degus avoiding their nuggets!

[colettemclachlan]

Hi all, I'm pretty much a newbie degu mammy and I need some advice. I posted a few weeks ago that they were not eating their nuggets but loved woodlands mix, monkey nuts and oats. I was given advice to stop giving them their treats and only give them the nuggets. I tried this for a few days and they still refused although they must have been Sooo hungry. I stopped this after 3 days as I felt if cruel to starve them! :'(Is there anything else I could try. On a more positive note they are now using their wheel and they love it Sooo much!

[colettemclachlan]

Just reading about extra vital. Do you think I should try this although its for chinchillas?

[fred]

There is also XtraVital for degus. I have seen it highly recommended on several sites. My goos really love it. I would definitely give it a try.

[Kat]

Hi, Extra vital actually make a degu food too. If you click here it till take you a list of approved foods for degus.

I feed my degus nuggets and they seem to like them. If I had to choose another food though I would go for science selecive degu. This one is pricey though so if you have more than 2 degus it would be pretty costly.

Kat
x

[Ady]

Hi, mine used to love nuggets until I mix it with XtraVital and now they won't touch nuggets anymore, I think when they discovered there's something better out there, there's no way back Now I feed them XtraVital and Gerty Guinea mix. Also I have the science selective degu but they wouldn't eat it. Also it has strong smell and if left in cage for a while, it makes whole room smell

[cazara]

I think I remember reading a post where someone put evening primrose oil on the food and they then ate it? Just a small drop if i remember right can anyone confirm this please !!!!

[kovu07]

Woodchip posted it on another post

From Degutopia...
www.degutopia.co.uk/deguhealth.htm

4. Give each degu evening primrose oil- Another way to promote shiny coats and healthy skin is to give your degus a supplement of a few drops of evening primrose oil every month in their feed. You can also apply it directly to the skin to help degus with dry skin problems.

[cazara]

Thanks kovu07 nothing worse than when a pet doesn't eat. It worth a try just hope they start eating soon. Let us know how you get on with the eating xx

[kovu07]

No probelms Caz, i'm only happy to help and I really hope it works

[colettemclachlan]

Thanks to all for your help. I went and got them xtra vital, scattered some oats in it and they love it. It's great to see them eating as I was very worried about them. This is such a great site, especially for a newbie like myself. Thanks again x

[malteser60]

colettemclachlan, mine did exactly the same thing as yours did. They just decided to stop eating their nuggets. I also tried the trick you did, by not feeding them anything else except nuggets, however they preferred to starve! Anyhow, I now feed them xtravital degu food which they adore, plus a science selective biscuit everyday. They go crazy over the science selective, I think because it's got brocollie in it they they love, however it is expensive so I can't afford to use it as the main feed.