Hay for degus: the main food, unlimited every day

If you get one thing right for your degus, make it the hay. Hay is the most important part of their menu and should always be in the enclosure, fresh. Degus come from dry, sparse regions where they mainly eat grasses and herbs. Their digestion is built on lots of fibre, and their teeth and molars keep growing throughout their lives. Hay takes care of both: it keeps the gut moving, and the long chewing wears down the molars naturally.

Hay also keeps them busy. Degus pull it out of the rack, drag it to their hiding place, build little nests with it and search through it for tasty bits. That is why in this category you will mainly find hay from Zooply, our own premium brand, which we use ourselves every day for the animals in our shop and breeding facility.

At a glance

• ✓ Always give degus unlimited hay; it is by far the largest part of the menu.
• ✓ Refresh the hay daily and offer it in a hay rack, so it stays clean and dry.
• ✓ Choose fresh, green, fragrant and low-dust hay and store it dry and airy.
• ✓ Alternate between types of hay for variety; for degus, do not choose hay with carrot or fruit.
• ✓ If your degu suddenly eats less hay, see a vet with experience of rodents in good time.

What will you find in the Hay category for degus?

Zooply Meadow Hay

Zooply Meadow Hay is Dutch meadow hay, fresh from the field. The product information explicitly describes it as suitable for gerbils and degus, among others. The hay comes loose in the bag and is not compressed, so its natural structure is preserved and you can easily take it out of the packaging. According to the product information it is low in dust. You can choose 1 kg or 5 kg. Meadow hay is a good, gentle foundation for every day.

Zooply German Herbal Hay and Herbal Hay with Flowers

Zooply German Herbal Hay is hay with herbs in it, which makes it extra fragrant. The product information also describes this hay as suitable for degus. It comes in 1 kg and 5 kg. Zooply Herbal Hay with Flowers (5 kg) also contains various flowers, which makes searching through the hay even more interesting. Herbal hay is great for degus that are a little fussy, or as a change alongside meadow hay.

Zooply Austrian Alpine Hay

Zooply Austrian Alpine Hay (1 kg) comes from Austria. According to the product properties, it has a strong scent, contains various grasses, is rich in nutrients and is not stalky. The pronounced scent makes alpine hay suitable for stimulating the appetite or as a change during the week.

Zooply alpine hay with herbs, leaves or flowers

Zooply also has a range of alpine hay with an added ingredient, each in 1 kg. Zooply Oat Meadow contains green oats, dill, raspberry leaf, birch leaf and rose flower. Zooply Woodland Meadow contains linden leaf, strawberry leaf, apricot leaf, nettle leaf, plantain and apple leaf. Zooply Flower Meadow contains marigold, chamomile, rose flower, blue cornflower and sunflower. These three suit degus well: they are leaves, flowers and herbs without fruit. Zooply Field Meadow contains vegetables including carrot, parsnip and pumpkin, and is therefore not recommended for degus.

Hay tunnels, hay bales and hay blocks

You will also find hay in other forms, such as the JR Farm Hay Tunnel made of mountain meadow hay (380 and 750 grams), the Trixie Hay Bale with blossom mix (500 grams) and a wooden tower filled with mountain meadow hay and seeds. A hay tunnel is a snack and a hiding place at the same time: degus crawl through it and gnaw pieces out of it. With products like these, check for additives. Versions with carrot or lots of corn are less suitable for degus; pure hay with flowers or herbs is fine.

Why hay is so important for degus

Hay contains lots of crude fibre. That fibre is needed to keep a degu's gut working properly. A degu eats small amounts all day long, and that is only possible if hay is always available. If that flow of fibre stops, the digestion gets out of balance.

Hay is also the most important thing for the teeth. When chewing hay, the molars grind against each other, which wears them down naturally. Chew wood mainly helps the front teeth; for the molars, long chewing on hay is essential. A degu that eats too little hay is more likely to develop overgrown molars, and that can be painful and make eating difficult.

Finally, hay is one of the safest ways to keep your degus busy without extra calories or sugar. For a species that is prone to diabetes, that is a big advantage.

What makes good hay?

Good hay is green to light green, smells fresh and sweet like grass and feels dry and airy. It must not be musty, damp or dusty. If hay smells of mould or you see grey or white patches, throw it away. Hay that is very yellow and brittle also has little nutritional value left and is eaten less willingly.

Dust is a point to watch with degus, because they rummage around in their hay a lot and build their nests with it. So choose low-dust hay and, if needed, give it a quick shake before putting it in the enclosure. With Zooply hay that is rarely necessary, as it is packed loose and, according to the product information, low in dust.

Offering hay in the enclosure

Preferably offer hay in a hay rack. There it stays clean and dry, does not end up in the pee spot and less is wasted. Degus like to pull the hay out of the rack themselves, which keeps them busy too. You are also welcome to put some loose hay in a quiet corner or on a level; degus use that to make little nests and to forage in.

Refresh the hay every day, even if some is still left. Degus prefer fresh hay and leave old, trampled hay behind. Remove dirty or wet hay and fill the rack generously. There must always be so much that your degus are never without.

Alternating between types of hay

You do not have to give the same hay every day. Variety makes the menu more interesting and can get degus that eat hay less readily eating again. A good approach is a fixed base of Zooply Meadow Hay, with a handful of herbal hay, alpine hay or one of the alpine hay varieties with leaves or flowers mixed in a few times a week. You can also mix some Zooply herbs through the hay yourself. Make changes gradually and not all at once, so the digestion can keep up.

Storing hay properly

Store hay dry, airy and out of the sun. A closed plastic container or bag without air circulation is not a good idea: hay can start to heat up and go mouldy in it. A cotton bag, an open box or a ventilated container in a dry place works better. Do not put hay on a cold, damp floor or in a shed where it can absorb moisture. A large 5 kg bag is economical if you have several degus, but do not buy more than you will use within a reasonable time.

Useful combinations

Hay gets even better in combination with:

• Hay racks: keep the hay clean and dry and make sure your degus eat more hay.
• Degu food: Zooply Degu Food as the fixed daily portion alongside the hay.
• Dried herbs: mix Zooply leaves or flowers through the hay for extra foraging fun.
• Nesting material: even more natural material besides hay for building nests.
• Chew wood: for the front teeth, as an addition to chewing hay.

Frequently asked questions about hay for degus

How much hay does a degu need per day?

There is no fixed amount: hay is given without limit. Make sure there is always more than your degus eat in a day, including in the morning before you refresh it. If there is nothing left at the end of the day, give more.

My degus eat little hay. What can I do?

First look at the degu food and the snacks. If your degus get a lot of food or extras, they have less appetite for hay. Reduce the portion of degu food and stop snacks for a while. Also try a different type of hay, such as herbal hay or alpine hay, or mix some dried herbs through the hay. If a degu suddenly eats clearly less than normal, or stops eating altogether, go to a vet with experience of rodents straight away.

Can I give degus hay with vegetables or fruit?

Hay with herbs, leaves or flowers is fine for degus. Hay with added carrot, fruit or sweet vegetables is less suitable, because degus are sensitive to sugar. So among the alpine hay varieties, choose Oat Meadow, Woodland Meadow or Flower Meadow, and preferably leave Field Meadow on the shelf.

Is it a problem if my degus use hay as nesting material?

No, that is completely normal. Degus drag hay to their hiding place and build a little nest with it. Do make sure there is also enough fresh hay left in the rack to eat. Hay in the nest that becomes dirty or damp is removed at cleaning time and replaced with fresh material.

What is the difference between meadow hay and alpine hay?

Meadow hay comes from Dutch grasslands and is a gentle, fibre-rich foundation for every day. Alpine hay comes from mountain regions and, according to the product information, contains various grasses with a strong scent. Many degus find alpine hay extra tasty. You can easily give meadow hay as the base and mix in alpine hay for variety.

Hay for degus at Knaagplaza

Unlimited fresh hay is the foundation of a healthy degu life. Zooply is our own premium brand and we use the hay ourselves every day for our animals. Choose a fixed base, alternate with herbal, flower or alpine hay and combine it with a good hay rack: that way your degus eat what they really need every day.