What oats, puffed rice etc do you use advice pleas

[sarahh]

I need advice as to what porridge oats, puffed rice etc people use so that I don't get it wrong I want to use these as a training aid for my girls as I am keeping them but I don't want to grab the girls I want them to come in there own time. Also can these be used daily?

I am going to ask alot of questions aplogies in advance but I want to do right by the girls.

Thanks

Sarah

[deguconvert]

Puffed wheat, porridge oats that you have to cook for several minutes (if you eat hot porridge) not the instant types and which are plain with no added flavors or sweetening, unsweetened puffed rice (name brand not an issue if the ingredients is nothing more than puffed rice), these can be given relatively freely. Also great training treats are sunflowers, broken into smaller bits . . . most degus LOVE these as well. Mine were trained using small bits of walnut or pecan, and that worked very well. The main thing to keep in mind with the training is that you want something they absolutely cannot resist, so sometimes it takes some trying before you find it (since there are some incredibly fussy degus out there), and it isn't a practice that you will be indulgling in for the remainder of their lives. Any training needs to be maintained, naturally, but it doesn't require the intensive and generally large amount of postive reinforcement that is needed with the learning process. So . . . once you are satisfied with the progress you've made, you can start backing off in how much you give as well as how frequently. Hopefully you will find that your goos love a variety of treats and so will be delighted with the occasional change in treat, while still performing the behavior you want. Just be warned, some are really smart and will only perform for the most coveted treat. LOL!

[malteser60]

For porridge oats I buy the Scottish Porridge Oats found in any supermarket. You can buy any other brand as long as deguconvert said it's not the instant stuff. I just go for that one as it comes in a small bag and it's cheap. Just to warn you, they will go mad over the oats!
Puffed rice, i've never really used it so not sure what to recommend, however I have given mine rice cakes before. As long as it's the no salt one.
I also found mine go crazy over dandelion roots. You can get them from zooplus.co.uk.
Also what will help loads is talking to them. Seriously, every time you go past the cage stop and say hello. I did that with mine, and they got used to me quite quickly that way. Mind you I was lucky in that mine were very friendly. However I did have some work to do in getting them to stay on my shoulder and to come to me whenever I call them. Once they're tame it's brilliant. For example had them running about the spare room yesterday evening. When it was time for them to go in I just knelt on the floor, called both their names, and they came running over, jumped on my shoulder and off we went downstairs.

[Kat]

I have just discovered locust bean treats. My degus are really into them. They can't be given as freely as oats or puffed rice but you can break them into very small bits.

[deguconvert]

Yup, those are great.

[sarahh]

Thank you so much I have alot of that stuff as I do up my own rat diet (shaumite diet) I use the kallo puffed rice the goo's went mad over it lol. Apart from one of the girls the rest hated the rice cakes I took little bits off at a time and gave it to them. Though I don't like the rice cakes either lol. I have the Quaker oats as dad has porridge would that be ok? They are just the plain porridge oats.

[harpic01]

Sainsburys own puffed rice with no added sugar or salt - mine love them - drives you nuts watching a film and all you can hear is crunch crunch crunch from 6 of them !!!! Also use Sainsburys Scots oats no added etc cheap and they love them.