Degu Teeth...Yellow/White - Paw Talk

DeguCrazy · #1 11-11-2005, 08:01 AM

I understand that degu teeth are to be yellow. Does any particular shade of yellow matter? Rats teeth are to be yellow/orange, as my rats are. My 4 month-old degu, Degu Baby, has light yellow teeth with the outside edges being white for her top teeth and a slightly darker shade of solid yellow for her bottom teeth. Is this normal/healthy color or do I need to help her and how? My two baby degus, Myandi and Paprika, seem to have light yellow solid colored top and bottom teeth. I understand that white teeth in degus equals certain death-correct? Is Degu Baby developing problems?

Amethystbelle · #2 11-11-2005, 11:01 AM

Degu teeth colours vary depending on diet etc..... A Degu with a more nutrionally balanced diet of good quality feed and which should include fresh veggies (although dependent upon degu taste as one of mine won't eat anything that remotely looks like it might be fresh) will have darker teeth than one who diet is lacking in the essential nutrients. You will find the top edges and sides and the back of the teeth are infact white its just the enamal on the front which should be a dark yellow to orange colour. Light yellow indicates to me she might be lacking in something nutritionally but it should be nothing to worry about too much, can i ask what do you feed her?

**Sasami** · #3 11-11-2005, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethystbelle


	Degu teeth colours vary depending on diet etc..... A Degu with a more nutrionally balanced diet of good quality feed and which should include fresh veggies (although dependent upon degu taste as one of mine won't eat anything that remotely looks like it might be fresh) will have darker teeth than one who diet is lacking in the essential nutrients. You will find the top edges and sides and the back of the teeth are infact white its just the enamal on the front which should be a dark yellow to orange colour. Light yellow indicates to me she might be lacking in something nutritionally but it should be nothing to worry about too much, can i ask what do you feed her?

Couldn't agree more

.

It depends on diet, mine have darker teeth and degus with lighter colored teeth may be lacking something in their diet.

DeguCrazy · #4 11-11-2005, 06:30 PM

I feed Degu Baby, Myandi, and Paprika guinea pig pellets with 3% protein. I do not feed them chinchilla pellets because they all have high corn and molasses, both of which I have read as being harmful sugar-contents for degus. They get plenty of timothy hay and water. They have about 8 ounce bottles for water that hang from the outside of their cages (because Degu Baby chewed holes through the in-the-cage bottle). I also read somewhere that a drop of bleach should be added to their bottles to hyper-chlorinate it to prevent mouth diease---I am afraid of killing them so I do not do this!

I give little slices of carrots, yams, or sweet potatoes without skins. I give 5 pieces of oatmeal as bribary treats, daily. (They absolutely love it and they will not bite so long as they get this treat

) Every other day they enjoy one rat block (another Yummy!).
OK,....

...am I being a good Mommy?

DeguCrazy · #5 11-11-2005, 06:36 PM

....Oh, I forgot to ask. My rats flip over with joy to eat cooked baby lima beans, is this veggie suitable for a degu? How about nuts, etc. Are certain ones good while others harmful: i.e: walnut vs. sunflower.

Amethystbelle · #6 11-11-2005, 06:40 PM

It sounds like you are doing the right things and are a good degu mummy, the only thing i'd change is i wouldn't give them the rat block as rats and degu's have completely different dietry needs so i'd avoid those. I wouldn't over feed the sweet potatoes either just once of twice a week, they also go mad for broccolli so i'd try that as well. You are also right about the whole bleach issue i would never add it to my boys bottles as it don't personally feel safe using it and as long as they have fresh water daily i don't think it matters too much

Amethystbelle · #7 11-11-2005, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeguCrazy


	....Oh, I forgot to ask. My rats flip over with joy to eat cooked baby lima beans, is this veggie suitable for a degu? How about nuts, etc. Are certain ones good while others harmful: i.e: walnut vs. sunflower.

Nuts should only be used as a treat but they do go mad for them. They can have shelled peanuts, walnuts, hazlenuts and brazil nuts, but i limit these as a treat once a month although they sometimes have the odd peanut in between. They love to have the nuts in the shell and it keeps them occupied for a fair few hours working away to get the nut out. The same goes for seeds they like nuts are fattening and should only be used as the occasional treat they will eat pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and they also go mad for raisens but again it must only be given once again it should only be seen as a special treat as they contain a lot of sugar.

As for the beans i'm careful about what i give my boys, i know green beans are safe but i'm wary about anything else plus fresh is normally best where degu's are concerned so i'm not 100% sure on those

DeguCrazy · #8 11-11-2005, 07:13 PM

Thank you for your responses. I almost chewed-off my fingernails thinking perhaps I am doing wrong with my sweet degus. But,....how do I get their teeth to darken so "I" feel safe.

kandy · #9 11-11-2005, 09:03 PM

I agree with Amethystbelle! And it seems she knows a lot about nuts so I'm going to steal the spotlight for a sec

My degus had babies and the babies are about 2 and a half months old. ever since the babies were born I stopped giving nuts and seeds. I was just wondering if the babies can have these treats now? Thanks!! And sorry DeguCrazy

DeguCrazy · #10 11-12-2005, 12:21 AM

Kandy, you are fine. My babies are just now 2 months old. So, really, your Q is my Q because I want to know as well. Any Q that may be anwered is welcomed.

Amethystbelle · #11 11-12-2005, 08:01 AM

They should be fine to have nuts and seeds now but only as the occasional treat, i'd probably start off with the odd pumpkin and sunflower seed and for the time being give them either a very small segment of nut or a small peanut each but when they are full grown they should be able to handle full shelled nut but at the moment i'd start off small with the youngsters

DeguCrazy · #12 11-12-2005, 08:16 AM

Thank you for you help. I crushed a walnut into tiny pieces and gave them by hand to all 3 degus...it was a hit...they continued to beg for 1/2 an hour for more. *Uummm, maybe tomorrow*

Amethystbelle · #13 11-12-2005, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeguCrazy


	Thank you for you help. I crushed a walnut into tiny pieces and gave them by hand to all 3 degus...it was a hit...they continued to beg for 1/2 an hour for more. Uummm, maybe tomorrow

No worries whatsoever, i know what its like starting out with Degu's it can be worrying as theres a lot of information out there. When i first got my first set of boys there was little to no information at all so i had to do a lot of research and 8 years on i've accumulated a lot so if you ever need anything and i can help i will do

Oh yes they will love walnuts, wait till you give them a whole one in its shell they will go mad and the hole they chew in it will be so small and so much its unbelieveable

DeguCrazy · #14 11-12-2005, 04:12 PM

Oh, Thank You so much. It is great to know that fellow critter lovers are so helpful. This degu forum has already proven itself more than I originally expected. *runs to suv to by whole walnuts*

kandy · #15 11-12-2005, 06:06 PM

Thank you for answering my question too!! I'm sure the babies will love their first try of a nut or seed!!