Can degus eat apples?

Better not: degus shouldn’t eat apples. Germany’s TVT says degus should not be given fruit at all, and only PDSA considers an occasional bit of apple okay. PDSA’s chart lists apple among foods degus can have only once a month because of the sugar. The Swiss animal welfare society (STS) says fruit should not be fed, and the Zurich animal welfare society (Zürcher Tierschutz) lists fruit among foods degus should never have. The RSPCA also says not to give degus fruit because many kinds can be high in sugar, so we err on the side of caution.

Good to know: Apple branches are a different story – PDSA, the RSPCA, Blue Cross, Woodgreen and the Zürcher Tierschutz all suggest them for gnawing and climbing.