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Post by moletteuk on Feb 4, 2021 14:12:09 GMT
It also occurs to me to ask if you have had your chinchilla's teeth checked, just to be sure that isn't the reason they aren't eating much?
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Post by deguconvert on Feb 4, 2021 21:37:13 GMT
Excellent thought, Moletteuk! There could be issues with the teeth, overgrowth of incisors and/or molars are a big reason for refusing food.
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pbbdegu
Foraging Degu
Dedenne will be my profile pic until I can get some actual degus. I guess it looks a bit like a goo?
Posts: 52
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Post by pbbdegu on Mar 8, 2021 20:30:38 GMT
Two foods I want to discuss. 1. Exotic Nutrition's degu complete - is it good food? 2. Small Pet Select's "Heavenly Greens" Here are the heavenly greens ingredients: Dandelion Leaf, Dandelion Root, Raspberry Leaf, Nettle Leaf, Lemon Verbena, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Linden Leaves and Flowers, Green Oat Tops
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pbbdegu
Foraging Degu
Dedenne will be my profile pic until I can get some actual degus. I guess it looks a bit like a goo?
Posts: 52
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Post by pbbdegu on Mar 8, 2021 20:31:07 GMT
Also, is loofah safe for degus?
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Post by deguconvert on Mar 9, 2021 1:15:57 GMT
The heavenly greens sound good!
It would help to see what the ingredient list of Exotic Nutrition Degu Complete is.
I think a natural loofah is OK . . . but lets get some other opinions.
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pbbdegu
Foraging Degu
Dedenne will be my profile pic until I can get some actual degus. I guess it looks a bit like a goo?
Posts: 52
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Post by pbbdegu on Mar 9, 2021 1:18:51 GMT
alfalfa meal, wheat midds, corn meal, soybean meal, soyhulls, whole oats, vitamin a supplement, vitamin d2, vitamin e supplement, yucca schidigera extract, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, sulfur, niacin, copper sulfate, vitamin b-12, riboflavin, selenium, zinc, salt.
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Post by bouncy on Mar 9, 2021 1:27:52 GMT
Loofah is fine.
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 9, 2021 17:40:25 GMT
The greens mix is great, they can eat unlimited amounts of that. The Exotic Nutrition is OK. You can see my comments on it and check out some other foods here deguworld.proboards.com/thread/17365/commercial-food-chart It's a bit high in protein so you should definitely avoid feeding any more alfalfa or peas or beans while feeding this food.
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pbbdegu
Foraging Degu
Dedenne will be my profile pic until I can get some actual degus. I guess it looks a bit like a goo?
Posts: 52
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Post by pbbdegu on Mar 9, 2021 23:43:05 GMT
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Post by bouncy on Mar 10, 2021 10:04:38 GMT
Hay is fine. IF you find one they love, let them have as much as they want!
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pbbdegu
Foraging Degu
Dedenne will be my profile pic until I can get some actual degus. I guess it looks a bit like a goo?
Posts: 52
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Post by pbbdegu on Mar 10, 2021 13:57:17 GMT
Well, should I use 1st (higher fiber, firmer texture with few leaves, more stem and flower heads) 2nd (medium fiber, medium texture with some leaves, balanced stem and flower heads), or 3rd (lower fiber, soft texture with lots of leaves, less stem and flower heads) cutting hay?
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Post by bouncy on Mar 10, 2021 16:10:08 GMT
To be honest, if you already have it, try mixing a small amount of each and pop it into the cage and leave them to it!
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pbbdegu
Foraging Degu
Dedenne will be my profile pic until I can get some actual degus. I guess it looks a bit like a goo?
Posts: 52
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Post by pbbdegu on Mar 11, 2021 5:34:23 GMT
Let me know if any of these weeds are safe for degus to eat or chew: BITTERCRESS Cardamine spp. COMMON GROUNDSEL Senecio vulgaris DOCK Rumex spp. FALSE DANDELION Hypochaeris radicata WILLOWHERB Epilobium spp.
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 11, 2021 19:19:09 GMT
Bittercress (cadamine sp) is fine, willowherbs (epilobium sp) are fine. Dock (rumex ) is ok in small amounts if the leaves are newly grown. Groundsel (senecio vulgaris) and all senecio are not safe. I don't know about False dandelion/ common catsear (Hypochaeris radicata).
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Post by deguconvert on Mar 11, 2021 20:13:39 GMT
WHEW! Thank you, Moletteuk! You are such a blessing to us with your plant knowledge!! I truly admire and deeply appreciate what you know and share with us! Have you already been out in the "wilds" this spring (OOPS getting ahead of myself LOL), checking out new growth?
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Post by bouncy on Mar 11, 2021 23:07:03 GMT
False dandelion is fine, but you may find they become too tough or bitter as summer comes to the end.
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pbbdegu
Foraging Degu
Dedenne will be my profile pic until I can get some actual degus. I guess it looks a bit like a goo?
Posts: 52
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Post by pbbdegu on Mar 12, 2021 4:52:26 GMT
Here are more plants I commonly find: Japanese Camellia (camellia japonica) Shining Cranesbill (geranium lucidum) Nipplewort (lapsana communis) English Ivy (hedera helix) Annual Meadowgrass (poa annua) Bedstraw (galium ssp.) Japanese Andromeda (pieris japonica)
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pbbdegu
Foraging Degu
Dedenne will be my profile pic until I can get some actual degus. I guess it looks a bit like a goo?
Posts: 52
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Post by pbbdegu on Mar 12, 2021 4:55:47 GMT
WHEW! Thank you, Moletteuk! You are such a blessing to us with your plant knowledge!! I truly admire and deeply appreciate what you know and share with us! Have you already been out in the "wilds" this spring (OOPS getting ahead of myself LOL), checking out new growth? Well, I have. Every day I find different weeds and wild herbs, dig them up, and put them in a little flowerpot.
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 12, 2021 13:50:59 GMT
WHEW! Thank you, Moletteuk! You are such a blessing to us with your plant knowledge!! I truly admire and deeply appreciate what you know and share with us! Have you already been out in the "wilds" this spring (OOPS getting ahead of myself LOL), checking out new growth? I have started noticing/ getting more distracted by plants coming through now, but haven't been out specifically looking at plants yet, probably at least another 4 weeks away.
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 12, 2021 13:53:59 GMT
Cranesbills, nipplewort, annual meadowgrass (and other Poas) and bedstraws are safe. Japanese camellia is probably fine, it's certainly not toxic.
Ivy is slightly toxic so I wouldn't feed it. Pieris japonica is toxic so not safe.
You may find it more useful to find half a dozen sites near where you live with a good selection of safe plants and visit those sites to pick forage. If you have the means to dry out some of what you pick you can store it and use it to feed your degus all year round.
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