Degu Treats

[degunewbie]

Hi all,

I have loads of different treats now, and there are loads more out there. I will start going to Victoria Park soon as well to collect leafy forage for some scattering.

I know there is LOADS of stuff about nutrition out there already - nuts 1 a month, seeds can be fattening so don't give too many, avoid sugar., fresh veg that is low sugar, varied and every few days depending (but I have tried a lot of veg and haven't found one yet Sarah is keen on). But I wondered if I could get some thoughts on specifically the below treats, and if you think they are any good.
Which ones are good for rare treats, regular treats, and for scattering in the cage? And which ones jump out at you as the healthiest but the degus would be most keen to get their hands on. 
I have been disappointed in the past, because I have bought treats (like the Naturals Degu Delight ones - 8% dried carrot, and they recommend to sprinkle them every day) that the recommendations for how often to give them don't match the contents. So I wondered if someone could enlighten me on if any of these are any good. Sarah, I know, loves a treat, and I want to give them all the time because it is the best way I get her interacting with me. But I don't want to spoil her or make her unhealthy.

Firstly, I just ordered this one, and to my horror, I didn't even think to check, the seeds aren't suitable for degus. I wanted to get an easy seed ready made mix, but the description doesn't recommend degus. I am so confused. It says the fruit and carrot products are for degus, and mixed seed not. What?:
www.viovet.co.uk/Mr-Johnsons-Niblets-Small-Animal-Treats/c27087/?quick_find=179660

These ones go down well, but I know they aren't so healthy:
1 - www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Degu-puffs-treats-3-pack/dp/B00FEN136I/ref=asc_df_B00FEN136I/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309990664766&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15687546185238939017&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046007&hvtargid=pla-698731181663&psc=1&th=1&psc=1
2 - www.amazon.co.uk/Totally-Degu-Pea-Treats/dp/B07QD7GYL7/ref=bmx_1?pd_rd_w=jTsrJ&pf_rd_p=881431b3-69df-4f64-9e7f-c1326c4bca05&pf_rd_r=1SXS9PZ1W6RZGVZ97JMC&pd_rd_r=ffa08b89-c383-4612-bf4b-ec375bd9a261&pd_rd_wg=4KGXn&pd_rd_i=B07QD7GYL7&psc=1
3 - www.amazon.co.uk/Totally-Degu-Corn-Treats/dp/B07NLGCFMP/ref=bmx_1?pd_rd_w=O8i3J&pf_rd_p=881431b3-69df-4f64-9e7f-c1326c4bca05&pf_rd_r=8QT51E5V6SXQZYMZXEAF&pd_rd_r=c2425e96-4cd7-4f57-ba80-3f5adda1859c&pd_rd_wg=PfkgT&pd_rd_i=B07NLGCFMP&psc=1

These are mixes:
4 - www.viovet.co.uk/Naturals-Chinchilla-Degu-Delight/c49958/? - this is the one I mentioned, which surprisingly has dried carrot and some small nuts in.
5 - www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008F7MSAU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
6 - www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07VF6MCFS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
7 - www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000ZSYECM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
8 - www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0026ROIH6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These I suppose are good for scattering? They wouldn't really help my interaction though, for at least Sarah. She wouldn't be that fussed about hanging round me for more forage-like, leafy stuff:
9 - www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0026RRUIK/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_6?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1
10 - www.viovet.co.uk/Boredom-Breaker-Herbal-Garden-for-Small-Animals/c15830/?quick_find=114494
11 - www.viovet.co.uk/Boredom-Breaker-Coneflower-for-Small-Animals/c15816/?quick_find=115672
12 - www.viovet.co.uk/Boredom-Breaker-Dandelion-Nettle-Roots-for-Small-Animals/c15821/?quick_find=138866
13 - www.viovet.co.uk/Burns-Dandelion-for-Small-Animals/c9890/?quick_find=117497

These are a bit more random:
14 - www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07VF6MCFS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
15 - www.viovet.co.uk/Selective-Naturals-Sticks/c42346/?quick_find=263937
16 - www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000ZSYECM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
17 - www.viovet.co.uk/Ancol-Rice-Bites/c57188/?quick_find=328074
18 - www.viovet.co.uk/Selective-Naturals-Woodland-Loops/c42342/?quick_find=263931
19 - www.viovet.co.uk/Mr-Johnsons-Grain-Free-Niblet-Cup/c55799/?quick_find=325599
20 - www.viovet.co.uk/Natures-Own-Sweet-Green-Forage-Bar-for-Small-Animals/c59264/?quick_find=334272

[bouncy]

If you're thinking of treats, try not to over think it. Simple to things like porridge oats are loved. Mine also clamber all over me for sunflower seeds in their shells. If you're looking for a suitable shop bought treat, try Rosewood's snap and share vegetable bars. They always go down a treat with mine.

You're right about the Mr Johnson nibble mix. The only one that looks suitable is the seed mix.

Not all sites or even products state all ingredients, but things to avoid are grains, molasses, fructose, as well as the other things you listed. You may find some treats are held together with something like cornflour or potato starch but, as long as this is towards the end of the ingredient list, it's usually fine

[moletteuk]

Natural foods are generally best for treats, our nutrition charts show lots of degu safe items deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15602/vegetable-seed-nut-nutrition-charts
Dandelion and burdock roots also make good treats.

The mixed seed niblets are safe.
1. Rice puffs are fine in small quantities, can be good for taming.
2 flat peas are fine in small amounts, can be useful for medicine
3 corn is fine in small amounts, but you don't need corn and rice puffs (and oats).

All of the above are way cheaper from Ratrations.com where you can also buy forage.

For bought treats, I wouldn't go further than the Fenugreek Crunchies or if you want a packet of Versele Laga Herb Crocks - the Crocks are loved by most degus so can be useful if you need to give medicine.

Of all the packets with forage in, look for ones that only have forage in and avoid the ones that also have peas, veg, and grains in because they are less healthy and weigh the bag down. So, I think that means nos 9 to 13 are the type of thing you are looking for. You can buy bigger bags of forage at Zooplus and Galen's Garden, I think Brexit has made the good european suppliers impossible for the moment (Hansemanns).

I wouldn't start out with any of 14 to 20. If you want something for enrichment in a years time, you can try them, or I ended up trying a couple of those Selective Naturals when I was trying to tempt an oldie, but the success rate is usually low, and you are better off spending on forage and seeds and nuts and roots.

I would recommend a Zooplus order or a Ratrations order to get you going. Zooplus is a bit cheaper for forage but has less choice, Ratrations has more choice and sell high calcium oil seed mixes for degus that we recommend. I'm not sure how many of these are still available, but there are some suitable forage mixes in this thread and you can see which ones are pure forage and which have grains and veg added deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15657/bought-herb-leaf-flower-mixes?page=1