Non stop sneezing!

[amie]

Stefan is sneezing non stop! I'm really worried!

The sawdust is dust extracted, but could it be causing this?

Should I just put hay in as the substrate for now? I don't know what else I can use just for now to see if it's that, that couldn't be making him sneeze so much.

Any ideas?

[smux]

If he hasn't done it before, it is unlikely to be the shavings, although it is possible. I usually suggest to sieve the shavings to see if you get much more dust out and if that helps.

[amie]

Ok, thanks for the response. I've only had them for a week, so it could be the sawdust. I'll sieve it through and see if it helps. It might also be that it's getting colder in our house now due to the winter. We have the heating on for quite a few hours a day, but they could still be getting cold. I'm going to move them all to the spare room today (for various reasons), but it's smaller in there, so it might retain heat up quicker and I could do a better job of insulating the windows and skirting boards with tape and sheets etc (some female DIY for you there! lol).

[nickymills30]

hi hun, i;ve just been on degutopia

www.degutopia.co.uk/deguill.htm#BODY%20PART%20RESP

i did use saw dust for them, so they should be ok with it.

let me know how he does xx

[deguconvert]

It would be a good idea to listen to his breathing as well. If you can hear wheezing as he breathes you need to get him to a vet and get him on antibiotica asap.

[amie]

I sieved the sawdust and it was more 'dust' than 'saw', lol. Absolutely terible for what is suposedly 'dust extracted' sawdust. It even made me sick doing it, so I'm certainly not using it for my Degus again! I have decided not to use sawdust at all anymore. I can't trust it (not to mention it also gets to my throat) and it's messy. As soon as I have the money, I'll be buying fincard. For now, I'm just going to use hay on the bottom of the cage as they also need the extra bedding for winter as it's getting cold now. I'll also buy them a snugglesafe as soon as I have the money. I've just got my old job back, so they'll get spoilt over christmas with a new cages, toys and a snugglesafe. Guess where all my christmas money is going? lol.

I picked him up last night (well, he jumped 'at' my face more like! lol) and his breathing was fine. There was no wheezing, just a few utters and squeaks for food He's very active and he's not sneezing anymore, so I'm guessing it was a mix of the sawdust and being cold. I didn't quite realise how cold it was getting as I'm always in a jumper! lol. I've sorted both problems now and I'll be warming up some rice in a sock for them all at night. I only have long grain brown rice though, is this ok? I'm kind of concerned about them eating it as all of my little ones are quite destructive and the babies will eat anything they can fit in their mouths!

[nickymills30]

glad he seems better.

i;ve got to be honest, when i first had my goo's i never used saw dust, and only used hay, then someone on her said degutopia said as long as its dust extracted, it would be fine, so i started to use it, but will def be going back to good old hay xxx

oh, and well done on the job front xxx

[amie]

Thanks Nicky

I won't be using hay as a permanent solutions as I'm too worried about them eating hay they've peed on, even though I'll be giving them different kinds of fresh hay everyday in there dangly hay ball, lol. I'll just use it til I can afford fincard. With the older ones, because I have to make their bedding so deep because of the rusty bottom of their cage, I'll have to use 6" of sawdust and then top it off with hay.

Yeah, Stefan is great. I just feel bad for them that I can't afford a snugglesafe yet. I'll have to get inventive with ways to keep them warm! x

[deguconvert]

So glad he isn't sneezing anymore!! The long grain brown rice should be great, and if they do manage to break into the sock and eat some, it won't hurt them. That will be nice for them to snuggle up to. Loo roll is great for them to make bedding with, so if you can afford some really cheap stuff, the goos will use it to help make a great nest with. I've also heard of someone who had several mismatched old socks and they cut them into strips and put them in the cage, which also lent great insulating value for nesting and such.

[amie]

I already use cheap toilet roll for their bedding. I just rip it up into sheets and put it near their house and they do as they will. Sfefan is quite the nester as I learned last night! I put LOTS extra in for them and he started gathering it up (funny watching a tiny Degu does this) and taking it upstairs to his cuddle cup! lol. The cuddle cup (like a mini version of a soft dog/cat bed) is more for summer sleeping as it offers nothing warm really, it's just cute. But none the less, he now has quite the nest in his cuddle cup! If the femanine decorating carries on, I might start painting his nails soon lol, kidding.

As for the rice sock, I have no doubt they'll try to eat some. I just hope they stop after a little because they don't like the taste. Wouldn't want them to chow down on the whole lot! lol.

[smux]

Although wood shavings are listed as "dust extracted" they can't be held responsible for anything that happens between the factory and the shop or the shop and when you get it home, and a lot of that dust is probably (although I'm not making excuses for them, just giving a possible reason) from since it came out of the factory. I would use a thin layer of wood shavings (notice I haven't used the word "sawdust" once yet? Wood shavings are different to sawdust :-P ) that have been sieved and put hay on top, or just use hay. In the girlie's cage I have no wood shavings at all as they like to dig around in the bottom of the cage and it goes everywhere :-)

[Whizz]

I'm glad his breathing has cleared up.
For my bedding I used FinaCard, Carefresh (it's so bloody expensive though!! so I don't use much). I heard that sawdust can make them weezer, so I use it as the bottom layer of bedding, then mix the carefresh and FinaCard in together on top. (Although my boys love to dig and bundle through fresh Sawdust, I don;t want them getting any breathing troubles from it).