Thickets cage- P@H Cage

[del]

My degus have a P@H cage, and have lived in it for two years, aka all their lifetime. I've recently been informed it's too small... how true is this, and to what extent? They seem fine in it, but they've never been in a bigger cage, so I can't tell if they'd benefit more from something a bit larger. They clang the bars in the evenings and night only, and not all the time. They're not overweight.

Will this cage be suitable for them for the rest of their life?

Has anyone else been sold a Thickets cage for degus, only to discover it's not suitable?

[daydreamer3008]

I seem to be replying to everything of yours today, sorry!!

Soooo many people are told the same thing as you and end up buying it. It's sad. P@H are obviously good at convincing people... Hmmm...

Everytime I think of the Thickets cage, I just remind myself about the poor goos at the P@H shops I see. Very large groups, with only a wheel and a nest box, often with mesh under their feet, even with no substrate and hay. It breaks my heart Anyway,,

A lot of people who buy them end up buying different cages, because they are too small. Some even make their own.

I'll leave it for someone else to comment, as I'm not exactly sure if it is fine for 2 goos. I'm used to posts about 3 or more goos living in it, in which case it is far too small. I seem to remember that it is the exact RSPCA minimum, in which case, I don't know what to suggest...

Here is a link to a thread about CARA values, and it might be a good idea to work it out from there. I mean, you might have extra levels etc., and I can't remember the exact size of the cage, and I don't know your setup.

deguworld.proboards.com/thread/9396/forums-cage-size-recommendations

~Daydreamer.

EDIT: "Both spacious and functional"/" the ideal homing solution for your chinchilla or degu" - pha... Oh how I laugh at the description on their website... Apart from everything else, the last part is even suggesting you keep them alone... Shocking

[moletteuk]

It's definitely too small. Our recommended minimum is about two and a half times as big for 2 degus.

It's about allowing them space to be degus , in many cases people don't realise they are shadows of degus until they see them busy home making and investigating in a large cage. Dyzired wrote a great post about her experience of this.

You do have various options for increasing cage size, you can stack cages and combine them, second hand or new, home build etc etc.

Lots of people find themselves in the same boat, just have a look through the forum.

[klbishop]

Definately definitely to small!!

[ilikedegus]

Del

Something we've done - you can do if you're handy or have someone around who is, is get another 1 or 2 of those Thicket's cages (I have had several cheaply from Ebay within a 30 mile radius of us).

Plan your new layout and cut out a hole in the side of each cage, making sure to really smooth the cut ends to avoid injury.

- stack them vertically - saves space - and build a "staircase" between them with the same welded wire they're made of, and some mini wooden shelves as steps - and attach to the outside of the cages.

- put them side by side and just join them together.

These "pop-holes" can be fitted too - good for moving and cleaning out, to keep your beasties in one area.

www.johnhopewell.co.uk/default.asp?template=productdetail.page.xml&productId=129