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Yes, gerbils can eat banana as an occasional treat. The Gerbil Care welfare site and PetMD both list banana as safe. It is one of the sweetest fruits, so give about a quarter of a thin slice per gerbil every week or so, not more. Peel it first, and only give banana chips that are plain, unsweetened and not fried.
| Safe? | Yes, as an occasional treat |
| How much | A quarter of a 5 mm (0.2 in) slice per gerbil |
| How often | Every week or so at most |
| Best served | Fresh, ripe, peeled |
| Watch out for | Sugar, sticky smears in bedding, fried or sweetened chips |
Is banana good for gerbils?
In small amounts, yes. Gerbil Care puts banana on its safe list, and PetMD names it alongside pear, apple, strawberry, blueberry, kiwi and melon as fruit gerbils can have in small amounts.
The catch is sugar. Burgess says fruit should only come in tiny portions because it is high in sugar, and PetMD says fruit should be fed in smaller amounts than vegetables to prevent weight gain. The MSD Veterinary Manual says an adult gerbil needs only about 5 g (0.18 oz) of pellets a day to avoid obesity and diabetes, so a chunk of banana is a big meal for a small body.
How much banana, and how often?
Cut one thin slice, about 5 mm (0.2 in) thick, into quarters. That is enough for four gerbils, one quarter each, every week or so. Gerbil Care's general rule for fresh food is a thumbnail-sized portion per gerbil about twice a week. Because banana is so sweet, we would let it fill only the odd one of those slots and use vegetables for the rest.
How to serve banana
- Pick a ripe banana. Yellow and firm, not green and not brown and mushy.
- Peel and slice. Cut one thin round and quarter it.
- Use a small dish. Soft banana smears on bedding, so a dish keeps it clean.
- Clear leftovers. Gerbils hoard, and banana spoils quickly. Check the nest within a few hours.
Peel, chips and banana treats
- Peel (skin): leave it off.
- Banana chips: rarely, and plain only. Gerbil Care suggests picking banana chips out of one gerbil food mix and giving them about once every two weeks. Supermarket chips are often fried or sweetened.
- Banana bread, cake and yoghurt drops: no. Burgess says to avoid sweet treats, biscuits and dairy.
Too much fruit at once can give gerbils diarrhoea, which Gerbil Care warns can be fatal. If droppings turn loose after banana, stop all fresh food and ring your vet if it lasts more than a day or your gerbil is hunched or not eating.
Who should skip banana?
Overweight gerbils, gerbils with loose droppings and very young gerbils still settling in. Older, less active gerbils are better off with lower-sugar vegetables too.
Lower-sugar treats to try
Swap banana for half a blueberry, a sliver of strawberry or a piece of apple without pips. Our safe food list for gerbils, gerbil diet guide and complete gerbil care guide cover the rest.
Banana questions
Can gerbils eat banana chips?
Only rarely. The Gerbil Care welfare site suggests picking the banana chips out of one gerbil food mix and giving them only about once every two weeks. Many supermarket banana chips are fried in oil or coated in sugar or honey, so check the label and choose plain dried banana with nothing added.
Can gerbils eat banana peel?
Can baby gerbils eat banana?
Wait until young gerbils are weaned, settled and eating their dry food well. Then offer a crumb, no bigger than a lentil, and watch droppings for 48 hours. Add one new food at a time so you know what caused any upset.
Is banana bad for gerbils?
Not in small amounts. Burgess and PetMD warn that fruit is high in sugar and can lead to weight gain, and banana is one of the sweetest. A small piece every week or so is safe for a healthy adult. Large or daily helpings are what cause trouble.
