Can degus eat seeds?

Yes, degus can eat seeds in small amounts. Germany’s TVT says seeds should be part of the daily diet, 1 teaspoon per degu per day. But the TVT also warns that pure grain mixes can cause life-threatening digestive problems. The Zurich animal welfare society (Zürcher Tierschutz) suggests a daily dry food mix for degus made of herbs, flowers, leaves and seeds, but lists grains among foods degus should never have. The Swiss animal welfare society (STS) says a small amount of seed mix can be offered on top of hay, no more than 1 tablespoon per degu per day. According to the STS, a ready-made mix must not contain dried fruit, molasses or other added sugar, and nuts and fatty seeds such as sunflower seeds shouldn’t be in it either.

How to serve it: 1 teaspoon per degu per day (TVT)

Good to know: The Zürcher Tierschutz lists sprouted seeds for occasional feeding.