Just a query?

[stargirlj]

I buy the Degu nuggets pets at home food as my boys came from their and that's what they were fed from babies before I got them. It says on the back of the bag that a Degu should eat 30g food a day, well my 2 boys only seem to eat 30g between them in either in one or sometimes it takes 2-3 days. Is that ok for them? They aren't skinny or fat. They also always eat hay and their mineral block with a couple of treats before bed time.

They won't eat fresh food no matter how hard I've tried. I guess it's because I didn't get them till they were 6 months and they are kinda stuck in their ways.

[winic1]

My bird seed for the budgies says feed each bird 1/4 cup per day, and dump excess seed each day.
The only reason to follow these guidelines is to keep the seed company flourishing. No single, healthy (not FAT FAT FAT) budgie is going to eat that much seed per day.

If they are eating plenty of hay, some amount of the pellets,(since hay alone is not a complete diet, don't yell at me natural-food-proponents) and staying healthy, then that's fine.

It can take quite a while for them to accept other foods. Many degus just don't like fresh food, but will eat dried versions. Have you read through all the "natural nutrition" info on this site yet? It's amazing. And the more natural food (dried flowers, leaves, etc) that they eat, the less pellets they need or will consume.

Have you tried just plain fresh grass? Try offering them a single piece or two at first. Since it's so similar to hay, they often will start with that. But many will only like dried stuff. Don't give up, just keep offering them some "natural" foods, whether fresh or dried, and eventually they should decide it's good (just like little kids & trying to get them to eat new vegetables...)

[stargirlj]

Thanks glad that their are just eating as much as they need.

They do like bamboo leaves, but have tried pretty much every type of fresh veg,fruit etc lol.

Have tried dried, I can get them to eat dried apple mainly, not too keen on dried parsnip or beet root but will eat sometimes. Altho beet root turns pee red lol. Very worried first time that happened lol.

Thanks for the advice tho, I guess mine are just stubborn lol.

[moletteuk]

10g or so of nuggets each is about right.

They must be hard to please if they won't eat dried parsnip! Dried dandelions are fairly universally popular and good for them, if you wanted to try something else. Or apple or cherry twigs.

[stargirlj]

Thanks I will give it a go. Lol I just put it down to them being six months when I got them an set in there ways lol.