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Post by lohr500 on Sept 5, 2011 20:50:55 GMT
Having just got our first four Degus, I am now really concerned that the area we have put the cage may be too cold for them. I've read a post here about high temperatures, but has anyone experience of keeping Degus in a cooler environment.
It is currently 14 deg C where they are, which is below the lowest temp. suggested by Degutopia.
I have picked up a 50w Habistat Reptile radiator off fleebay that I am going to experiment with, (initially away from the cage) with a plan to mount it at a suitable height above the top of the cage to radiate heat down to their nesting box area. In this way they won't be able to chew on the wiring/heater plate etc.
But short term, should I be increasing the temp around the cage using other means, or are they actaully quite adaptable to lower temps? They don't seem to be showing any signs of cold, but then again I wouldn't know what to look for.
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 5, 2011 20:58:18 GMT
They are quite adaptable, yes, however I'm not sure I would want to let the temperature go a great deal lower. What is the average temperature they will experience in that area, during the winter? If they are feeling chilled, you will see them all fluffed up and piled up together, or all hunched into a ball.
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Post by lohr500 on Sept 5, 2011 21:18:49 GMT
We tend to only run the house central heating in the evenings when we are all at home, so in a cold spell it can drop below the current 14 deg C. I am sure I can sort out some localised efficient heating for them using the reptile plate, or a ceramic/IR bulb type heater with suitable guarding, but I was just worried short term until I can get sorted.
I've put an electric convector heater close to the cage for tonight with a very low thermostat setting and on minimum power level just to take the chill off them until a more permanent solution can be installed.
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Post by NightwishRaven999 on Sept 5, 2011 23:16:26 GMT
I do not have much experience at housing degus in colder temperatures, but one thing I have noticed is that they are rather sensitive about it.
I like to keep my room cool (17-18 C) even in the summer. If the temperature goes bellow this the degus become very active during the day, spending most of their time on the top level of their home, under the lamps and lights.
At night they will burrow deep in the bedding and hay and cuddle up very closely.
They will also tend to puff up their fur in cooler temperatures and stay closer together.
David (davx) probably has more experience at housing degus in cooler temperatures.
I agree with Faith though, I would be reluctant to house degus at 14C especially if the temperature can drop even further.
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Post by davx on Sept 6, 2011 18:07:11 GMT
Hi, offer them stacks of hay and straw, so that they can create a nest inside it and offer them nesting material. That helps them to get a warm place in their cage. If they had such warm places temperature as long as over 10 °C is no problem, but you have to watch them, if any of them have problems with health it is probably important to find a warmer place, else they do well. I kept my degus outdoors even by temperature at night around 0 °C, but they had a shelter protecting them angainst wind and isolated with a clay-straw wall and filled with dense straw. Here you can see the shelter (without roof):   and the shelter with roof (outside view):  |
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Post by lohr500 on Sept 6, 2011 18:59:56 GMT
Thanks for the great info davx.
The cage is in a draught free area and they have a reasonable sized nesting box already full of hay. I think I might add a solid roof to the top of the cage which is currently mesh, so it keeps a bit more heat in, once I have installed some more permanent heating. Also I will line the back wall and sides of the upper cage section to help keep the heat in.
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Post by davx on Sept 6, 2011 21:44:37 GMT
Oh yes, that sounds good.
But I'm not shure if a roof on the cage does matter. Ok you can try it out.
I suppose that the effect of insulation is much better if it encloses completely the cage, but on the other hand that's not the idea. I think the insulation doesn't play an important role and also you can reduce permanent heating if you offer a shelter small enough that the degus can heat it with its own body temperature. In addition it is of course useful to offer a heat lamp or something like that you offer them for some hours per diem. For this I used a clock timer, that works fine.
Then you can use a big flat stone as underground, receiving the heat radiation from the lamp. The stone store the heat for a while and the degus can warm-up by sittiong on the stone.
The advantage of this solution is, that the degus can choise which climate and temperature they prefer. You create a microclimate in the cage and offer the degus different possibilities.
By the way this method is commonly used by reptile owners, where technical knowledge in animal keeping is a vital issue.
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Post by lohr500 on Sept 9, 2011 20:08:44 GMT
The reptile radiator plate I ordered from fleebay arrived this week and after checking out the heat output I have now fitted it to the roof of the cage directly above the nesting box.
It seems to be working well, giving a gentle downwards heat onto the nesting box. I guess my babies can now move in and out of the hot spot to regulate their temparature. I will watch it closely as winter draws closer just to make sure it can generate enough heat.
I took the precaution of passing the mains wire through a length of copper pipe attached to the back of the cage so they can't reach throughthe bars and nibble the cable!
I've attached a photo of my finished cage in a post I started a week or so ago in the cages topic section.
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Post by malteser60 on Sept 10, 2011 8:34:17 GMT
My gut feeling says you've got the right idea there lohr500. The main issue with degus is being able to move to areas that have a comfortable temperature for them. For example, if the cage is in the sun, make sure that part of it is in the shade too. So the same with the radiator plate, make sure there are areas they can move away from the plate.
Our house gets quite cold in the winter during the day, so I've bought them the snugglesafe heat pad which they adore. They will stretch themselves out fully onto it and just lie there with a look of utter contentment!
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Post by davx on Sept 10, 2011 9:41:04 GMT
I agree with malteser60, she points out clearly what I intended to say.
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Post by lohr500 on Sept 10, 2011 18:44:59 GMT
Trouble now is they are all sunbathing on top of their nesting box which is directly under the heat plate, instead of snuggling up inside the nesting box!
Might be time to move the box a little.
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Post by Kat on Sept 10, 2011 19:35:31 GMT
lol
My degus never do what they are told either.
Kat
x
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Post by lohr500 on Sept 10, 2011 19:53:58 GMT
I've confused them now by moving the box from underneath the heat plate ;D
By the way Kat, the wheel arrived safely today and they are racing round on it. Seem very happy with it. Thanks.
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Post by Kat on Sept 10, 2011 20:05:58 GMT
Brilliant, Thanks for letting me know. I'm glad they like it.
Kat
x
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Post by lohr500 on Sept 24, 2011 13:10:30 GMT
I have found a better heating solution now if anyone is interested. I decided the reptile heating plate just wasn't kicking out enough heat and also because it warms up evenly on both sides, half the heat was being lost to the room. After some internet searching I discovered a thing called an electric brooder or electric hen. These are designed for new born chicks to huddle together under and have adjustable legs so they can be raised higher off the ground as the chicks grow. Without using the legs, the 60cm x 40cm version is a perfect fit for the top of my metal cage and spans the upper half sized tray. It is rated at 68 watts, and so is reasonably economical to run and gives out a gentle heat. The base is metal and sits on top of the cage, so it can't be chewed through. The top is insulated so a sheet can be placed over the top of the cage if it gets really cold without danger of it catching fire. To finish the job off, I threaded the cable through a length of copper pipe so that the goos can't chew on it. Finally I bought a £17 plug in mains thermostat adaptor from B&Q to switch the heater on and off as required. A picture is attached. Thought I would share this with everyone in case anyone else is also thinking about heating. Attachments:
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Post by davx on Sept 24, 2011 13:46:00 GMT
Oh, that sounds interesting. Did you measure already the temperature you can reach in the cage under the brooder?
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Post by lohr500 on Sept 24, 2011 14:52:56 GMT
Hi davx. I haven't measured the exact temp yet as I don't have a suitable thermometer, but I have been checking a few times a day by putting the palm of my hand under the heater area just to make sure it isn't too hot. As there is only 68 watts, I think there is no danger of overheating for them. The great thing is, they can move in and out of the warmer area as they please.
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 24, 2011 22:09:49 GMT
WOW!! That's a GREAT idea!! Very innovative thinking!! I'm interested in hearing how this works out for you as time progresses.
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Post by Kins on Sept 25, 2011 9:04:32 GMT
Excellent find! Looks fab.
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Post by lohr500 on Feb 12, 2012 10:19:36 GMT
Quick update on the heater.
We've had some pretty cold weather over the past two months, with the inside temperature near the cage falling well below 10deg C. But the heater has worked a treat and all 4 degus show no signs of ill health. They are still happy in their cage and full of energy.
Next project is a two metal base trays as they have taken to knawing the timber edging right down to the plywood base and have now started on the plywood. I put a ceramic floor tile in there as a quick fix, but amazingly thay have managed to move it to expose the base board again.
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