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Post by amie on Oct 14, 2010 2:27:51 GMT
Just thought I'd say Hello  I'm a new Degu owner. I have two boys named Sammy and Dean (named after Sam and Dean from Supernatural). Sammy is very shy and still hasn't warmed to me and Dean is a little more outgoing. They still won't take treats from my hands and Dean seems more interested in eating my fingers when I offer him treats, haha. Will continue to get them used to me though |
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Post by NightwishRaven999 on Oct 14, 2010 3:02:36 GMT
Hello Amie, nice to meet you. Welcome to the forum ! You will find us to be a fun and friendly bunch. Feel free to browse around and dont refrain from asking questions. Some of us have been keeping degus for a long time, but we are all learning new things everyday... Hopefully you will post some photos of Sammy and Dean and their cage. Looking forward to getting to know you and your degus Jordan |
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 14, 2010 4:02:04 GMT
Welcome to the forum, Amie! We're glad to have you here, and are happy to help with any questions or concerns you may have. Make yourself at home! ;D
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Post by emz on Oct 14, 2010 12:23:11 GMT
Welcome. |
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Post by amie on Oct 14, 2010 17:34:30 GMT
Awww, thank you for the greetings! I'll post some pictures of Sammy and Dean soon. I'd never heard of them before walking into a pet shop about a month ago and fell in love instantly. After keeping Gerbils when I was kid, the pet shop told me it was practically the same. As usual THEY WERE WRONG! I don't know why on earth I trusted them as I never normally do. I used to have a pet Axolotl and as they have quite complex needs (and I managed to fulfil them).... I decided the best course of action was to A. Never trust a pet shop again. B. Not to take them back to pet shop because they were keeping about ten of them in a 3ft tank. and C. Read everything I could about them (which I normally do before I buy a pet, but given the infomation the pet shop fed me with, didn't think I had to coz I thought I knew it all already. Anyway, they're currenly in a 4ft aquarium which is 2ft tall (which I was told I could keep them in).... since learning it's not ideal, I've kitted it out with loads of rope swings, climbing frames, tunnels, things to destroy and a wheel etc (with clear ground space too) until I can buy them a cage the size of my warbrode, lol. I was told they were twelve weeks old, but seem to be the size of some of the Degus on here, so again, I'm guessing that was bad information too. No-one needs to worry because they will have an awesome life once I've bought the new cage (currently saving) and I've learned all about their dietary needs. The one thing the pet shop did get right was that they can't have sugar, but sold me Guinea Pig food for them.... which I didn't really agree with at the time, but thought it would do until I can find some proper Degu food. I've bought two types. A Degu mix and supreme science Degu buscuits with brocolli and basil? Do you know if I can give them the supreme one everyday as they seem to love it? and they always have Timothy hay. They have a sand bath every day which I'm going to start giving them in seperate play area along with treats, so we can all bond Should I worry about how many treats I give them during the hand training process? I wouldn't want them to get sick because of my bribary? Another thing is wood shavings/sawdust? Is this ok as a substrate? They are definately the cutests little pets I've ever had and I just want to make their lifes as fun filled and comfortable as possible! (I'm such a girl! lol). |
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 15, 2010 4:29:16 GMT
Whatever you use for hand training, give it in small, tiny bits. So that way they are getting a little something everytime they do what you ask, but not too much at a time. Generally speaking, the hand training time does tend to be flush with treats, but with careful management it isn't too serious, and it isn't something that will last the rest of their lives either. So, go ahead and use treats. Wood shavings are fine, particularly if they are dust extracted. Saw dust, same thing, dust extracted . . . although I must confess that I find it rather an oxymoron to call the stuff saw DUST and then have the DUST extracted. Logic tells me there should be nothing left and what you are buying is a bag full of air . . . but apparently that isn't the case.  I think that if you can combine the supreme science with another, guinea pig food is fine so long as it has no sugars, glucose, fructose, molassas etc. in it. If you could even crumble the supreme sci so that it is harder to just fish it out and leave the rest . . . but I don't know how difficult that would be, not having seen the food myself. Anyway, it should be fine. I have to laugh at myself, as I was trying to figure out why you would be outfitting the Axolotl's tank with tunnels, sticks, ropes and so on. By the time I was 3/4 of the way through the paragraph I finally realized that you were meaning that your degus are in the tank. LOL! They will DEFINITELY get more fun out of those items than Axolotl's would. |
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Post by amie on Oct 18, 2010 22:07:56 GMT
I'm hand training with organic porridge oats that have 0.6% sugar (that ok?  ) and sunflower seeds. I give them millet spray every few weeks and have offered them veg, which they don't seem to like although they did eat a little piece of carrot. I have read that you have to dry veg before you give it to them which I haven't done as I can't find out how to do it? As for their main diet, I'm giving them a mix of the Supreme Science (ingredients: Alfalfa, Barley, Wheat Flower, Wheatfeed, peas, soybean meal, broccoli (min 4%), oats, soy oil, minerals, spinach, basil (min 1%), salt. Here's a link to the food (might have to copy and paste). cgi.ebay.co.uk/350G-SUPREME-SCIENCE-SELECTIVE-DEGU-FOOD-/130443911193?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e5f102019 ,and I also give them Beaphar Xtra Vital Degu, which is a mix food for Degus cgi.ebay.co.uk/Beaphar-XtraVital-Degu-Food-1kg-/250704870781?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item3a5f2cbd7d They do seem to be selective feeding with the Xtra Vital though and they're leaving all the light green looking nuggets?? Very naughty if you ask me, but not sure how to conquer them doing this! lol. I've solved the Guinea Pig food problem and just bought a pet Piggie to live in the other 6ft hutch we have and using the other as a play area for the pikachus! (my Degus, lol). Hahahaha! Yes, the tank has been kitted out for the Degus! lol. My Axolotl sadly passed away a few months ago.... I miss him so much  I've just bought a new cage for the Degus! So excited! It won't be their permant home as I still want to buy the Xtrail cage I've got my eye on (this is the one I want, not the one I've got yet) cgi.ebay.co.uk/Xtrail-Ferret-Rat-Chinchilla-Degu-Two-story-cage-/200519957650?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item2eafebbc92, but this new one is quite big and will do for a couple of months. Other than that, I think we're doing fine (although Dean does have a little patch of fur missing on his side which I hope will grow back) I'm just trying to find out how much an adult Degu should weigh so I can I TRY to determine their age (having never owned them before, I really can't tell!).... then comes the fun of weighing them! I'm still trying to figure out how to post pictures on here, but I will put some up as soon as I do! LOL! Thanks for being so helpful and friendly! |
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 19, 2010 18:55:19 GMT
That cage looks great! Does it come with both large levels, or do you have to buy both separately and then stack them to look like the photo? It will make a great home!
I wish I could help you with the photo question . . . I struggle every time I try to put them up. LOL! My tech abilities seem to lay in other directions. ;P
The foods you are using are good, and no matter what, there will be those bits that the degus just avoid. Just like kids. "Do I HAAAVE to eat my peas?" Ours do the same thing and I've finally quit driving myself batty about it and close my eyes to it now.
Healthy adult degus will weigh between 150 grams and 300 grams, and will be about 15 cm from nose to bottom and then whatever tail they have on top of that. Some are smaller and some are larger, but on average they will be about that length.
I'm glad to help! This forum saved my sanitiy my first year of degu delirium, so I'm very glad to be able to turn around and offer the same help. ;D
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Post by amie on Oct 19, 2010 19:11:38 GMT
I seem to have the photo thing figured out although resizing them in photoshop is a pain! lol.
I think the cage comes exactely as in the picture (or atleast it should for £200! LOL!). My partner's just gone to pick up the new temporary cage we're putting them in til we get that one and he's ghad to drive back home because he couldn't get it in the car even with the seats folded down! haha. My Dad's gone out to get it now. We owe him big style because we had to call him from his comfy home and dinner to do it! :S
Ah, I just posted something about their diet forgetting I'd asked the same thing here! Ooops, lol!
Hopefully I'l be able to offer the same advice in the future. It's their diet that's the hardest part to get right!
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) and sunflower seeds. I give them millet spray every few weeks and have offered them veg, which they don't seem to like although they did eat a little piece of carrot. I have read that you have to dry veg before you give it to them which I haven't done as I can't find out how to do it? As for their main diet, I'm giving them a mix of the Supreme Science (ingredients: Alfalfa, Barley, Wheat Flower, Wheatfeed, peas, soybean meal, broccoli (min 4%), oats, soy oil, minerals, spinach, basil (min 1%), salt. Here's a link to the food (might have to copy and paste). 