# Degus



## annabella (Mar 3, 2011)

What problems may occur when not feeding a degu the correct diet in forms of:

supplementation
stress
fur loss
disease and illness
malnutrition
obesity
breeding problems
change in temperament
death


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## rhydowenrodentrefuge (Feb 14, 2010)

I'm not really sure what you're after as it seems an oddly worded question. The best advice I can give is to look at the Degutopia website as they have done a lot of research into degu nutrition: Diet and Feeding They have an overview of the role of sugar in the degu diet here: Role of Sugar in the Degu's Diet Fortunately there are now several suitable degu foods on the market, which have been tested by degutopia and come recommended which are listed on their website.

One recommendation I would make for degus is hay hay and more hay which should make up the majority of their diet. It's a very important for their diet and will keep their molar teeth in good shape.

I took in a degu some years ago that had been fed on hamster food and kept in a small hamster cage with no access to hay. His front teeth were in terrible shape, misaligned and a very pale colour (they should be orange). A diet low in vitamin C was probably the cause of this. He also had cataracts which can be an indication of diabetes which can be the result of a high sugar diet. After introducing an appropriate diet of hay, degu pellets and fresh vegetables and having his teeth trimmed by the vet we were able to get his teeth to meet and regain their colour. His cataracts were permanent but he was with us for a few years before he had what was assumed to be a diabetic episode and passed away. He had one of these episodes before where he was found very cold and dehydrated. He was warmed up and given fluids and degu pellets dissolved in water via a syringe. He came round within a few hours and was fine for several months before he passed away.


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