Diabetes (in degus)

Degus are highly prone to type 2 diabetes and cannot process sugar — a sugary diet leads to diabetes, whose signs include cloudy eyes (cataracts), excessive drinking and urinating, and weight gain.

This is why a degu’s diet must be strictly sugar-free: unlimited hay, molasses-free nuggets, no fruit, and only tiny occasional pieces of low-sugar vegetables. Cataracts are often the first visible clue.

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