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When they’re living in the wild, degus focus on dietary fibre. It makes up about 60% of their diet, with the other 40% consisting of natural vegetation. But when they’re kept as pets, you’ll need to keep a close eye on what you feed your degu.
Good quality hay
For the most part, your degu’s diet should consist of good quality hay. There are lots of brands that will suffice, but two of particularly good quality are Timothy Hay and Meadow Hay. Keep an eye on the colour: if it’s pink or white, you should throw this hay away as it’s growing mould. If it’s green, it can cause bloating. Occasionally, you can mix some Alfalfa hay in with your regular hay. It’s high in protein, so great in small doses.
You can top up your degu’s bowl with a little bit of guinea pig or degu-specific food but don’t go overboard. It’s important that your degu doesn’t start ignoring the hay because it’s got a range of health benefits, including the maintenance of a healthy gut and strong teeth. Around 10g of degu food, a day should do the trick.
Human food in moderation
The good news is you can feed your degu some of your human food! Give them to your degu in moderation though, as they can cause gas and bloat. On rotation, you can feed them the following foods around once or twice a week:
- Asparagus
- Carrot tops
- Dandelion leaves
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Fresh herbs
- Brussels sprouts
- Celery
- Cabbage
- Courgette
- Green beans
- Beetroot
- Dried herbs
- Pumpkin
- Butternut squash
- Marigold flowers
- Radish
Some sugary foods can be an occasional treat for your degu. In excess, they carry the risk of diabetes, so we’d only recommend doing this once a month.
- Apple
- Cherry tomatoes
- Peas
- Sweet potato
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Sweetcorn or corn on the cob
When it’s treat time for your degu, give them a tiny amount (one or two) of:
- Sunflower seeds
- Peanuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Whole nuts
As a general rule, the main thing to avoid giving your degu is a fruit not listed here, rabbit food, hamster food or anything with molasses.
Just like us, degus love food whether it’s good or bad for them. Bookmark this page to make sure you give your degu a balanced diet and happy feeding!
Learn more about caring for your degu and other pet care advice here: https://nichepets.com/category/mammals/degus/