abirose
Burrowing Degu
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Posts: 276
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Post by abirose on Jun 5, 2011 20:47:52 GMT
Hi everyone
Quick question I was talking to a bloke in pets and home who owns seven goos and he was showing me some of the most degu friendly treats. He said that charcoal dog biscuits fed in moderation are really good for their digestion. I can't find anything to back this up though, what do you think?
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Post by kovu07 on Jun 5, 2011 20:54:13 GMT
That doesn't sound right, degus have very specific diets and even some other small animal foods aren't suitable so I doubt dog treats will be.
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 5, 2011 21:09:15 GMT
Ewwww! I have to say that I have strong doubts about that. I can't think of any reason why they would require charcoal. I think it would deplete their natural bacterial balances as charcoal is absorbant. It is often used to absorb toxins and poisons in humans that have been exposed to dangerous materials. This just doesn't make sense to me. Other thoughts? Someone who actually knows??
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abirose
Burrowing Degu
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Posts: 276
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Post by abirose on Jun 5, 2011 21:13:05 GMT
I did think it was really odd, its not like a rat who can have the occasional meat dog biscuit, it just shows how important it is to question what people say! I think if charcoal was needed as a part of their diet people would have mentioned it more!
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Post by fred on Jun 5, 2011 21:31:30 GMT
These biscuits are recommended for dogs to “scrape away at the plaque and tartar”. I am new to goos so forgive me when I ask how much problem they do have with plaque?
Also wondering – the biscuits come in 12.5 kg packs - was there perhaps a misunderstanding and he actually recommended them to build something for your goos to climb about in the cage ? Just a thought
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swan
Newborn Degu
Posts: 14
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Post by swan on Jun 5, 2011 22:19:59 GMT
pets at home treat their goos with black dog biscuits, I wouldn't of thought they'd put them at risk?
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Post by kovu07 on Jun 5, 2011 22:36:36 GMT
I wish that was the case Swan, but some P@H stores really don't care about how they keep goos, they often have them in cages without wheels, and with wire mesh or metal floors. And they quite often advise people to feed them the wrong food, sad but true
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Post by Ady on Jun 6, 2011 1:19:14 GMT
Don't hold me to these information but I think charcoal is given to dogs sometimes cause as it absorb toxins in intestinal tract, it helps with bad breath and farting. It's fed to farm animals as they could drink contaminated water and feed and charcoal adsorb many toxins from water-borne organisms or toxins from decomposing feeds. I don't think degus have those problems. But I found study about rats - ''In one animal study, Dr. V. V. Frolkis, demonstrated that the lifespan in OLD laboratory rats increased up to 34% by feeding them charcoal in their diet! Toxins, including free radicals, are believed to play a significant role in aging. But these “loose canons” will form a stable matrix with charcoal in the gut until they are eliminated from the body. Researchers concluded that the binding up of these toxins in the intestinal tract before they are absorbed or reabsorbed into the system may be one mechanism that allowed the rats to live longer and healthier. '' I'm thinking healthy degu on healthy diet will deal with toxins produced by digesting just fine.
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Post by malteser60 on Jun 6, 2011 9:06:44 GMT
Well, you also get charcoal tablets for humans, to aid with digestion and flatulance, and absorption of toxins. But I'm agreeing with ady, particulary as a degu's diet is so simple. They have clean water, carbs, fibre, plus other nutrients. Issues start arising when the diet is highly varied, like for rats were they can have high levels of protein, plus complex carbs, sugar, etc all being digested (same as us humans ).
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Post by fred on Jun 6, 2011 13:51:07 GMT
What a sick joke P@H style
Bonio Ingredients: Cereals, Various Sugars, Minerals, Oils & Fats, Meat & Animal Derivatives. (http://www.petshopping.co.uk/dog/treats/bonio-charcoal-12$35kg)
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Post by kovu07 on Jun 6, 2011 14:22:33 GMT
Seems I was right about P@H not caring enough to advise owners to buy the correct food
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 6, 2011 16:30:58 GMT
Thanks for looking into that and posting the ingredients, Fred! Well! I think that puts that question to rest . . . clearly NOT a degu appropriate food! At this point, whether or not they have charcoal in them, they contain MEAT and ANIMAL DERIVATIVES, and that alone makes them the wrong thing for degus.
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abirose
Burrowing Degu
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Posts: 276
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Post by abirose on Jun 6, 2011 17:19:19 GMT
I just think its crazy advising people to feed the wrong things. I mean there are some people who will buy a degu or other pets and not be prepared to do the research, and will just take p@h's word for it. I thought it sounded strange when he said it to me, but I think you should be able to trust what they say.
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swan
Newborn Degu
Posts: 14
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Post by swan on Jun 6, 2011 21:54:14 GMT
they told me the exact same thing they should be told they are retards for harming degus and should do research before poisoning there animals
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cazara
Burrowing Degu
Posts: 191
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Post by cazara on Jun 7, 2011 11:27:52 GMT
I'd send a email to say about this and the advice given to you and that you now know this will be harmful to goo's and to let staff know this x I also put in this forum for them to look at in my email about advice I was given more complaints they get may help them do something about the goo's care my local store now has wheels and toys in the cages and I for one am glad they still have mesh flooring though. Still it progress a step at a time
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Post by philbailey1806 on Jun 7, 2011 11:33:33 GMT
This is awful, its like they don't know what a degu can and can't have and just decided whats good for a rat must be okay for a degu. Surely someone working in a pet shop (however long they've worked there) should know that degus are much more akin to guinea pigs and chinchillas than to rats? I think this is really, really shocking to be honest! I really can't believe it.
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