those that are high in fat and protein. In the wild, these foods are rare compared to roots and grains, so gerbils like to eat lots of them when they can.
Gerbils will eat almost anything you offer them. So, try offering your gerbil lots of different foods. Stick to foods that you know won’t poison it. Things like nuts, seeds, and berries are fine. Avoid garlic and onion, as well as grapes.
A good food to feed a thin gerbil is sunflower seed. According to Chemistry Central Journal, sunflower seeds are high in calories and especially high in fat. This means your gerbil won’t have to eat many of them to gain its weight back.
According to PLoS One, pumpkin is another food with lots of calories and a decent amount of fat. The seeds, which normally go to waste when you cook with squashes or pumpkins, have a high fat content like sunflower seeds do.
So, feed your gerbil lots of high-fat foods rather than vegetables alone.
Can You Force Feed a Gerbil?
Your last resort should be feeding your gerbil by hand. To be clear, you shouldn’t force-feed a gerbil. If you do, you could accidentally hurt it or even damage its teeth. This would only make the situation worse. To hand feed a gerbil, follow these steps:
Take some regular baby food. Check that the ingredients are fine for gerbils to eat first. Pick one that has lots of vegetables in it rather than meat. Suck some up into a syringe (not the kind with a needle). Instead of a needle, there’s a round piece of plastic that the contents can squirt through. They’re used for administering medicines like antibiotics. Pick your gerbil up in your left hand, and hold it gently. Don’t move quickly or do anything to panic your pet. Take the syringe and place it at the side of your gerbil’s mouth. Don’t force it inside, but allow the gerbil to accept it. Then, squeeze some of the food out.
Your gerbil should eat baby food happily enough. Don’t offer too much food at any one time or your gerbil could choke. Go slowly and gently instead. Repeat this process several times over the course of a week. This will help your gerbil gain its lost weight back.
Record your gerbil’s weight at the end of the week, and see if your efforts helped. If your gerbil has gained a few grams, that’s more than enough. Continue with the same process until your gerbil is happy enough to eat food on its own again.
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