What to feed the degus with?

The degu squirrel is another rare pet favored by residents of large houses and owners of tiny apartments. They turn them on primarily because they are quite cute and sociable. However, before deciding on a serious step and bringing home a fluffy miracle, you need to think carefully, as they require a lot of attention, as well as special care.

Are these animals small rodents with short hair and long ears. This, to some extent, makes them similar to chinchillas. In addition, they have excellent eyesight.

Degu are also distinguished by excellent hearing and scent, which gives them the ability to move quickly and navigate well in space both day and night. The animals themselves are very small: up to 20 centimeters in length and weighing up to 350 grams.

But their tail is quite long, with a very beautiful tassel at the very end. Often times, degus can shed their tail along with their skin. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to grab them for him. Each squirrel has 8 pairs of teeth to chew and 2 pairs of incisors that can grow throughout its life.

But future owners need to know that their digestive system is quite sensitive. That's why, When choosing food, be sure to consult with veterinarians or more experienced breeders who can advise what to buy. You also need to ensure that there is always fresh litter in the cages.It is better if it will consist of fresh hay, since in some cases proteins can even eat their own "bed". Hay will not harm their sensitive esophagus.

Such animals do not live too long - up to 7 years - but at home their life lasts a little longer - up to 12 years. To understand what squirrels eat in their natural environment, you need to familiarize yourself with their place of residence. Most often it is a rocky area, as well as forests and swamps. They live in Brazil, Chile and Bolivia.

But they began to be imported to Russia more as an exotic animal. At the same time, not always worrying about choosing the food that is familiar to the squirrel.

Since these animals are considered herbivores, their diet consists more of small roots, tree bark, as well as various herbs or leaves. In addition, whenever possible, they also eat harvested fruits, such as apples or pears. In winter, they store food in their burrows. It can be dry mushrooms and cones, as well as various dried fruits.

Feeding the degus at home will be difficult, as most of the plants that these animals love are found in their home countries. After consulting with experts, you can make a list of possible products for your home feeder.

• These can be cereal mixtures, which include buckwheat, millet, barley or wheat.
• Fresh hay must be included, and fresh grass in summer.
• You can prepare croutons by making them yourself. Squirrels eat them with special pleasure.
• In addition, everything can be replaced with special foods that can be bought at any pet store.

From time to time you can work on preparations for the winter. For this, the following are suitable:

• dandelion flowers;
• fresh leaves from fruit trees;
• alfalfa;
• dried fruits such as apples or plums.

Protein must be fed in portions, about 4 or 5 times a day. Among the commercial feeds, the special feed for squirrels Versele Laga is very popular. It is distinguished not only by its high quality, but also by its composition that is completely safe for proteins. The food is in a transparent package through which you can see everything. However, the degu should not eat more than 35 grams of feed per day.

Another type of food is Little One, which includes a large amount of minerals and vitamins. In addition, it contains a lot of fiber, which these animals need for proper digestion. Most often, the feed consists of granules. They contain all the necessary foodstuffs.

However, it is imperative to pamper your animals from time to time. All treats are best given in small quantities so as not to injure the digestive system.

Treats can be very varied. It:

• walnuts;
• chamomile flowers;
• peanuts or almonds;
• dried corn;
• rosehip berries;
• some hazelnuts;
• pumpkin seeds;
• sunflower seeds;
• rowan berries.

You can also buy pre-made treats at pet stores. They often contain sweet additives in the form of raisins or dates. They will definitely need to be removed so as not to harm the proteins. It is best to give such treats while playing with animals, so that they can quickly get used to their owner. In addition, in the event that they escape from their cage, you can lure them with the help of sweets.

Caring for this animal is very important, because how long the protein can live depends on it. Therefore, it is worth paying more attention to the nutrition of the newly-made pet. You should eat protein at least 3 times a day. If she is hungry, then you can increase the number of feeds to 5.

In this case, the separation must be complete, so that the animal receives all the necessary components throughout the day.

There are a large number of foods that should definitely be crossed off from the diet list. These are, first of all:

• any sweet fruit;
• candies;
• any sweet cookies and other confectionery products;
• sweet yoghurts;
• any dairy products;
• All pungent herbs and vegetables such as peppers or sorrel
• any canned fruits or vegetables;
• fried seeds or nuts;
• meat or fish products.

If at least one of these foods enters the protein diet, it can even be fatal. Therefore, this must be monitored daily and not allowed to feed the guests of their pets without their permission.

Squirrels have a longer gestation period than other similar animals, such as rats or hamsters. Therefore, babies develop a little faster. Newborn squirrels look like their mothers. They already have fur, and their eyes are open. In addition, there are teeth almost immediately.

However, at first they move very badly and only after a week they will be able to try to get out of the nest. The squirrel does an excellent job of feeding its babies. However, you should not take them in your arms, as she may refuse to feed. Therefore, if you need to take the baby, for example, for examination, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water so that the squirrel does not smell a person.

In addition, it can also happen that the squirrel dies during childbirth or soon after - then the person must take care of feeding. This can be done with a milk mixture heated to +36 degrees. Feeding can be done using conventional pipettes or a syringe without a needle. If they are not there, then an ordinary cloth soaked in milk mixture will come in handy. The mixture can be made with cow's milk and chamomile tea. The proportions should be 1 to 2.

It is necessary to feed the squirrels every 2-3 hours. After each feeding, be sure to massage the stomach with it. You need to feed the mixture for no more than 30 days, then you can gradually introduce dry food into the diet, for example, hay or grain. In addition, you can also give some nuts, vegetables and fruits.

A 2-month-old baby can eat almost anything. Therefore, they can be transferred from nest to cage, to a permanent place of residence. From then on, they begin to live an adult life and, accordingly, eat like that. Some owners give them milk mixtures for some time, only from a small saucer.

Many owners do not trust the food produced by different manufacturers, so they make a list of products for their pets on their own. When compiling a diet, be sure to take into account that degu proteins are rodents. Accordingly, the feed should include such products as ordinary oatmeal, various grain products, for example, buckwheat or peas. In addition, you can add a little crushed breadcrumbs.

It is necessary to take into account the amount of nutrients, as well as vitamins. In addition, it is necessary so that the daily diet must include up to 60 grams of juicy food.

If you correctly formulate the daily diet of proteins, then they will be able to delight their owners for a longer time.

Summing up, we can say that Chilean squirrels are excellent animals that anyone can keep at home. The main thing is to study all the rules for feeding these animals, since they can not eat all products.

See below for details on how to feed degus at home.