What weight should a Degu be aprox?

[cazara]

As you all know I'm new to Degu's. I'm not sure what weight they should be as they have grown and Riff looks a bit podgy. Their is no chance of her being pregnant as she was in the store with her sister for 3 months and I have had her since then.(March 29th)
Right now she is sleeping in her hammock that Kat made for her.
I just want to make sure she is ok and double check her weight.
Am going to try get her out and into the scales to check the weight she is the now. she is approx 200g
Raff is smaller looking but cant get her to come to me to try weigh her yet ohh got her 180g

[Kat]

Do you know how old she is?

Scrat is 219g and Gerrard is 278g!!!. Gerrard was well over 350 when I got him but is on a weight loss program.

Kat
x

[kovu07]

A healthy adult degu should weigh in the region of 220-250 g. (so it depends on how old Riff is)

[cazara]

they are around 7months old the now no more than that the P@h got them as baby's. This means they are under weight. Raff loves the wheel but Riff hasn't went on it as of yet??
They eat Degu Nuggets and some veg 1's a week
Almond slices and sunflower seeds once a month around 3 of each

[kovu07]

Hmm well degus are classed as adults at a year old so I don't think she is too overweight. I think 180 - 200g would be about what they should weigh at 7 months, but another person's opinion would be briliant.

[cazara]

I think I need a weight gain program lol Thanks I will weigh them each week and just make sure they are either keeping the weight or gaining some if not I will be taking them to the new vets here to get them looked over just to make sure they are ok.

[kovu07]

That sounds like a very sensible plan

[Kat]

I think their weights are ok for their ages. I weigh my boys every 2 weeks at the moment. Once a week is good if you are concerned. I have set up an excel sheet for my furries and snails. It might be worth doing that then you can see at a glance any unusual gains or losses.

Kat

[cazara]

Should I maybe give them more hay to eat. They seem to just eat the flower's in the Timothy Hay and leave everything else?!? I always leave their nuggets in their bowl in their cage.
I have just gave them more broccoli am now worried they are too skinny am so glad I asked about this now.
Thank goodness for you all. I'm still learning and in the dark about lot's of things still xxx

[cazara]

I am going to do that right now on paper. Great idea Kat thanks. I don't want Raff losing any more. Might need to take her wheel away for a wee bit if her weight goes down.
To think I was scared they were over weight!!!! Come on girls eat and get to the right weight. fingers crossed

[Ady]

I got 7 months old also. Eugene is usually 225. My vet called him skinny Anyway as long as there's no sudden gain or loss of lots of weight, it's nothing to worry about.
They should have hay at all times.

[philbailey1806]

Maybe it would help to post a pic on here as its hard to tell whether or not they're over/ underweight for their size without seeing them. My Ernie looks a little skinny and he's 9 months old, so he's got roughly 3 more months untill he's full grown so I'm hoping he's going to start filling out soon, I think the only thing to do is make sure the food bowl and hay rack never get empty, I wouldn't advise taking away the wheel because they need exercise to stay healthy, it's n ot just about keeping off the weight. Hope this helps!

[cazara]

I do always have hay in but they eat the Dandelion and marigolds and nothing else from the hay and it costs £4 and £4 to get it delivered as I don't drive. They are not touching hay I have tried different types and same results they don't like hay from what I can see

[philbailey1806]

Aw! It took mine a while to get used to the hay, but now they love it! I think I get the same as you, the burgess excel with dandelion and marigold, it is a bit dearer but worth it in my opinion, my goos love it, its important to always keep it available even if they don't seem to eat much, mine went through a phase of not eating hay for aaaages, but then all of a sudden couldn't get enough of it, but now can take it or leave it. I'm sure they eat more of it when they feel they need to, I wouldn't get too concerned unless they get irratable because of constipation or overgrown teeth. It may ust be that they didn't get such good hay in the petshop and it has put them off a little?

[cazara]

Constipation not a worry I always have to clean the cage daily as so much poo from both of them lol
Teeth are fine I checked them. I change the hay every 2nd day and top it up every day. Most of it goes in the bin but that part of having animals sometimes.
I will see how they go this week. I cleaned their cage out earlier and it covered again in poo.
Lucky they eat all their nuggets no problem so I know they are eating something daily.
they don't like carrot but love parsley dried or fresh. broccoli is their fave the now.
Thanks will keep trying things

[cazara]

Riff is on my house coat and Raff is the one at the back on wooden shelf. This was taken this morning

[kovu07]

She looks fine No need to worry.

[philbailey1806]

Oh yes, they both look very healthy! I wouldn't worry about them at all.

[moletteuk]

Two of mine were about 230g at 7 months and the other about 210g. I would think that it's the progression of weight gain that is more important as they grow than the actual amounts.
Mine don't eat all that much hay, so I've tried a few things - have you tried the pressed hay cakes you can get, or you can get alfalfa hay or hay blocks, which are ok in moderation, or the herb mixes would give tham some extra roughage, you can get packs of dandelion and oat groats in Wilkinson's too, or there's readigrass?

[deguconvert]

An adult degu can weigh anywhere from 180 gm up to 300 gm and be considered healthy. Under the 180 or over the 300 and you have concerns, but within this range it normal.