What to Feed Degus

What I feed my Degus

*Updated What I Feed My Degus*

Hard Food:
I feed my degus Degu Nature

Degu Nature is a complete food and can be used as the staple part of a degus diet. 

A good degu food should have no more than 15% protein, no less than 15% fibre and no more 4% fat or oil. Total sugars should be below 5%.

All degu feeds need to include vitamin C.

Check the packaging and make sure their are no molasses or another sugar substance like honey, fructose or glucose.

Food should be fed in the morning and in the evening. 

This is my favourite degu food which I have tried so far as my degus love it and it meets their nutritional needs. There are many other degu feeds on the market and you should test them out as different degus have different tastes and may not like Degu Nature. Always remember to read the label.

If you would like to buy Degu Nature you can find it at: http://www.zooplus.com/shop/rodents/food/degu/prestige/469838

Fresh Food:

Degus should be fed fresh food once or twice a week. Just a few small pieces should work. Fruit can be fed once a month in small quantities.

Here is a list of vegetables that can be fed weekly:

• Marigold Flowers
• Pumpkin
• Butternut squash
• Red pepper
• Green pepper
• Spring onion
• Dried herbs (basil, coriander, oregano, mint, chives, parsley)
• Dried rose petals
• Beetroot
• Rose hips

Vegetables to be fed in moderation:

• Fresh Grass
• Dandelion leaves
• Fresh herbs (same kind as dried)
• Carrot Greens (the leaves at the top)
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Asparagus
• Celery
• Lettuce
• Green Beans
• Leek
• Swede
• Brussels Sprouts

Vegetables to be fed once a month:

• Carrot
• Apple
• Peas
• Sweetcorn
• Cucumber
• Cherry Tomato
• Sweet potato

Degus can get diabetes quite easily so their sugar consumption should be restricted.

My degus do not like many of the fruit and vegetables listed above but they love pumpkin, apple and most of all Marigold flowers.

Treats:

• Nuts and seeds - Peanuts, hazel nuts (can be fed in the shell) and brazil nuts can be given as treats to degus but should be given around once a month due to the high fat content. Seeds like sunflower and pumpkin seeds are loved by degus and can be fed once or twice a week.
• Pasta - A particular favourite for our degus pasta is good for their teeth as they never stop growing so degus need to gnaw.
• Puffed rice - Degus love puffed rice and puffed rice is good for training degus.
• Fruit - Although it can only be fed once a month degus love it.
• Rolled porridge oats - Another favourite with my degus. Oats are perfect for taming degus because in order to eat them they need to stay still. They can also be used as a foraging tool.
• Dried herbs, vegetables, and rose hips - Degus love dried goods and these can be found at most pet shops.
• Low sugar shop bought treats - Low sugar shop bought treats can be fed to degus and they love them.

Hay:

Hay should be available to degus at all times as hay is an important source of fibre for degus. The best type of hay is meadow hay. The hay should smell fresh and sweet and should be brown not green. 

Water:

Water should be available at all times and can be supplied in a water bottle or a bowl. I prefer providing water to my degus in a water bottle because the water cannot become contaminated.