Hello from a first time Degu mom, but vet and animal lover!

[vetdmg]

Super excited to start my journey with 2 males I am ‘getting my daughter’ for Christmas.   I think Santa is bringing them for me though!  So much information, and I am noticing a lot of European influences!  So far I’m not having luck deciding on pelleted food, but will continue feeding what breeder has recommended, which is a mixture of Mazuri Chinchilla and Guinea Pig.   I am nervous of too much sugar, and keeping my little friends at a healthy weight.  No diabetics here!  I am also interested in connecting with a Vet who has some experience with these little guys, I have training in other small rodents, but these are relatively rare here where I live.  In fact I had never even heard of them before I started researching Rat breeders!   Happy to find a place to chat with like minded people!  Dana

[savvy]

Welcome to the forum and the weird world of degus! They are loveable little guys as I'm sure you will soon discover.

I'm going to have to keep this brief as my tablet is gasping to be charged and about to shut down, I just wanted to welcome you.

[teemu]

Hey there, and welcome!

Degus have more requirements than many pet rodents (although of course no pet is ever effortless, naturally), but these things often sound a lot more daunting on paper. The main biggest single thing to keep in mind with degus is that they've developed to survive on a really, really sparse and bare diet. Sugar and carbs are the main offenders. For the most part, you're off to a great start if you just keep in mind that the main things they need are their hay and the pellets (and water, of course), and everything else is a treat, to be given sparingly. Overweight is likely not something you will need to greatly worry about, as degus generally won't overeat on pellets and hay, and I at least keep pellets freely available at all times (and hay, of course, hay should always be freely available as well).

Just in general though, I've found this forum to be really helpful and insightful, so don't hesitate to ask people about any topic you might have in mind!

[deguconvert]

Hello, Vetdmg, and welcome to the forum!! Pellet foods and hay are the main things that are often pointed to for feed, but I'm going to suggest that you read through our Diet and Nutrition board, where forage is discussed, as well as seeds and nuts, wood sources, and some fresh veg. There are a number of threads that are stickied to the top so they are easy to find, and in them there is a lot of information to be gleaned. What I want to give you right now is our degu feeding guide, link here . . . deguworld.proboards.com/thread/16425/degu-feeding-guide . . . and if you read that first, it will give you the highlights of degu nutrition.

You will very much enjoy degus I think. They are very smart, rather cheeky, and full of opinions. I'm confident you will find they capture your heart quite quickly.

I suggest reading up on cage size recommendations, substrates, hand taming, and so forth. Knowing these things before you have obtained your degus is very helpful . . . ESPECIALLY the cage size needed for your degus. If you are able . . . it is better to lean towards the larger recommended sizes.

I look forward to getting to know you!

[moletteuk]

Hi and welcome.

I would recommend you get a trio if that is possible and you can get a big enough cage, it's an insurance policy against a loss and you get better expression of social behaviour.

In practice, it's mineral content (and how grains influence that) in the diet that is the big issue for degus rather than sugar content. They need lots of calcium, minimal phosphorus and adequate vitamin d, and lots of chewing opportunity for good dental health.

Degu experienced vets are hard to find in the States.

[yasmin]