Hay, a bowl of pellets, a bowl of seed mix, pumpkin seeds, romaine leaves, and apple slices on a wooden table

October 12, 2026 Jessica Northrup

What to Feed Your Small Pets

Gerbils, hamsters, and rabbits each eat a food made for them. The Merck Veterinary Manual says the healthiest food choice for gerbils is pellets formulated for gerbils, and that a commercial rat or mouse pellet with 15 to 20 percent protein meets a hamster’s needs. The RSPCA says a rabbit diet should consist “mostly of fresh hay and grass (85%), with some leafy greens (10%) and a few pellets or nuggets (5%).”

This guide covers three of the small pets that families keep, with the foods each source lists, the amounts it gives, and the foods each source says to avoid.

What Do Gerbils Eat?

A sandy brown gerbil sitting up with one front paw raised to its mouth, against a white background

The RSPCA says gerbils naturally eat seeds of various grasses, bulbs, and a range of leaves and herbs. The National Gerbil Society’s leaflet Gerbils as Pets says gerbils will also eat insects, and that in the wild invertebrates are probably an important source of protein.

What Is the Best Food for Gerbils?

Merck says the healthiest food choice is pellets formulated for gerbils, with 18% to 20% protein. It gives 5 g of pellets per day as an adequate amount to avoid obesity and diabetes. Merck also says it is better to avoid the gerbil mixtures that contain pellets mixed with seeds, because the animals will often pick out the seeds and leave the pellets.

The RSPCA says gerbils need “a good quality, balanced diet specifically for gerbils,” which “may be in the form of compound pellets or a mixture of different seeds.” The National Gerbil Society’s leaflet says the best thing to do is to provide “a basic diet of a seed mix such as Hamster food.”

Which Treats Can Gerbils Have?

The RSPCA says fruit (such as pear, melon, apple, and oranges) and vegetables (such as cucumber, carrot, pumpkin, and fennel) can be used to supplement a gerbil’s food pellets. The National Gerbil Society’s leaflet says gerbils do not need much fresh food and that too much can make them ill.

For seeds, the RSPCA says pumpkin seeds are a healthy treat and to avoid excessive amounts of certain seeds, such as sunflower, because they are fatty and can cause obesity. Merck says pumpkin or sunflower seeds can be offered as occasional treats, and that homemade diets containing seeds or table scraps are usually not nutritionally balanced. The National Gerbil Society’s leaflet says gerbils love sunflower seeds as a treat but that it is probably wise to limit them because they are high in fat. It adds that gerbils love small seeds such as millet, which are in budgie and canary mix, and that these are “probably better for them.”

How Should Gerbil Food Be Served?

The RSPCA says to scatter food directly on the surface of the bedding to help prevent squabbling, and that this also lets gerbils forage naturally. It says gerbils hoard food in large stores, so the gerbilarium should be checked daily and stale food removed. Merck says it is normal for gerbils to hoard their food, burying it in their bedding and around their cage.

Merck says gerbils do not consume much water, and that 4 mL (less than 1 teaspoon) per day is average for an adult, but that plenty of fresh, clean water should be supplied daily. The RSPCA says that if the amount a gerbil eats or drinks increases or decreases from its normal level, or if its faeces become moist or its hindquarters become soiled, take it “to your vet straight away.”

What Should a Rabbit Eat Each Day?

A gray rabbit and a black and white rabbit sitting close together in grass, the black and white rabbit chewing a long blade of grass

The RSPCA says rabbits should always have unlimited access to good-quality hay or grass, and gives a guide for a day’s supply of a “rabbit-sized” bundle of hay that “should be as big as they are.” The House Rabbit Society says adult rabbits do best on a mix of timothy hay and other grass hays, because they are lower in calories and calcium than alfalfa. It says to offer alfalfa hay only to babies, nursing mothers, and elderly or injured rabbits.

Which Vegetables Can Rabbits Eat?

The House Rabbit Society’s list of leafy greens known to be safe for rabbits includes arugula, basil, bok choy, carrot tops, cilantro, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, parsley, radish tops, and turnip greens. The RSPCA says rabbits need a large handful of safe, washed leafy greens, herbs, and weeds daily, and to offer a mix of several kinds, rotating them regularly rather than feeding the same few every day. Its daily list is romaine lettuce, spring greens, watercress, rocket, basil, rosemary, coriander, mint, and dandelion leaves. It says spinach, cabbage, and celery can be fed safely but only occasionally.

For the amount, the House Rabbit Society’s diet page gives 1 to 2 cups of vegetables for every 4 pounds of body weight, with at least three types of leafy green daily. Its vegetable page gives approximately one cup of packed greens for every two pounds of rabbit, and says that when you try a new green, introduce only one type on one day and wait 24 hours before adding another.

The society says the remaining 25% of a rabbit’s vegetable intake may come from non-leafy vegetables, around 1 tbsp per 2 lb of rabbit. Its safe list for that group includes broccoli, cauliflower, and squash, and it marks squash as high in sugars.

How Many Pellets and How Much Fruit?

The RSPCA says to feed a small, measured ration of good-quality commercial rabbit pellets or nuggets each day. For a healthy adult rabbit it suggests 25 g, approximately an egg cup-full, per kilogram of body weight, adjusted to the individual rabbit. The House Rabbit Society says pellets should be fresh and relatively high in fiber, with 18% as the minimum, and says to avoid “gourmet” pellets that contain nuts, seeds, or grains.

The House Rabbit Society says all fruits are treats because of their high sugar content, and to limit them to a very small amount once or twice per week. The RSPCA names bananas, strawberries, and apples (but not their pips, as these are poisonous to rabbits) among its occasional treats. It says carrots “aren’t the best food for rabbits” because they are high in sugar, and suggests carrot tops instead. Read more about whether rabbits can eat carrots.

The RSPCA’s foods-to-avoid list for rabbits includes muesli-style mixes, avocados, chocolate, onions, garlic, rhubarb, iceberg lettuce, bread, pasta, and potatoes. The RSPCA says rabbits should have fresh, clean drinking water available all day, and that a rabbit reluctant to eat should go to a vet “to check there are no underlying health problems.”

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What Do Hamsters Eat?

A cream and white hamster in grass looking toward the camera

The RSPCA says that in the wild, hamsters naturally eat a mixture of seeds, cereals, insect larvae, and larger insects such as crickets. For pet hamsters it lists “a compound pellet ration or mixture of different seeds formulated to meet their needs,” plus small quantities of greens, cleaned root vegetables, and pieces of fruit such as apples. Merck says a commercial rat or mouse pellet containing 15 to 20 percent protein meets a hamster’s needs.

PDSA says hamster pellets contain all the nutrients a hamster needs, and that because each pellet is the same, a hamster cannot pick out its favourite bits and leave the rest. It says it is best not to feed muesli-style food mix exclusively, because hamsters are likely to eat the bits that are high in sugar and leave the bits that are high in fibre, which can cause dental problems and obesity.

Which Fruit, Vegetables, and Treats Can Hamsters Have?

PDSA says a small daily portion of fruit, veg, and herbs adds variety, and that just a teaspoon or two a day will do. Its list of suitable fruits is apple (remove the seeds), banana, melon, peach, pear, and tomato, and its suitable vegetables include broccoli and cauliflower. PDSA says to avoid overfeeding sugary fruit and veg, because this can lead to health problems such as obesity or diabetes.

For treats, PDSA says hamsters like the occasional treat such as nuts, small pieces of boiled egg, or mealworms. Merck says treats should make up no more than 10% of the diet, and that seeds should be limited because hamsters might eat them instead of their balanced pellets.

How Should Hamster Food Be Served?

The RSPCA says hamsters like to eat hidden away, so they may be seen carrying food in their cheek pouches and retreating to the nest or hiding areas, where they eat the food or stash it for later. Merck says hamsters often store food in their cheek pouches or hide it in the cage. The RSPCA says hamsters need a constant supply of fresh, clean drinking water, and that if a hamster starts eating less, or its droppings become moist or its hind-quarters become soiled, you should “talk to your vet immediately.”

FAQ About Feeding Small Pets

Can rabbits eat gerbil or hamster food?

Feed them rabbit food. The RSPCA says to feed rabbits a small, measured ration of good-quality commercial rabbit pellets or nuggets each day. It does not recommend muesli-style foods, which it describes as “commercial products containing different foods such as flaked maize, peas, pellets, grains and seeds.” The House Rabbit Society says to avoid “gourmet” pellets that contain nuts, seeds, or grains.

Can gerbils or hamsters eat grapes?

The RSPCA says of gerbils: “Don’t give your pets grapes or rhubarb, as these are poisonous to rodents.” For hamsters it says: “Don’t give them grapes or rhubarb, as these can be poisonous to rodents.”

Can hamsters eat citrus fruit?

PDSA says hamsters have generally been advised against citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits, “due to their high acidity.” It adds that new research suggests citrus fruits may be harmless to hamsters, and that “it may be best to avoid them” for now.

Sources

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