What foods do degus eat?
We have all the information you need about degu food. Degus are herbivores and need hay as well as other foods to keep them healthy, so just follow our easy guide.
Here are the food types you need to think about offering your degu:
- Fresh water: essential for life
- Hay: a source for long fibre for dental and digestive health
- Concentrate: needed for nutritional balance and a fibre source
- Fresh vegetables: pumpkin, peppers, herbs
- Snacks or treats: dry toast, Supreme treats
Fresh water – must always be available. It can be provided in a bottle or a bowl. Make sure to check the sipper of the water bottle at least daily as they can become clogged. Water bowls should be heavy so they are not knocked over.
Concentrate – degu food concentrates provide the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that may be absent or present in variable amounts in other foods.
High fibre foods are recommended to wear down their constantly growing teeth and to keep their gut healthy, so look for this in the concentrate that you choose. Degu food should not have a too much sugar as they are very prone to diabetes. Make sure your degu food does not contain syrups or molasses which can increase their sugar intake and which is also detrimental to dental and digestive health.
Complete kibbles are available which provide all the nutrients they need when fed alongside hay and water.
Fresh food for degus – feed just a small amount of fresh vegetables every day or fresh herbs
Degu treats – hand feeding a treat or snack is an important part of bonding with your degu. When it comes to degu food and treats, avoiding sugar is really important. Treats like our Selective Naturals are healthy and contain no added sugars.