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Five captive adult female degus (Octodon degus) were offered leaves and twigs to eat from three woody (Adesmia bedwellii, Porlieria chilensis and Proustia pungens) and two suffruticose (Baccharis paniculata and Chenopodium petiolase) shrubs that provide cover in their natural habitat. The degus discriminated among the plant species, consuming lower amounts of P. chilensis. Daily body mass losses of degus were significantly higher when they were fed upon P. pungens and P. chilensis. The nutritional value of plants, concomitant with degu nutritional requirements, may explain changes in shrub cover previously found to follow removal of degus from experimental plots. (C) 1998 Academic Press.