Degu chewing his tail

[SillyDegu]

I've got a male degu, Scott, at a guess he's 2 or 3, he's been with me for 1.5 years. He didn't come from a good home and had lost part of his tail, I don't know any of details surrounding the injury. It occasionally cracks around the tip and at the advice of a vet I treat it with vaseline.

A few days ago I noticed a scab along the end of his tail, he's been to see the vet who said it didn't look infected or anything and he's still eating and to treat it twice a day with vaseline. Today I've noticed Scott chewing at the injury and he's making it worse. It looks as though it would have healed in a few days otherwise, but he's chewed the scab off again. The injury is along his tail rather than at the tip.

Please give me any advice you have. It still doesn't look infected and he's eating and behaving as normal but I'm worried he's going to cause himself further damage.

Scott lives in a large cage with three cagemates. The floors and wheels are solid, and they've got enrichment. I don't know what he could have got it caught on or whether anyone else might have been chewing it, I've only seen Scott chewing it. He's obviously not picked up by his tail. Any suggestions as to what may have caused the injury and how to prevent repeat injury would also be greatly appreciated.

[moletteuk]

Hi Natascha, welcome

This is just really tricky because degus love to nibble at anything that isn't quite right. I think infection prevention is pretty important at this point, perhaps you could get a dry antibacterial spray or some neosporin or f10sc that you put on under the vaseline, perhaps your vet could advise on this. As to discouraging him from chewing, perhaps you could spray with something like bitter apple, or somebody else might have a better idea as bitter apple has never deterred my lot for more than a few seconds. After that disctraction is the only way to go but is difficult because you can't watch him 24 hrs a day, a heatpad may help, as this often just makes them collapse in bliss and chewing a tail would probably be too much effort. Another idea is to try some metacam painkiller in case he is chewing because it is painful, overall he is more likely to be chewing it just because a scab is irresistable.

Once you have the wound sorted, I wonder if something a bit more moisturising than vaseline, like sweet almond oil, might help keep the skin on the tail moisturised and preven it cracking.