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Yes, gerbils can eat broccoli. The Gerbil Care welfare site and Burgess both list it as a safe vegetable, and Gerbil Care names tenderstem broccoli heads too. Give one small floret, about the size of your thumbnail, per gerbil once or twice a week, raw and washed. Burgess warns that too much green food can cause diarrhoea, so keep portions small.
| Safe? | Yes |
| How much | One small floret per gerbil |
| How often | Once or twice a week |
| Best served | Raw, washed, cut small |
| Watch out for | Large helpings, loose droppings, cooked with sauces |
Is broccoli good for gerbils?
Yes. Gerbil Care lists broccoli and tender stem broccoli heads as safe, and Burgess puts broccoli first in its list of vegetables for gerbils, with cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and chicory. VCA Animal Hospitals says leafy greens are suitable for pet rodents in small amounts.
Broccoli is low in sugar and firm, so it suits a gerbil better than sweet fruit or watery cucumber. The limit is amount: Burgess says too much green food can cause diarrhoea, and Gerbil Care warns diarrhoea can be fatal in a gerbil. VCA says fruit and vegetables together should be no more than 5 to 10% of a rodent's diet.
How much broccoli, and how often?
One small floret, roughly 1 cm (0.4 in) across, per gerbil, once or twice a week. That is Gerbil Care's guide for all fresh food: about one thumbnail-sized portion per gerbil, around twice a week. A single supermarket floret can usually be split into four or five gerbil-sized pieces.
How to prepare broccoli
- Pick fresh broccoli. Firm and green, with no yellowing or soft spots.
- Wash it. Rinse well under cold water and shake dry.
- Cut small florets. One thumbnail-sized piece per gerbil.
- Scatter or hand-feed. Hiding a floret in the bedding gives your gerbils something to dig for.
- Clear leftovers. Check the nest the next day and remove anything soft or yellowing.
Florets, stalks, leaves and cooked broccoli
| Part or form | OK? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Florets (heads) | Yes | Listed safe by Gerbil Care and Burgess |
| Tenderstem heads | Yes | Named as safe by Gerbil Care |
| Stalk | Yes, a small coin | Peel tough skin; crunchy for teeth |
| Leaves | Yes, a little | Count as greens; keep small |
| Plain cooked | Not harmful | Raw is better; spoils fast once soft |
| With butter, cheese sauce or garlic | No | Burgess lists dairy to avoid and garlic as poisonous |
Broccoli and carrot make a good pair for the week: one green, one orange, both firm and low in water. Swap them in and out with small amounts of fruit as treats.
Who should go easy on broccoli?
Gerbils with loose droppings, young gerbils still settling in and any gerbil new to fresh food. Start with half a floret and watch droppings for 48 hours.
Other vegetables to try
From the same family, try a little cauliflower or cabbage, both on Burgess's safe list. A sliver of carrot is another good choice. Our safe food list for gerbils, gerbil diet guide and complete gerbil care guide cover the rest.
Broccoli questions
Can gerbils eat broccoli stalks?
Can gerbils eat tenderstem broccoli?
Yes. The Gerbil Care welfare site lists tender stem broccoli heads as safe for gerbils. Give a small head or a short piece of stem per gerbil, raw and washed, in the same amounts as ordinary broccoli.
Can gerbils eat cooked broccoli?
Plain steamed or boiled broccoli is not harmful once cooled, but raw is better. Cooked broccoli turns soft and spoils quickly in bedding, and the crunch of raw florets helps wear down teeth. Never give broccoli cooked with butter, salt, cheese sauce or garlic.
