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Post by drummer on Mar 4, 2015 1:36:17 GMT
Ok so apart from good quality hay and fresh water what should I be giving my two degu's on a daily basis? at the moment I am giving them degu pellets (pets at home) and mixed green salad leaves. and occasional flower mix. Also I have read on here about mixing two or three different types of degu pellets can you recommend three types I should use please? |
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 4, 2015 11:52:57 GMT
It can be confusing when you are starting out because there as two or three different, contradictory philosophies about diet, so to a degree you do need to do some reading and decide for yourself based on your own circumstances.
The better commercial foods are JR Farm grainless Guinea pig mix, Versele Laga Crispy, and possibly Science Selective Degu and JR Farm Feast as a mix as the others are all pellets, but your degus might not like one or more of these and you need to keep an eye on the calcium content as the JR Farm ones are a bit low. Some of these are only available in UK from Zooplus.
Next it is unlimited hay.
Next is unlimited forage. This is what degus eat in the wild and we are increasingly finding it is essential for good health. (Pellets are too energy rich and hay provides good fibre but only a low and narrow range of nutrients). I think I have already linked you to some sources, you can get some from Zooplus if you are putting in an order. Fresh stuff is particularly good but not all degus are that keen on fresh leaves, they prefer it dried, so if yours like fresh salad leaves you are doing well, you just need to expand the variety.
Next is oil seeds, including some high calcium ones as the diet as often a bit low in calcium overall.
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Post by animalmadchloe on Mar 10, 2015 20:48:51 GMT
Its hard, I buy a selection of feeds, dried herbs, flowers, leaves pick out all the bad bits and mix together and anyway overs get sent to my friends guniepig so no waste  |
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 11, 2015 11:25:20 GMT
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Post by ferris on Apr 15, 2015 3:15:50 GMT
I've read a couple different things about feeding and I was wondering if you should leave their food in the cage all the time or have a set time to feed?
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Post by jamiee on Apr 15, 2015 5:52:49 GMT
You should always leave their food in the cage so that they can eat when they are hungry, rather than having to fit in with a schedule.
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Post by Maravilla on Apr 15, 2015 14:05:40 GMT
The only thing, if fed, that has to be removed from the cage are vegetables as those tend to mould after some time.
Degus, like all rodents, always have to have access to food, even before a surgery.
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Post by ferris on Apr 15, 2015 14:11:09 GMT
Thank you. He's my first and I adopted him on Sunday and I want to make his transaction as smooth as possible. So any information helps. He is my first one and about 8 months old. I'm use to having rats so I wanted to make sure.
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Post by moletteuk on Apr 15, 2015 15:24:40 GMT
If you provide lots of forage like herbs, wild/ hedgerow type plants, grasses, tree leaves, flowers etc then they will graze all day and it's a good for their health and a good way for them to spend time.
(If you are reading some contradictory things on Degutopia, their feeding and housing advice is getting a bit out of date)
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