Octodon degus are herbivorous and folivorous animals, and many foods are edible. Their natural diet consists mainly of leaves, roots, flowers, and some seeds 01 02. In captivity, it is essential to offer them a diet adapted to their species and to know how to feed them. A varied diet, with a Ca:P ratio of 2:103 can prevent most dental problems in degus04. They also need a wide variety of food to choose from and to maintain natural chewing behavior05.
Fruits and vegetables (excluding leafy greens) should not be part of a degus diet, as they don’t meet its needs and are potentially harmful.
Illustration by ValoniaArt
One must be particularly when collecting plants to identify them. It is essential to find, identify and verify the species of the plant correctly, as well as to check its potential toxicity.
Edible foods
Calcium-rich foods
These plants can be fed to the degus without any limitation. It can be interesting to offer them a wide variety of freshly picked plants so that they can take full advantage of the benefits of these plants in terms of vitamins and minerals. Ideally, a selection of these plants should be fed on a daily basis, adjusting the amounts to a Ca:P ratio of 2:1.
Edible foods
Edible treats
Treats are often high in sugar and/or fat. These should be given sparingly, with a maximum of 1.5g to 2g dry per day. In general, it is not necessary to offer treats every day. It is possible to find foods that are healthy for degus and offer them as treats, especially for those with diabetes.
Fruits and vegetables (excluding leafy greens) should not be part of a degus diet, as they don’t meet its needs and are potentially harmful. Plants, leaves, flowers ,and stems are much more suitable, even as treats.
Edible woods
Translation by Matthieu Selles.
Sources
- Feeding Ecology of Two Chilean Caviomorphs in a Central Mediterranean Savanna[
] - Nutrition and Behavior of Degus (Octodon degus)[]
- Impact of a high-phosphorus diet on the sonographic and CT appearance of kidneys in degus, and possible concurrence with dental problems[]
- Diseases_in_pet_degus_A_retrospective_study_in_300_animals[]
- Dentistry in Hypselodont Small Animals: Guinea-pigs, Degus and Chinchillas[]