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Yes, degus can eat apple, but only rarely. Give one thumbnail-sized piece per degu, with every pip removed, about once a month. PDSA says fruit is too sugary for degus apart from an occasional small piece of apple, and Degutopia says fresh fruit should be a monthly treat at most. Diabetic degus should have no apple at all.
| Safe? | Yes, as a rare treat |
| How much | 1 thumbnail-sized piece per degu |
| How often | About once a month |
| Best served | Fresh, washed, skin on, no pips or core |
| Watch out for | Pips, dried apple, diabetic degus |
Is apple safe for degus?
Yes, a small piece is. Degus are strict plant-eaters with a delicate gut, and they are prone to type 2 diabetes, so the RSPCA advises a diet low in sugar and fat and warns that many fruits are too sugary to give. Apple is the one fruit the main sources make room for: PDSA says "an occasional small piece of apple" is acceptable, and Degutopia says degus "love the occasional bit of apple".
Burgess is stricter. Its degu care page says to avoid sugary foods such as fruits, and its seasonal food guide, which groups degus with chinchillas, puts apples on the avoid list. We'd go with PDSA and Degutopia for a healthy adult, but keep it to one tiny piece a month.
How much apple can a degu have?
One piece about the size of your thumbnail, roughly 1.5 cm (half an inch) across, per degu, about once a month. Degutopia says fresh fruit should be given "only in small amounts once per month". Count it as that month's fruit: don't give apple and another fruit in the same month.
Apple pips, skin and core
Take out every pip. Degutopia notes that apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide. The skin is fine once the apple is washed. Remove the core and stalk too.
| Part or form | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Fresh flesh with skin | Yes, one small piece monthly |
| Pips (seeds) | No |
| Core and stalk | No |
| Dried apple | No: concentrated sugar |
| Apple juice, sauce or puree | No |
| Apple tree twigs (unsprayed) | Yes, to chew |
Apple wood gives degus the apple smell and a good chew with none of the sugar. Woodgreen lists apple, pear and willow twigs as treats.
Who should not have apple?
Degutopia says diabetic degus should get no fruit at all. Skip it as well for overweight degus and young degus still settling onto hay. Our guide to degus and sugar explains the signs to watch for.
What to give instead
Apple is the only fruit we'd give; strawberry and banana are too sugary. For everyday treats, use leafy veg and herbs from our degu safe food list. The degu diet guide and complete degu care guide cover the rest.
Apple questions
Can degus eat apple skin?
Yes. The skin is fine as long as the apple is washed well first to remove any chemicals. Leave the skin on the small piece you give. Remove the core, stalk and every pip.
Can degus eat dried apple or apple rings?
We'd avoid them. Drying packs the same sugar into a smaller piece that is easy to overfeed, and the RSPCA says chinchilla mixes with dried fruit are not suitable for degus. If you want an apple treat, a sliver of fresh apple once a month is the better choice.
Can degus chew apple branches?
Yes. Woodgreen suggests apple, pear and willow twigs as degu treats, and Burgess lists apple among the safe branches to tie in the cage. Use wood from trees that have not been sprayed, wash it and let it dry first. Chewing wood is good for their teeth and carries no fruit sugar.
What if my degu ate a lot of apple?
One big helping is unlikely to cause lasting harm in a healthy degu, but it can upset the gut. Take the rest away, keep hay and water topped up, and watch for soft droppings, a swollen belly or not eating. Ring your vet if any of those last more than a day, or sooner if your degu is diabetic.
