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So what is a good diet for a Degu?

Many people are put of Degu’s as they think that their diet is way to complex to deal with correctly but that is far from the truth.
Degu’s are relatively easy to care and their diet is simple, you just need to avoid giving them too much sugar.

Degu’s are a herbivore that means they need no form of animal protein in their diet. In the wild they would live of various plants, bulbs,
farm crops (because of this they are considered to be a pest), leaves and bark from trees and bushes. Its important a Degu’s diet is pretty
frugal as Degus cannot metabolise simple sugars and too many sugars and carbohydrates can cause them to become diabetic or develop
cataracts, which are deadly in such a small creature. You should therefore never feed them sugary fruits, dried fruits, biscuits or
cereals and any foods you do feed should be low in sugar and molasses free. Molasses is a treacle like substance often added to make the food
much more palatable but unfortunately is a sugar so is no good for Degu’s. They also need a diet low in protein as this can cause obesity.
I have compiled a list of suitable foods below.

The ideal diet for a degu is as follows:

A basic mixture of guinea pig biscuits (pellets) such as guinea pig excel mixed with a little guinea pig mix is the ideal diet as it contains all the
vitamins and minerals they need in order to keep healthy, it should also be low in sugar and not contain any molasses. When buying guinea
pig food look for one with added Vitamin C as there has not been enough research done as to whether or not degu’s actually produce there own
or whether like their close cousins the guinea pig they need it supplementing. Its is quite easy to overdose with Vitamin C so it is best to buy a
food with it added. Some people do feed chinchilla pellets instead of the guinea pig biscuits but a lot of them contain hidden molasses so you need
to check this out before using them.

Vegetables

A healthy diet also includes some vegetables a few times each week. Although some degus aren’t over keen (it varies from degu to degu) so you
just have to try them. With any vegetable give in moderation especially any of the greens as they can cause bloat. Here is a list of suitable ones to
give them:

Broccoli
Carrot
Tomato
Cucumber
Cauliflower
Lettuce
Sweet potato (make sure you remove the skin first as it is extremely toxic to them)
Radishes
Brussel Sprouts
Green Beans,
Spring Onions (scallions)
Fresh Peas
Cabbage (savoy and white)
Butternut Squash
Leek
Pumpkin
Courgette
Peppers
Mangetout
Sugar snap peas
Runner Beans

Herbs

Parsley
Basil
Corriander
Mint
Chives

Fruit

Yes you have read correctly if only given occasionally degu's can handle certain amounts of the three fruits listed below. These should be given no more than once a month and only a small piece at a time.

Apple
Honeydew Melon
Strawberry

Hay

Degu’s need a fresh supply of good quality hay daily as it helps keep their gut function healthy and to grind their teeth down. It is also full of fibre.
Meadow and Timothy Hay are the normal ones available, alfalfa hay should only be fed in small amounts as it is high in protein and calcium so should
only be given rarely. Please note alfalfa pellets and biscuits don’t pose the same problem. I also give my degu’s hay cubes as well to supplement their
diet.

Water

Degu’s have a relatively low need for water and in the wild degu’s can go for up to 13 days without water. In captivity it is best to provide your degu’s
with a fresh supply of water daily, twice a day in hot weather. It is best supplied via a water bottle. The water bottle needs to be kept clean at all times
as any algae could pose a threat to your degu’s health. The rule is if its safe for you to drink it is safe for your degu, so if your tap water is safe then its
ok to use if not use bottled water. There is a lot of controversy surrounding degu’s being prone to mouth infections and many experts saying to dechlorinate
your water with bleach before giving it to them. I thoroughly advise against this as it is dangerous to put anything into your degu’s food or water especially
something like bleach as it is easy to overdose. If your degu does have a problem then consult your veterinary surgeon who will advise you on the correct
course of treatment. Here at Degu Rock we advise to only give good clean natural water.

What not to feed your Degu!

Rabbit Food – You should avoid giving your degu rabbit food as many brands contain a substance called a Coccidistat that often isn’t listed on the label
but is extremely toxic to degu’s.

Rat Food – Degu’s are herbivores and rat foods often contain meat or meat by products or flavourings and are high in proteins and don’t have the vitamins
and minerals a degu needs in order to stay healthy.

Hamster and Gerbil Food – Hamster and Gerbil food is high in fat and sugars and tends to contain a lot of nuts and seeds (proteins) which degu’s love
but aren’t good for them in the long run as they can cause obesity and diabetes so it is best avoided.

Chinchilla Food – Chinchilla Pellets are fine as long as they are low in molasses but chinchilla mixture is best avoided as they often contain dried fruits,
which again aren’t good for degu’s.

Fruit - With the exception being a small pice of apple, strawberry or honey dew melon no more than once a month. All other fruits are too sugary for degu's so should be avoided.

Treats

Treats are a great way to create a strong bond with your degu. By giving a treat you create a positive emotional response and your degu will soon see you
as a friend not a foe and will come whenever you go up to the cage to see if you come bearing gifts. They should only ever be given as treats and never in large
amounts or on a regular basis. When I give treats I also tend to vary what they get and rotate it so they never get the same thing twice and never in the same week.
I also always try to go for things that are free from preservatives and colourings Below is a list of suitable treats that the boys of Degu Rock love and an explanation
of how often they should be fed.

Nuts & Seeds – Degu’s go mad for nuts and seeds and are greedy for them. Both of these should only be ever fed in small amounts and they both have high fat
contents and if fed frequently can cause liver damage over time. Also large quantities of nuts can have a toxic effect of degu’s so always feed in
small amounts. The rule of thumb is choose one of the below and give one per degu per week. Favourites include:

Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Peanuts (unsalted), hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nut and as a treat occasionally you can give in the shell (as it helps to grind
their teeth down) whole peanut, whole hazelnuts, whole walnuts, whole brazil nuts.

Cereals – Cereals often contain carbohydrates, which are basically a sugar. In small amounts cereals are ok to feed and make great training aids. Favourites include:

Puffed rice (wheat’s), bran flakes, shredded wheat’s, cornflakes.

Crackers & Bread – Degu’s go mad for things like toasted wholemeal bread, dry crisp breads, ryvita and wholemeal crackers. They tend to be full of fibre,
which is good for degu’s and they also help wear the teeth down. They should only be given occasionally as they have added salt in them.

Other Treats – Apart from the other categories listed above degu’s can also have the following but please remember they should only be given as treats:

Raisins, dried carrot, dried peas, dried corn, dried rose hips, dried pasta, alfalfa biscuits, carrot biscuits, hay cubes, dandelions.

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