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Post by degu2017 on Jan 5, 2017 0:19:47 GMT
I am getting my first 2 degus and wanted advise
Three storey cage with platforms & ladders 70 x 42 x 104cm would this be a suitable size or too small?
I am looking for local adoption/rehoming places but struggling at the moment (Manchester) is p@h really as bad as the horror story's (I would definitely check sex myself before getting them)
Any advice for a new owner would be greatly appreciated
Thanks in advance
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Post by deguconvert on Jan 5, 2017 1:08:22 GMT
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Post by degu2017 on Jan 5, 2017 1:24:45 GMT
Thanks  working my way through a number of topics/discussions I was recommended the cage by a friend who has chinchillas but wanted advice from degu owners the link she gave me just says dimensions "70x42x104" so yes would assume it's each platform that is 70x42. Budget wise we'd be looking around the £100-120 for cage but could stretch to £150ish Sorry I feel stupid now  but glad I asked before committing to buying anything |
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Post by deguconvert on Jan 5, 2017 2:50:36 GMT
NO, no, no!! Please don't feel stupid! P@H would sell you a thickets cage and tell you it is perfectly fine, excellent even, for two degus. It isn't even suitable for a single degu! So there is a lot of information out there that is inaccurate and old. Degus are . . . well weird, and you will learn this more and more as you get acquainted with yours, once you have them, and the learning curve for their needs/demands is pretty steep, but once you get it, you get to just enjoy. Usually.  If you are someone that likes to rescue rather than get from pet stores, or as babies, then look for degus that are 18 months or older and you should miss the adolescent phase that can be rather chaotic and problematic. Degus are land animals, and they cover a large amount of territory while foraging for foods. They can travel up to 5 km each day. So, they need a large cage. Obviously we cannot build, let alone buy, a cage that has 5 square km in it, but we certainly can do something better than a thickets. If you want a bought cage, we have a lot of owners with either the Aventura cage (look for assembly directions on Youtube, the ones they send with the cage are garbage), or the Critter Nation Explorer 2. The latter has better materials, and both doors open on each side, rather than just one like with the Aventura, and owners that have experience with both prefer the Explorer 2, but owners tend to be fairly happy with either. |
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Post by degu2017 on Jan 5, 2017 9:26:09 GMT
Ooo at quick glance they look great!
I can't wait to get my two, I'm putting together a shopping checklist and then I'm going into names - if I do get an 18+ month would I be able to change the names they already have or would this cause confusion in the goos?
Sorry for all the questions
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 9:59:51 GMT
Changing their names should be fine! I don't know your age or how much experience you have with small animals, but maybe id suggest biting the bullet and either getting two babies, who you know won't generally be any problem until they reach 8 or so months (fighting can start around about then due to hormones), or some that are post 18 months when everything will have settled down. Obviously bare in mind that equates to a year and a half less time with them unfortunately. If you get babies at least you'll have gotten used to the whole Degu world before possible fighting starts. It's not too scary usually and something most of have have dealt with! My two went through it and they fought like cat and dog, for months, all hours of the day. I never separated them - it would have also been made worse by the fact they were living in a thickets (I didn't research before hand like you, well done you). I then joined here and quickly upgraded my cage. I now have two more that'll have to go through the same thing, they are 10 weeks old and 3/4 months old so. It's just one of those things that come with owning degus! But they are very lovely rewarding little things.
Don't ever be afraid to ask questions. There's no question too silly on here! X
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Post by randomname on Jan 5, 2017 10:38:06 GMT
oh don't feel silly - every single one of us has made mistakes or been given duff advice. Most of us found out after doing so, so you're already ahead of the game! From personal experience I'd recommend the Liberta style cages with double doors (e.g www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=456&pf_id=68616 ) as they are so easy to keep clean. This would be fine for 2 degus, or if you modified the half shelves into full levels, 3 or maybe 4. You'll need to look into nutrition, but as a basic over view they need decent pellet food (science selective or Rosewoods naturals are ok) & lots of hay (preferably timothy, but a variety is good) & forage (zooplus.co.uk & ratrations are good for forage, but keep an eye on your bank balance!) Ratrations also sell a popular seed mix which degus love. The other thing I'd advise is to start 'phoning round all the vets in your area, see if they have an exotics specialist, or someone who knows degus. It's not as easy as it sounds to find a good degu vet, you don't want the hassle of finding one when they get ill, better to be prepared. Have you checked the RSPCA & Blue Cross websites for degus in your area? They often have them. Also worth googling your local rescues if you haven't already, get your name down in case degus come in (there'll probably be loads in the next few months when kids get sick of their xmas presents) It's also worth keeping your eyes open in the adoption forum on this site, other members often have accidental litters (mainly due to P@H) & may need to rehome them (that's how I got my current 3 boys) TicTac make large metal wheels if you're looking for a decent long lasting one, much cheaper in the long term than a wooden one (& bigger) Also, be prepared for a certain amount of noise & mess - degus aren't quiet & they love flinging bedding/poop in a lovely halo around the cage. Much easier to keep them on a laminate floor, not carpet. That's the basics according to me! You'll love being around degus, they're full of personality (code for weirdos!) but they're not easy or low maintenance. Good luck with finding your new friends. Would be awesome if you adopted some needing good homes, rather than buying from a breeder/petshop. Can't wait to see how things work out - you know we demand cute pictures as payment for advice on here?!! lol only joking, but pics are always good. |
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Post by moletteuk on Jan 5, 2017 11:14:24 GMT
Small animal husbandry has moved on rapidly over the last 5yrs or so, but many people in the UK and USA have not caught up yet, sometimes people who have been keeping pets for years haven't done any new research in a long time, so perhaps that could cover your friend's advice. Also, sometimes you only discover that your pet wasn't happy in the small cage after you upgrade them to a bigger one and start seeing new ranges of behaviour, so sometimes people are adamant that their pets are fine in a small cage because they haven't seen the difference it can make for themselves. If you are on facebook, there is degu rehoming site on there that pulls together details from different sources about degus looking for a new home. www.facebook.com/groups/598661793580571/?fref=nf You could also place a degus wanted ad on there and on here if you like. We do not recommend that you buy degus from PAH. I should also mention that you may find plain, brown, agouti degus more robust and healthier than patterned or coloured ones, so try not to pay money for patterns or colours, but don't let it put you off adopting them. Also consider getting a group of 3, you will normally see more social behaviour with 3, as long as your cage is big enough. |
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Post by savvy on Jan 5, 2017 18:29:11 GMT
Welcome to the forum!
There really are no silly questions when it comes to degus and they are definitely a law unto themselves. But they are well worth it.
Be cautious of p@h adoptions, some are babies they haven't managed to sell. They also have a knack of telling people that they have lone degus because they 'keep fighting so can't be with another degu' when usually its because of the cramped conditions they've been kept in.
Also check the ingredients on all degu foods, some will say they are suitable even though they contain added sugars, the words you need to avoid are honey, molasses, fruitrose, glucose, egg, etc.
Cheap toys (which they love) are cardboard tubes, either from the inside of toilet rolls or the ones you can get from carpet shops. If you ask for them in your local carpet shop, they are usually very keen to get rid of them and they will give your goos something to chew on and run through.
I am sure you will feel overwhelmed with info at the moment, but if we have missed anything, feel free to ask, we won't judge, we will just offer straight forward honest advice.
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Post by degu2017 on Jan 5, 2017 19:02:39 GMT
Thank you everyone for all your great advice Its great to know there's such helpful owners who are happy to help new/future owners to ensure we get it as right as we can to ensure our goo's have a happy life and are properly cared for! They are our babies after all!! |
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working my way through a number of topics/discussions
but glad I asked before committing to buying anything 
If you are someone that likes to rescue rather than get from pet stores, or as babies, then look for degus that are 18 months or older and you should miss the adolescent phase that can be rather chaotic and problematic.
