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Post by carrettman on Jul 13, 2020 13:12:48 GMT
Hi everyone, new to the forum and already learning loads! I just wanted to get some advice about my goo’s. I’m a first time owner so this may all be part of the course. I have 3 girls and neutered male that we got from our local rescue centre. They in the last few days seem to have gone off there normal nuggets (science select) they seem to be eating their hay still but one of the girls has started eating the bedding (megazorb). Firstly is this safe for her to eat it? Secondly I’m guessing with the nuggets do they just get board with them? Should I try some other type? My final question what fresh food do you feed your goo’s? The guys love there herb crocks as a treat but Iv struggled finding fresh foods they will eat. Any other advise you may want to send my way I’m willing to take! We’ve had them about 5 months now and they are an amazing little crowd!
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Post by deguconvert on Jul 13, 2020 19:27:28 GMT
Well . . . that is a pretty big topic!! LOL! Diet for degus can be pretty complex. Have you done any reading in the Diet and Nutrition board? There are several stickied threads there that are very helpful. One thing I can say is that sometimes degus just seem to go off their food. BUT like humans, they LOVE variety in their foods, so they could be a little . . . bored? Also, degus do not much care for fresh foods. There are some things they like fresh, such as dandelion leaves, or raspberry leaves, or leaves from some trees . . . some grasses . . . but for the most part they prefer foods that have dried out. Fresh food can play havoc with their bellies and can cause bloat and/or diarrhea. So it must be given in limited amounts, and when you are first trying them on any fresh food, it must be in tiny amounts to allow their bodies to adjust and to grow the appropriate gut bacteria for digesting that food. You also want to observe them for 2-3 day following the introduction of a new food just to see if they have an adverse reaction to it. All the foods that you will find listed as acceptable in the Diet and Nutrition board as generally GOOD for all degus, but they may have an individual reaction that may indicate an issue with that food. As well as the previously mentioned need to develop the appropriate bacteria for digesting. In general, when introducing something new to their diet, do it slowly and carefully. Have a look through these . . . deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15795/links-interesting-food-threads . . . and this . . . deguworld.proboards.com/thread/16425/degu-feeding-guide , to get you started. Please, ask any and all questions. Understanding diet and what is good for your degus, as well as what is available to you in your particular part of the world can be very challenging.
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Post by moletteuk on Jul 21, 2020 10:11:54 GMT
welcome to the forum carrettmanYes, they can get bored with their nuggets. It's a good idea to try some different ones. Versele Laga complete or JR Farm grainless guinea (or Rosewood meadow menu) or even a small amount of Beaphar Care+. The main other thing to feed is forage. You can buy it dried or collect your own fresh. If you are interested in feeding fresh then forage is the way to do that, most degus aren't too interested in fresh veggies although some may be worth a try. As deguconvert says, offer fresh food in small amounts first. Have a look in the sticky threads or ask for more info on forage. You can also feed oil seeds that include high calcium oil seeds. And things like dried roots, dandelion burdock etc.
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