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Post by malteser60 on Nov 10, 2011 23:00:45 GMT
Just to be a bit pedantic (sorry) but appearance can give you an indication of the quality of the veg. So no, the veg doesn't have to look pretty but it needs to look healthy - i.e. not spoiled. So common sense is needed.
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Post by fred on Nov 11, 2011 16:57:12 GMT
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Post by fred on Nov 11, 2011 17:16:40 GMT
This shop has an amazing range of products: www.galensgarden.co.uk/shop/They ship to many different countries, but it needs a zip code to get to the shipping costs. Maybe worth looking into?
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Post by winic1 on Nov 11, 2011 18:49:34 GMT
Had a friend take me out shopping yesterday, and found this in a pet shop: Healthy Herp Veggie Mix Instant Meal www.petdiscounters.com/Healthy-Herp-Veggie-Mix-Instant-Meal-Reptile-Food--Bulk-Jar--36-oz_p_17353.htmlIngredients:Dry dandelion greens, dry red clover tops, freeze dried leeks, freeze dried carrots, freeze dried zucchini, freeze dried corn, freeze dried peas, freeze dried green beans, dry Calendula flower petals, calcium carbonate. It's sold for reptiles, but the ingredients are all, I believe, okay for degus except for the corn, which is easy to pick out and not a major component. There is very little carrots in there compared to the other ingredients. (Our guinea pigs are loving the corn!) And even tho the greens are small pieces, kinda like flaked spices, my boys are eating this up!!! I have to put two small separate bowls in their cage, because whoever gets to the bowl first chases the other away and then huddles over it to protect it. So far they are only getting a shallow teaspoon each a day, but this morning when I filled their pellet bowls, they completely ignored them and stayed at the door asking me, Where is the good stuff? This is fun, treating them this way.
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Post by NightwishRaven999 on Nov 16, 2011 8:46:30 GMT
It is very late for me at the moment, so I will keep this brief. I spent some time at the natural produce market this evening and brought home a selection of fruits and vegetables for the degus. I have many herbs and lots of dried plants and flowers left, but was looking specifically for vegetables today. After seeing photos of Apology's dried cube-shaped cut vegetable selection, I wanted to try something out. For this small vegetable mix, I will be using Red Pepper, Yellow Pepper and Orange Pepper, Carrots, Parnips, Celery, Courgette and Italian Tomatoes. I have cut all of these into thin slices and cube shaped pieces. I am hoping they all turn out well. I will be posting about my success/failures with this in the Blog section of the forum. For now, here are a few photos of my latest degu diet-related adventure.
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Post by nuttz on Nov 16, 2011 10:06:09 GMT
ok, i know this will sound extremely stupid, but here goes... how would be the best way to dry out such vegetables? i believe i have pretty much the same selection as NWR´s in my fridge at the moment, i would love to do something like this for my goos! also, below i shall post a couple of pics i took at the weekend, they are of some herbs etc and i just want to be sure that they are completely safe for my goos before giving them! i was wondering/ hoping if somebody could help me identify them please?! as you can see, im really not good at this sort of stuff, hence the reason why im finding it soooo hard to get a grip with the natural nutrition for my goos, i am trying but i DO need lots of help unless a tree had an apple on it i wouldnt know it was a apple tree, it would just be a tree...lol anyway, photos:- is this safe, its a weed i found and i havent a clue what it is... and, my friend chopped this down, he told me it was from a willow tree but i just want to be sure... and one last picture.. this is weed from my garden, again..i have no idea if its safe for the goos, so i would love you help! presently i have them all drying out nicely but before i go any further, i need to know if what i have is safe! thank you so much in advance
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Post by Kat on Nov 16, 2011 10:30:22 GMT
Hi, I can help with a couple of the easier ones and I'm sure that a more knowledgeable person will be along soon. Number 1 looks like sage to me but I am only 85% sure of this. Number 4 is rosemary, I am using a lot of this for focaccia bread at the moment so I am sure of this. The goo's love it tooThese are dandelion leaves. A degu favoriteKat x
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Post by nuttz on Nov 16, 2011 10:35:40 GMT
thank you kat!
TBH im quite suprized to hear that the last one was dandelion as since living in spain i dont think ive seen any...lol obviously, this just shows how stupid i am when i have it growing in my own garden...lol i may go and do some weeding now. ;D the ones you mentioned are all fine for the goos? and are best given when dryed? thanks again!
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Post by nuttz on Nov 16, 2011 10:38:41 GMT
**hides behind desk because of fear of another stupid question** are dandelion the yellow flower things that when we were young, we were told that if we picked them, we would wet the bed? if so, i dont think ive ever seen the flowers here? maybe because the sun dries the plant before the flower develops???
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Post by fred on Nov 16, 2011 10:44:49 GMT
I can confirm that it is sage. Brought some home yesterday and my girls are munching on it as I type. Sage, rosemary and dandelion can be given dried and fresh; I would try fresh first (just make sure to introduce anything new in smaller amounts so that your goos get used to it - this is just standard advice, probably not necessary in most cases). For the other plants you have to wait for more knowledgeable people, I am afraid. Edit: Ratte enjoying sage right now
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Post by Kins on Nov 16, 2011 11:05:37 GMT
Number 1 looks like sage to me but I am only 85% sure of this. Number 4 is rosemary, I am using a lot of this for focaccia bread at the moment so I am sure of this. The goo's love it tooThese are dandelion leaves. A degu favoriteKat x I agree with those, definitely . I also *think* number 3 is mint and number 5 looks like thyme...
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Post by nuttz on Nov 16, 2011 11:35:59 GMT
the only one that i thought i had an idea was the mint.. number 2, but that is only because it smells of mint?
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Post by nuttz on Nov 16, 2011 11:36:52 GMT
and fred..............................your goo certainly looks like she is tucking in there! yum, yum!! great photo!!! ;D
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Post by moletteuk on Nov 16, 2011 19:23:06 GMT
If 2 smells like mint, then it's probably mint, but it doesn't look exactly like standard mint, but there are lots of varieties. 5 looks like thyme to me. Not sure about 3 & 6, do they smell of anything? Also not sure about the weed with its own pic, but it looks similar to 6?? The willow looks like willow, but rather grey coloured, perhaps it's a different type of willow.
You can dry the veg out in the oven on the lowest setting. I keep putting stuff in the oven when I've finished cooking human food in there... and burning it to a crisp aarrgghhh!
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Post by winic1 on Nov 16, 2011 22:54:16 GMT
Could #3 be basil? Or what does it smell like? My impression is something in the mint family, but that includes all kinds of herbs. Is the stem square? And the leaves come off the stem opposite each other-in pairs (as opposed to alternating along the stem)?
I dry my greens by simply putting a fan blowing across or near them. The extra air circulation does wonders, and surprisingly quickly.
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Post by malteser60 on Nov 16, 2011 23:32:50 GMT
Number 5 looks like thyme to me. Does it smell like thyme?
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Post by coronasol on Nov 18, 2011 9:01:58 GMT
I've just made an order from www.chinchillas2shop.co.uk -they seem to have a lot of choice, and the items were dispatched very quickly after ordering. I'm going to do my first order from here this weekend. Quick question - the items listed under treats www.chinchillas2shop.co.uk/treats.htm such as: Carrot, Bell Pepper & Beetroot Mix Naturals Herbal Garden Natures Salad Dandelion Delight Edible Rosebuds Flower Power Mix Marshmallow Flower Dried Hibiscus Are these treats, or can they be mixed and used as part of the 50% natural nutrition diet, alongside Degu nuggets?
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Post by fred on Nov 18, 2011 9:16:32 GMT
When it's healthy and natural, there isn't really a difference between diet and treats (I am still mulling over my post on the other thread). Because carrot and beetroot have a slightly higher sugar content, and degus often go wild for them, I use them as a treats rather then part of their daily mixes. The other products are typical mix ingredients (I pick the maize and large flakes of the Nature's Salad and use them as treats). Hope that helps for now to get your first order out – It will be a fine mix
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Post by Kat on Nov 18, 2011 9:25:53 GMT
I must that that I am really pleased with how many people have joined in on this thread and way of feeding. It really does go to show how much everyone cares about their degus wellbeing.
Well done everybody. Kat x
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Post by coronasol on Nov 18, 2011 9:42:21 GMT
Thanks Fred, I also have a Dandelion salad mix full of leaves that I plan to use as well. And like you, I pick out the large flakes or items that can be used as treats so that it gives more variety of treats. I don't think I'll add the carrot or beetroot to the mix, but will still get some for treats.
I'm also going to try to set my Mum the task of drying some ingredients for me - my parents are retired, live by a wooded area and golf course, with a vegeatable patch too and have more time than me for such projects! And seeing as she has no grandkids to spoil, she can focus on the Degus!! LOL!
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