Ally

What should degus be fed, how often and what extras should be included by way of supplements?

What food types should be avoided and why?

theratlady

degus are extremely herbivores very similar to gerbils, chichillas, guinea pigs and rabbits. they need very high fibre content and to eat lots of hay, regular grasses, other greens and timothy. they can have food available all the time. however they will practically do flips for a 1/4 of a cheerio or shreddie. (once a day though since can run into problems from eating sugars)

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christina and the bluenose rats and other critters

Arf2184

The generally recommended diet is a 50/50 mix of chinchilla and guinea pig pellets with plenty of hay.

However, the only reason I could find for mixing in guinea pig pellets was for the extra vitamin C. Since I had trouble finding quality pig pellets that the degus liked, I decided not to feed any and just add vitamin C. My goos have been eating the same diet as my chins for about 5 years now and are thriving...high quality rabbit pellets (Purina Advanced Nutrition Show Formula rabbit), a lot of vitamin c powder mixed with a grain supplement, and a variety of hays.

As said, avoid any sugary treats.

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Alison

http://www.alisonschinchillas.com

Amethystbelle

The Degu's diet is relatively a simple one, you just need to avoid giving them too much sugar

Degu’s are a herbivore that means they need no form of animal protein in their diet. In the wild they would live of various plants, bulbs, farm crops (because of this they are considered to be a pest), leaves and bark from trees and bushes. Its important a Degu’s diet is pretty frugal as Degus cannot metabolise simple sugars and too many sugars and carbohydrates can cause them to become diabetic or develop cataracts, which can prove deadly in such a small creature. You should therefore never feed them sugary fruits, dried fruits, biscuits or cereals and any foods you do feed should be low in sugar and molasses free. Molasses is a treacle like substance often added to make the food much more palatable but unfortunately is a sugar so is no good for Degu’s. They also need a diet low in protein as this can cause obesity.

My personal choice when it comes to diet is based on my experience over the last 10 years with degus. I feed a basic mixture of guinea pig biscuits (pellets) such as guinea pig excel mixed with a little guinea pig mix which i believe is the ideal diet as it contains all the vitamins and minerals they need in order to keep healthy, it should also be low in sugar and not contain any molasses. When buying guinea pig food look for one with added Vitamin C as there has not been enough research done as to whether or not degu’s actually produce there own or whether like their close cousins the guinea pig they need it supplementing. Its is quite easy to overdose with Vitamin C so it is best to buy a food with it added. Some people do feed chinchilla pellets instead of the guinea pig biscuits but a lot of them contain hidden molasses so you need to check this out before using them. You also need to give them fresh water daily too.

Degu’s also need a fresh supply of good quality hay daily as it helps keep their gut function healthy and to grind their teeth down. It is also full of fibre. Meadow and Timothy Hay are the normal ones available, alfalfa hay should only be fed in small amounts as it is high in protein and calcium so should only be given rarely. Please note alfalfa pellets and biscuits don’t pose the same problem. I also give my degu’s hay cubes as well to supplement their diet. Try to get different grades of hay too as these all help to wear the teeth down differently.

As well as the basic diet and hay i supplement my degu's diets with dried leaves such as hawthorne, apple, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, dandelion and nettle and i also feed dried flowers too to add a more natural element to their diet. I've also found that with degus that have come into me with tooth problems the more natural approach has helped stopped the tooth problems reoccuring. I also feed veggies either fresh or dried a few times each week, favourites include, Broccoli, Carrot,Tomato, Cucumber, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Sweet potato (make sure you remove the skin first as it is extremely toxic to them), Radishes, Brussel Sprouts,
Green Beans, runner beans, Spring Onions (scallions), Fresh Peas, Cabbage (savoy and white), Butternut Squash, Leek, Pumpkin, Courgette,
Peppers, Mangetout and sugar snap peas.

They can also have a wide variety of treats but as with anything it has to be in moderation. Treats are a great way to bond with your degu as they create a positive emotional response that will leave your degu wanting to come back for more Favourites include sunflower & pumpkin seeds (no more then one a week), shredded wheat, puffed wheats, dried carrot, dried peas, dried corn, dried rose hips, dried Rose petals and buds, a small cube of apple occasionally or a raisin (yes you did read right occasionally a small piece is ok as they can handle tiny amounts of sugar as long as its not on a regular basis), ryvita, wholemeal toasted bread plus as a treat occasionally and i mean occasionally they can have a nut such as a peanut or a hazelnut in its shell (keeps them happy for hours)

So all in all degus aren't really all that hard to feed as long as you keep things in moderation

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Amethystbelle

Rabbit Food – You should avoid giving your degu rabbit food as many brands contain a substance called a Coccidistat that often isn’t listed on the label but is extremely toxic to degu’s.

Rat Food – Degu’s are herbivores and rat foods often contain meat or meat by products or flavourings and are high in proteins and don’t have the vitamins and minerals a degu needs in order to stay healthy.

Hamster and Gerbil Food – Hamster and Gerbil food is high in fat and sugars and tends to contain a lot of nuts and seeds (proteins) which degu’s love but aren’t good for them in the long run as they can cause obesity and diabetes so it is best avoided.

Chinchilla Food – Chinchilla Pellets are fine as long as they are low in molasses but chinchilla mixture is best avoided as they often contain dried fruits, which again aren’t good for degu’s.

Fruit - With the exception being a small piece of apple or a raisin no more than once a month. All other fruits are too sugary for degu's so should be avoided.

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