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The degu, a small rodent, is often kept as a pet. A species-appropriate diet meeting the energy and nutrient requirements is needed to prevent disease, which is why dietary recommendations are of special interest. The animal’s highly developed large intestine enables it to digest feedstuffs rich in crude fibre. In addition to the crude fibre content, the physical structure of the feed also plays an important role. The teeth of degus are rootless and grow throughout the animal’s life. Hay as basic feed has a high proportion of structured crude fibre and is therefore of great importance, not only with regard to the digestive processes, but also for a longer chewing activity so that there is an increased abrasion of the continuously growing teeth and the animals are occupied with their feed intake for a longer period. Accordingly, hay should always be offered ad libitum to degus. Exclusive hay feeding with a moderate crude fibre content (<25% DM) is considered possible. However, a diet consisting only of hay with a higher crude fibre content (>30% DM) does not provide sufficient energy and nutrients for maintenance. For this reason, concentrates should be provided but due to the degu’s preference for carbohydrate-rich or energy-rich components, they should not be given ad libitum: concentrates should only be provided as an addition to the basic feed. Symptoms of diabetes mellitus were not observed for a period of about two months, even when sugar-rich feeds (carrots/sugar beet) were fed. The calcium metabolism of degus is similar to that of rabbits and guinea pigs, but it differs significantly from that of chinchillas.