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Only as a rare reward. A degu can have one plain, unsalted sunflower seed, ideally in its shell, a couple of times a week at most. Sunflower seeds are very high in fat, and Burgess advises avoiding them. Never give salted, roasted or honey-coated seeds, or a seed-heavy mix.
| Safe? | Only as a rare reward |
| How much | 1 seed per degu |
| How often | Twice a week at most |
| Best served | Plain, unsalted, in the shell, by hand |
| Watch out for | Seed mixes, salted snacks, overweight degus |
Are sunflower seeds safe for degus?
One now and then is, but sources disagree on whether to give them at all. Burgess says to avoid high-fat foods such as peanuts and sunflower seeds, and PetMD lists seeds among foods to avoid. Degutopia, the UK degu care site, allows small seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin "one or two per degu several times per week", while warning that their high fat and protein can cause liver and kidney damage.
The RSPCA says degus need a diet low in sugar and fat because they are prone to type 2 diabetes. We sit between the two camps: a single seed, a couple of times a week, used as a reward rather than food.
How many sunflower seeds can a degu have?
One per degu, no more than twice a week. For scale, PDSA puts a degu's whole daily nugget ration at about 10 g (a third of an ounce), so seeds should stay a tiny extra. Skip seeds on days with any other treat.
Shelled, salted and seed mixes
| Form | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Plain seed in the husk | Best choice, one at a time |
| Plain shelled kernel | Fine, one at a time |
| Salted, roasted or flavoured snack seeds | No |
| Honey seed sticks and yoghurt-coated seeds | No |
| Muesli mixes heavy in sunflower seeds | No: Burgess advises against mixes |
A sunflower seed is a strong reward, so save it for taming. Offer it from a flat palm while your degu sits beside you; our guide to taming and bonding with a degu shows the steps.
Who should skip sunflower seeds?
Leave them out for overweight or diabetic degus, degus with liver or kidney problems and young degus still settling onto hay and nuggets. If your vet has your degu on a weight plan, swap seeds for a dried herb or a pinch of oats, which Degutopia allows daily.
Other rewards to try
Rotate with a single pumpkin seed, which carries the same limits, and keep peanuts rarer still. Our degu safe food list, the degu diet guide and our complete degu care guide have everything else.
Sunflower seed questions
Should sunflower seeds for degus be in the shell?
In the shell is better. Cracking the husk takes a degu a little time and work, so one seed goes further as a reward. Use plain, unsalted seeds sold for pets, never salted snack seeds. Shelled kernels are fine too, still one per degu.
Why does my degu food have sunflower seeds in it?
Some mixes add seeds and dried fruit to look tempting, but degus pick out the tasty bits and leave the rest. Burgess advises against muesli mixes, the RSPCA says mixes with dried fruit are unsuitable, and PDSA says to avoid foods containing molasses. A plain, high-fibre nugget is the better buy.
Can degus eat sunflower seeds every day?
No. Even Degutopia, which allows seeds, says one or two per degu several times a week at most, and warns that the fat and protein in seeds can cause liver and kidney damage. Burgess and PetMD advise avoiding fatty seeds altogether. Daily seeds add up quickly.
Can degus eat sunflower petals or the flower head?
Our sources don't cover sunflower petals for degus, so we can't give a firm yes. If you want a flower treat, Burgess suggests dried wildflower forage mixed into the hay, made for small pets and checked as safe.
