Electricty cables

[confused]

Stumpy loves electrical cabels. What is it about degus and electricty. I am going to put this question out. A few years back, i was hovering my room when bang, she bit threw the wire and sinzed all the hair around her mouth. I thought she was dead, but apart from lack of facial hair that grew back, she was none the worse for ware? Now last week, the parents got a brand new washing machine. I lost track of her for a minute and checked beside the washing maching as there is a lagre gap under the door, and i found she had chew almost through the cable. I had to do a quick diy job to cover her tracks.

What is the attraction? I asked a vet and he reckoned they can sense the electricty flowing through the cable???

[yasmin]

That's interesting.

I thought it was the texture of the coating around the wires that attracts them.

[ilikedegus]

My guess has always been that cables look a bit like twigs and so it's worth tasting the "bark"?

Manny loves cables...and silicone rubber buttons on phones, remote controls.

I've had an electric shock myself when I put my thumb across exposed wires that Manny chewed.

We don't let him out of the chew-protected room now.

[klbishop]

my had to chew proof the living room after bee found a tv cable - I also unplug everything as I am never 100% they wont have somehow damaged something else....
bee was the biggest cable chewing the other guys seem a little more sensible

[ntg]

The only cable mine have gotten through is my OHs gaming headset. He wasn't too impressed when I just said he should have been more careful with the cable getting close to the playpen.

I am impressed that when they escaped one they didn't chew any wires - the only damage was to a book and the TV remote (we only found out about the remote a couple of weeks later). Again, my OH didn't see the funny side of it; I think you have to have a certain sense of humour with these guys around as I was in fits (it was my book so it's not just his stuff that got destroyed, promise).

[moletteuk]

I think they just have a nose for chewing things they shouldn't!

This is really dangerous though, I wouldn't let them out in a room with cables for your safety and Stumpy's. Can you build a playpen instead? You should really fess up about the washing machine too, the damaged cable could cause a fire or electrocute somebody.

[confused]

No way am I confessing about the washing machine. I went to an electrical shop and asked about replacing the wire and I was told there was no need. The internal wires still have there protective covering and I was told that the current is very low and if Stumpy did bite through, the fuse would blow, and all that I would have to do is cut the wire and put on a new plug. Now If it reached that stage me and stumpy would get it in the neck. So masking tape did the trick.

I do not allow her to run around the kitchen any more without supervision.

Now the weather is starting to improve I let her run about in the back garden. But sometimes she escapes, and runs off down the lane. I noticed this as one day I spent ages looking for her, and saw her making her way back down the lane way and into the garden. Lucky there were no cats or dogs about.

[ilikedegus]

Gracious Confused - do you get any birds of prey round your way?

You'd be better putting her in a run for her own protection.

Our neighbour's cat wears a bell, but we still see her regularly in our garden with shrews and baby bunnies in her mouth.

[saddlers]

A family friend was fatally killed a few years ago through faulty cabling on a washing machine... I would not take any chances with cabling. At least get the damaged part removed and replace the plug.

I have to admit I would also be very concerned about a degu running free outside, the risk from prey or them escaping is massive.

[confused]

i am nervous about the washing machine now, i will do something about it. Very rarlely do we see any birds of prey or cats, and i stay out with her. I watch were she goes to try to close off any escape routes. I have an idea how to block over her exit down the laneway

[gajab62]

wow so brave !! i dont let mine climb onto the window sill if the window is open .. they are buggers to catch inside let alone outside , i may take them out in their holding cage when the weather is warmer.

[gajab62]

and mine too love cables i had to repair a lamp cable and a speaker cable that they took a liking to lol

[confused]

Well i wish she was not a lone degu, so i try to give her as much freedom as i can.