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Post by yasmin on Aug 25, 2011 21:20:04 GMT
Thanks Maravilla and aya0aya. Nice to know those pesky weeds are good for something. And I'll try the growing them in winter too.
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molly
Newborn Degu
Posts: 22
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Post by molly on Aug 25, 2011 22:06:10 GMT
Hi all.
I'm a relatively new degu owner, and now that my 4 boys have settled in I want to try and give them a bit more variety. I offered them some carrot tops the other day after reading another post but they weren't touched. Can they have other types of green veg, for instance i've seen things with broccoli in...are there any rules or thing to specifically avoid?
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 26, 2011 5:14:13 GMT
What an excellent thought!! I may do that as well!
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Post by Maravilla on Aug 26, 2011 6:47:00 GMT
You can try out vegetables, but always start with small pieces to avoid intestinal problems and diarrea. And always warm them to room temperature before offering to degus. Take them out after one day if your degus don't touch them as they can mould or get spoiled.
Safe vegetables: (there are more but these are the most common ones)
chicory/ endive
peas
mache [Valerianella locusta]
fennel
cucumber
carrots, as well the green
pepper
parsnip
celery
tomato
Jerusalem artichoke
zucchini
green salad
Be careful with all types of cabbage (cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi etc.). These can produce flatulences. You can provide small amounts but you have to start very slowly to get them used to it. I would not start with these if a degu is not used to fresh food but prefer safe vegetables.
Vegetables containing oxalic acid (spinach, chard, rhubarb etc.) are not suitable for degus.
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molly
Newborn Degu
Posts: 22
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Post by molly on Aug 26, 2011 14:30:27 GMT
Wow, thanks. That list should keep us going for a while! Thanks for the heads-up on flatulence by the way, we've got enough of that with two dogs in the house!
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Post by Ady on Aug 26, 2011 18:19:43 GMT
Beetroot is my degus favourite, specially the dried one. (it will colour the urine red btw)
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tzr
Burrowing Degu
Posts: 155
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Post by tzr on Sept 9, 2011 14:59:17 GMT
I've read on Degutopia that they can eat rosehip ... but is it the flower or the seed pod you feed to them. Don't know anything about rosehip (just had it pointed out to me on a walk today, so picked some of the red berries)
Can anyone help.
Thanks
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 9, 2011 15:26:05 GMT
Rosehips are the red berries, which are the fruit of the rose flowers. Degus can eat the flower and the berry/seed pod/rosehip. When they are a beautiful deep red especially. If they are still only orange or a light red, they are very bitter and sour. Still sour when red, but they do taste better. LOL!!
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Post by Maravilla on Sept 9, 2011 16:06:48 GMT
It seems that the fruit has quite a high amount of sugar, 11-15% (I even found 19% in fresh and 44% of sugar in dried rosehips). So it's better to give only small amounts of it as a titbit.
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Post by davx on Sept 9, 2011 18:11:59 GMT
Personally I feed rosehip occasionally. But the flowers are also suitable.
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tzr
Burrowing Degu
Posts: 155
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Post by tzr on Sept 9, 2011 20:57:17 GMT
Thank you all
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Post by Whizz on Sept 11, 2011 19:08:08 GMT
I tried the strawberry leaves that I picked a few weeks ago (completely dry) but they still aren't interested.
I have picked some blackberry leaves and some hazelnut leaves and am letting them dry before trying them with my goos. (They turn they're noses up at anything fresh)
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Post by davx on Sept 12, 2011 16:47:34 GMT
Yes strawberry leaves are also here not much liked. Blackberry leaves are eaten dried and hazel sometimes also fresh... But it takes time to convince the degus  . |
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Post by Kat on Sept 13, 2011 12:16:58 GMT
Weeds
dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) -> you can give the whole plant, also the roots which are here titbits
buckhorn [Plantago lanceolata]
plantain [Plantago major]
goutweed/ ground elder [Aegopodium podagraria]
shepherd's purse [Capsella bursa-pastoris]
St John's wort [Hypericum perforatum]
Canada goldenrod [Solidago canadensis]
New additions:
Chives
Water CressWhat part of shepherd's purse do you feed? I have quite a bit of it growing near to me. Kat x |
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Post by Maravilla on Sept 13, 2011 13:35:29 GMT
What part of shepherd's purse do you feed? I offer the aerial parts. |
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Post by Kat on Sept 13, 2011 15:16:36 GMT
What part of shepherd's purse do you feed? I offer the aerial parts. I'm sorry do you mean the part above the ground? Kat X |
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Post by Maravilla on Sept 13, 2011 15:21:37 GMT
Ehm, yes ;D. Dictionary told me that my expression was okay... seems it wasn't ;D.
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 13, 2011 15:21:39 GMT
Yes.  |
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Post by fred on Sept 13, 2011 15:22:18 GMT
I'm sorry do you mean the part above the ground? Yes, all parts above ground are suitable, including the seeds. I was trying to find out about the roots but couldn't find any information. EDIT: Now you have heard it three times, it must be true  |
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Post by Kat on Sept 13, 2011 15:57:14 GMT
Ehm, yes ;D. Dictionary told me that my expression was okay... seems it wasn't ;D. It was. I was just having a dim moment. Thanks I will go collecting in the morning. Kat X |
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