Random question for any small animal owners...

[moonflower]

i had bought these Vitakraft Mini-Pop things for my gerbil, they're basically mini dried corncobs. on the package it says you can microwave them for a little bit so i usually do that to make it a little different for him 4/5 of the cobs did nothing exciting when i microwaved them, the kernels just turned pale to indicate that they were cooked (and they made a little "ping" sound when they popped, or half popped). the fifth one... well, i turned to look in the microwave after ten seconds and it, er, well, popped. so i have half a cob of little mini popcorns now it's quite cute actually.

my question is... can my gerbil eat these? i don't see why not honestly... in an animal exquisitely designed to chew wood without getting splinters i'd imagine getting pieces of kernel stuck in his teeth is a nonissue. just wondering what people's opinions are

 

[moonflower]

pic (it amused me, i dunno)

that's bunker staring at me in the background!

 

[Ant]

It looks like a corns version of small pocks! Corn farmers watch out it is the small pops!

 

[Lauderdale]

Plenty of melted butter, a little salt and it should make a great snak for him.
Make sure you put something good on TV also.

 

[Finch]

butter and salt are bad for gerbils, just as it is for us. Plain popcorn, I dont see why they would not eat it. I miss the gerbils i used to have... my favorite rodent!

 

[phissionkorps]

....lauderdale was obviously joking about the butter and salt...

 

[Clint]

I know vitakraft is crap quality when it comes to hedgehog food. I'm sure he'll love it but it's just popcorn. I wouldn't pay extra money for "special Gerbil popcorn". I think some companies put hard corn kernels in rodent food anyways.

I feed my hedgehog all kinds of little treats. Usually I feed her turkey or beef or chicken but sometimes I give her a little bit of pound cake or cookie or something. I think it's OK to indulge your pets every now and then as long as it's infrequent. As long as it's nothing really toxic to your pet (like avocado in the case of hedgehogs).

 

[moonflower]

I know vitakraft is crap quality when it comes to hedgehog food. I'm sure he'll love it but it's just popcorn. I wouldn't pay extra money for "special Gerbil popcorn". I think some companies put hard corn kernels in rodent food anyways.

I feed my hedgehog all kinds of little treats. Usually I feed her turkey or beef or chicken but sometimes I give her a little bit of pound cake or cookie or something. I think it's OK to indulge your pets every now and then as long as it's infrequent. As long as it's nothing really toxic to your pet (like avocado in the case of hedgehogs).

oh i know it's junk food... i just like to buy different chews for him every now and again for variety. honestly he hardly even eats the kernels, but chewing them all off keeps him entertained. the corncobs are actually really nice because they last forever- he chews off the kernels then works on the actual cob for a month or so. the little beastie can get through wooden chews in a day, and toilet paper tubes in under 10 minutes (i've timed it)... gotta have something that lasts a bit longer plus i don't have my dog at school so he's kinda spoiled in her absence

 

[Not a Number]

I used to feed my hamsters cooked rice now and then. They loved it, preferring it over uncooked rice.

I'm sure there are grass/wildfires in the natural range of gerbils so that they get cooked/roasted grain now and then in nature.

Just be sure the corn thingy is cooled down before you give it to the critters and remember microwaves heat food unevenly.