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Post by kristyblitz on Jan 23, 2012 7:10:09 GMT
I skimmed the topic above about the natural diet after reading that another member on here also feeds their Degu's natural foods rather than the bagged stuff. I was just wondering how I'd go about it? I don't live in the UK anymore, so I think I have to make up most of it by myself, but what sort of things do I add? And how much?
Also, I don't know if it is relevant, but I've recently started growing fresh basil (it's stayed alive 2 weeks now so I'm hopeful!) and I'm hoping to grow a few fresh herbs eventually, so which ones could I feed to my girls? If any.
I love the idea of a natural diet, plus in Canada there isn't any Degu food so I'd feel safer with them on natural stuff.
If this is mentioned in the topic above and I skimmed past it I am so sorry!
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Post by deguconvert on Jan 23, 2012 16:13:48 GMT
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Post by kristyblitz on Jan 23, 2012 17:40:29 GMT
Thank you  |
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Post by NightwishRaven999 on Jan 24, 2012 5:47:16 GMT
Salut ! It looks like Faith has already answered most of your questions. Those links will defenitely keep you busy and will be of great help.
I am sorry you have not found suitable degu food in you area.
Here there are some decent choices of degu food. I know you will not find the same products where you live as you would find here, but you might try your hand at going hunting for some Versele-Laga brand food. Look for the Degu Nature mix.
This import from Belgium is very common in Québec and is sold in nearly every animal supply store.
If it is not sold on the shelf, it should be possible for you to place an order. Degu Nature comes in two sizes, the largest being 2,5 kg.
For two or three degus, this could last up to a month and should be sold to you for around 20-25$
Actually I have found lots of good products for degus available here. You should also be able to find mixes of hay enriched with dried dandelion, calendula flowers and rose petals.
Yes ! Kitchen herbs are quite good.
I use a lot of basil, thyme, rosemary, mint, oregano, coriander, parsley, savory, sage, anise and dill.
You can create a very wonderful mixture of greens during spring, summer and autumn when flowers, grasses and tree leaves are abundant.
In the mean time though, kitchen herbs would be your best option. If you read up on the main natural feeding topic and on the blog you will see a good technique for drying the herbs.
I would think fresh herbs to be available at the food markets in Ontario.
Now is also a good time to start testing out vegetables.
There are different techniques for drying vegetables like carrots, aubergine, courgette, zucchini, celery, red/green/yellow peppers, parsnips and even tomatoes.
Striving for the natural feed also includes using grains and seeds regularly. In one of the links you will find charts differenciating oil seeds from grass seeds...which could help you decide which ones to feed how often.
There are several Natural Feeding activists on the forum (Fred, David, Maravilla, Apology, Kat...) they will be there to help you as well, so if you have specific questions, dont be afraid to ask.
There is a lot to take in, but the best advice I could give you would be to:
- Read the links Faith posted above.
- Try to find a good (as good as possible) base degu feed.
- Work with the herbs and vegetables...drying them to include in the daily food supply.
It is not possible for us to stop using "brand foods" for the moment, but it is VERY possible to only rely partially on the pellet feed. One of the biggest projects on the forum is the "50% natural feeding". This is very doable, even for you in the area you are living.
@ Kristy and Faith
Do you have Métro Plus or IGA Extra in your respecitve areas ? You can find a lot of great foods for creating degu mixes at either markets. I have found them to be especially useful for this time of year when the outdoor markets are closed.
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