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Post by chipshuman on Oct 3, 2019 7:32:17 GMT
Guinea pig food with Timothy hay blend a bowl last him a little over a week rose wood stick once a week and was going to be a half of a walnut once a month but he threw it out of his cage without tasting it guess he just didn't like the smell oh but he does get a tiny piece of sweet potato treat once a week they are the ones that come in long stick form but I break it into one bite tiny chunks and give him 1 piece a week and put a pile of hay on his highest ledge when it is gone I put in more but one pile last him about as long if not longer than his food does but I am still learning so if that is wrong I would appreciate it very much if someone would tell me the right things
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Post by savvy on Oct 3, 2019 10:28:51 GMT
If he doesn't like walnuts, try a small piece of hazelnut. Mine aren't keen on walnuts either.
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 3, 2019 11:08:21 GMT
Did you see the threads I linked you to a couple of days ago with lots of diet information? I'll link them again for you: deguworld.proboards.com/thread/19754/beginners-guide-degu-keeping:deguworld.proboards.com/thread/17365/commercial-food-chartdeguworld.proboards.com/thread/16425/degu-feeding-guidedeguworld.proboards.com/thread/16569/links-herb-supplies-american-threadsDegus are designed to eat forage, which means fibrous plant material like grasses, herbs, meadow plants, tree leaves, safe garden plants, flowers etc. It's important that we feed them as much of this type of food as we can. I think you are in America where it is harder to find the right supplies, but if you look around or even grow or pick some plants yourself you should be able to improve Chip's diet. Even things like trying a variety of different hays and adding easily available commercial things like alfalfa hay will help. With the pellets you should check the nutritional information of what you are feeding to check there is no type of sugar, which can come in hidden forms and check in your area or mail order what your alternatives are and check them against our commercial food chart linked above. You should look out for high calcium content and high fibre content. High calcium oil seeds are the next most useful thing to add to the diet, things like nigella, coriander, cumin, fennel, poppy, sesame and also a couple of ones with lower calcium like hemp and linseed (flax) are good too. You should be able to find these in supermakets or whole food or ethnic shops or mail order. See nutrition charts deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15602/vegetable-seed-nut-nutrition-chartsDried vegetables aren't necessary at all but they are an option for occasional treats along with nuts and plant roots like dandelion, burdock or nettles, again they are usually available mail order. I think since Chip doesn't have the best appetite it would be good for you to weigh him regularly, you can do this with kitchen scales. You should probably also look out for signs of dental disease like difficulty eating, dropping food, drooling, pawing at mouth, losing weight. |
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Post by chipshuman on Oct 3, 2019 11:47:11 GMT
If he doesn't like walnuts, try a small piece of hazelnut. Mine aren't keen on walnuts either. Thanks I will try that |
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Post by chipshuman on Oct 3, 2019 11:56:16 GMT
Did you see the threads I linked you to a couple of days ago with lots of diet information? I'll link them again for you: deguworld.proboards.com/thread/19754/beginners-guide-degu-keeping:deguworld.proboards.com/thread/17365/commercial-food-chartdeguworld.proboards.com/thread/16425/degu-feeding-guidedeguworld.proboards.com/thread/16569/links-herb-supplies-american-threadsDegus are designed to eat forage, which means fibrous plant material like grasses, herbs, meadow plants, tree leaves, safe garden plants, flowers etc. It's important that we feed them as much of this type of food as we can. I think you are in America where it is harder to find the right supplies, but if you look around or even grow or pick some plants yourself you should be able to improve Chip's diet. Even things like trying a variety of different hays and adding easily available commercial things like alfalfa hay will help. With the pellets you should check the nutritional information of what you are feeding to check there is no type of sugar, which can come in hidden forms and check in your area or mail order what your alternatives are and check them against our commercial food chart linked above. You should look out for high calcium content and high fibre content. High calcium oil seeds are the next most useful thing to add to the diet, things like nigella, coriander, cumin, fennel, poppy, sesame and also a couple of ones with lower calcium like hemp and linseed (flax) are good too. You should be able to find these in supermakets or whole food or ethnic shops or mail order. See nutrition charts deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15602/vegetable-seed-nut-nutrition-chartsDried vegetables aren't necessary at all but they are an option for occasional treats along with nuts and plant roots like dandelion, burdock or nettles, again they are usually available mail order. I think since Chip doesn't have the best appetite it would be good for you to weigh him regularly, you can do this with kitchen scales. You should probably also look out for signs of dental disease like difficulty eating, dropping food, drooling, pawing at mouth, losing weight. I didn't see it before but I will go to it now thank you he chews plastic a lot he pretty much destroyed a wheel and a dust hut in less than a time if it wasn't plastic I wouldn't worry but I'm sure he swallows some of that plastic and that c as nt be healthy |
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 3, 2019 13:01:24 GMT
He might enjoy some more wood in various forms in his cage. Natural twigs or branches, even with leaves on, of different types of tree in different sizes would be great for him. Or softwood like pine is fine as long as it is kiln dried (which usually means planed construction wood). I used to throw branches in for my lot and they would gradually destroy them, it was their favourite hobby  safe wood list deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15617/safe-tree-wood-list?page=1 |
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Post by chipshuman on Oct 4, 2019 7:59:46 GMT
He might enjoy some more wood in various forms in his cage. Natural twigs or branches, even with leaves on, of different types of tree in different sizes would be great for him. Or softwood like pine is fine as long as it is kiln dried (which usually means planed construction wood). I used to throw branches in for my lot and they would gradually destroy them, it was their favourite hobby safe wood list deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15617/safe-tree-wood-list?page=1I want to say he wasn't getting enough exercise to make him hungry because today I blocked all exits from my room and let him run around while I cleaned his cage put new bedding in broke up a walnut and hid pieces in random places lowered his ledges put a piece of walnut hidden under hay on the top ledge and filled his bowl with fresh food left his cage open until he went back in on his own for the first time ever I saw him go back to his food bowl multiple times and it took him less than a hour to hunt down every piece of walnut he even let me scratch his side so I think at least once a day when I have time to make sure he doesn't mess with electrical cords I will block all exits and open his door and let him run around exploring until he goes back into his cage on his own instead of living his entire life stuck in a cage |
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