Thursday, July 30, 2009

Is it safe to feed a mouse gerbil/hamster food?

I read that it's ok to do it. My gerbil is 2 years old and when he passes I plan on replacing him with 10 female mice (yes, the cage is big enough) But, when he dies I KNOW I will end up with left over gerbil/hamster food, so I dont want to waste it since i wont be getting another gerbil for a while. They eat the same food, right?
Answers:
Mice are very different than Hamsters and Gerbils, they have different nutritional needs and should not eat the same food mix.
Mice need to be fed a Mouse/Rat specific food, they have different nutritional contents that the mice need.
Hamsters and Gerbils and built completely different, their systems and nothing like that of a mouse or rat...
PLEASE get mouse food for your new babies, give them what they need.
If you don't want the Hamster food to go to watse, find someone with a hamster or gerbil and give it to them...
I hope this helps...GOOD LUCK!
yes
What does it matter? It's a freaking mouse.
A MOUSE WILL EAT DEAD PEOPLE ,FEED IT ANYTHING!
yes,its ok,they are part of the same family basicly and there is no harm feeding them hamster food,i hear its also better for them :)
I don't know if that's a good I idea, they have different metabolisms and body types right? To be on the safe side, maybe you should buy mice food. But who am I to advice you and I know nothing about pets.
It's alright, but I would check the nutrition label to see what vitamins, minerals and other things are in the feed, and compare that to what's in the mouse food at the store to make sure your little buddies are getting enough of all of the nutrients they need, and supplement them if they're not.
im not sure but it depends on what kind of food.
I feed my mouse, hamster, and rats all the same food. Some people think it's really bad but I haven't had any problem with it. And all of them are really healthy.
yes. you can feed them just about anything execpt
Almonds
Apple Seeds
Cabbage*
Citrus fruits (lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, etc.)
Eggplant
Garlic
Kidney* or red beans
Mushrooms
Onion
Pickles
Potato*
Rhubarb
Tomatoes
Junk food designed for humans (chocolate, chips, etc.)
no cooked or fried food
It is totaly fine! But to use it up buy mouse food and mix it in so u don't waste mouse food and u get rid of the gerbal food as the supplie of the gerbil food gets lower start adding more mouse food less geril food because giving them just gerbil food then suddenly changing to mouse food could make them sick/ diarria . Good luck!
or u could just always feed them gerbil food ur call butr good luck anyways !
Yes, it has all the nuturients the need and the seeds they love. :D

2 comments:

  1. I was a store manager at a popular pet store chain for 9 years and have owned, and taken care if all three Hamsters, Gerbils and Mice. Mice really shouldn't be given a hamster/gerbil diet, there bodies metabolize differently and there are a few ingredients in hammie/gerbil diets that are harder for mice to digest. When you get your mice first find out what they are already being fed- (hopefully a "Mouse/Rat Pellet, specially formulated for their digestion, brain and dental health) I would recommend the Pellet diet. But your hammie/gerbil food won't be wasted. You can hold onto it for a very long time (thru expiration date) and sprinkle a little bit of it ontoo of their pellet diet as a fun treat 1-3x/week. Remove any dried corn bits, and don't overfeed. This could cause diarrhea, which can actually kill a Mouse within a few days to a week. Always provide FRESH water 24/7. I hope you have fun with your mice, and keep in mind they can be quite territorial (10 is alot, each mouse needs at least 12x12inches of space, and a hiding hut per mouse), just hope the casge IS big enough. Good luck!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was a store manager at a popular pet store chain for 9 years and have owned, and taken care if all three Hamsters, Gerbils and Mice. Mice really shouldn't be given a hamster/gerbil diet, there bodies metabolize differently and there are a few ingredients in hammie/gerbil diets that are harder for mice to digest. When you get your mice first find out what they are already being fed- (hopefully a "Mouse/Rat Pellet, specially formulated for their digestion, brain and dental health) I would recommend the Pellet diet. But your hammie/gerbil food won't be wasted. You can hold onto it for a very long time (thru expiration date) and sprinkle a little bit of it ontoo of their pellet diet as a fun treat 1-3x/week. Remove any dried corn bits, and don't overfeed. This could cause diarrhea, which can actually kill a Mouse within a few days to a week. Always provide FRESH water 24/7. I hope you have fun with your mice, and keep in mind they can be quite territorial (10 is alot, each mouse needs at least 12x12inches of space, and a hiding hut per mouse), just hope the casge IS big enough. Good luck!! :)

    ReplyDelete