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Post by posieposie on Jul 9, 2012 14:27:12 GMT
hi all!
we've had our 2 lovely degu boys (Hammy and Nibbles) for a month now and they are starting to come out of their cage into their playpen, however as many of you have probably experienced, they are trying to chew the wood on the pen (a rabbit run thats mostly mesh wired!).
Where can i get degu safe logs and branches to put into thier pen to keep them occupied? i have chew tubes and other tunnels and toys but i think wood would make their day!! I dont have apple trees or anything in my garden unfortunately!
I've seen branches made from java wood(?) that can attach onto wire cages, is this safe?
thanks for you help!!!
Rose
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Post by moletteuk on Jul 9, 2012 18:16:07 GMT
Welcome to the forum!  I think the best way is to ask around, friends, family, neighbours, freecycle, freeboot, local ads anything like that. Have you seen our safe wood list? It's pretty comprehensive, although it doesn't include java wood, I'm not sure about that, is it one of the hardwood log types you can buy for reptiles? Or you could take a bus or car to 'the country' and take a little pruning saw with you or wander about until you find a suitable branch lying about! If you can't find any fresh wood, you could always buy some pine or softwood from a diy shop. TBH they might still chew the wood on the playpen, it might be handy to stick on a replaceable layer of wood onto to the bit they chew the most, if that makes any sense. |
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Post by posieposie on Jul 9, 2012 20:27:07 GMT
Thanks for the reply! think we'll start asking around for wood! I'm sure there are lots of people with apple trees in their gardens! the Java wood is for parrot perches, but looks like it'd be great for the little monkeys if it was suitable wood. I have seen bamboo root also, i know bamboo is safe but not sure the difference of that and bamboo root?! Our 2 are now coming out of the cage on our hands - i think thats pretty good going for young degus having only known us a month! they dont stay still yet though and have a facination with running up my other half's front and down his back! very comical to watch! So glad i found this forum, so much useful info!!! |
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Post by moletteuk on Jul 9, 2012 20:38:31 GMT
Yes, ask around, fresh wood creates the most interest because they often like to strip the bark and eat the leaves. There are lots of common trees in the UK that are degu safe, so you have a good chance of finding some It's great they are starting to trust you and be friendly. It works well to relax your expectations and give them freedom to be friendly in ways they are comfortable. Lying or sitting with them while they explore you is fantastic, as you are finding They often don't ever get comfortable with being held or sitting still or being stroked, but might surprise you with suddenly snuggling up your top for a nap one day! It's all about patience and bribery with the right treats lol! ;D ...I just looked up java wood and found an old reference to one person saying it's OK and also a chinchilla specialist shop selling java wood as safe for chins, degus, sugar gliders etc. It's probably safe, but I couldn't say for sure. |
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Post by posieposie on Jul 9, 2012 21:05:36 GMT
Hammy will actually snuggle into the bend in my elbow if he's in snoozey mode - however it does only last for about a minute before he starts his running around again! Nibbles isn't quite so confident, its taken him longer to get used to us but now he's not bad - sometimes he's not interested and just goes mooching around the cage! however when he is out he is ok and happy to run all over us! I found that leaving him in the cage whilst i fiddled around with his food and toys got him used to me a little more - he'd come and have a nose and run over my hand whislt cleaning out the poop(!), then straight back to the wheel!! Another point actually - Hammy is starting to get a lot bigger than Nibbles, is that pretty normal for them to differ in size? they are just under 6 months old. Was concerned Hammy was eating all the food, but watching them Nibbs gets his fair share too! Sorry for the questions! We're still new to them so its great to get some advice and make sure were doing ok with them! |
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Post by deguconvert on Jul 10, 2012 0:29:42 GMT
Hello, Posieposie, and welcome to the forum!! You question is already answered, so no need for me to repeat anything. Sounds like you are getting to know your degus, and they you! Well done!
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Post by moletteuk on Jul 10, 2012 10:19:39 GMT
They sound really sweet It is normal for them to differ in size....but it would be a good idea to double check you have a same sex pair to rule out pregnancy. There's a link at the top of the beginners board with some photos to help. Let us know if you need any more help getting a look at their 'bits'. |
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Post by posieposie on Jul 10, 2012 17:37:34 GMT
i'm pretty certain they are both boys - their 'bits' seem the same (they like to climb the cage so pretty easy to see - particullary when they climb behing their wheel!).
Hammy does eat more hay than nibbles so might just be bigger appetite for bigger Degu!?
thanks for all your help! the thread has slightly diverted from the original question tho! sorry guys!
Rose
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Post by deguconvert on Jul 10, 2012 19:37:09 GMT
Male and female degus both have what looks like a willy . . . the significant difference is the distance between willy (urethral cone) and the anus. Girls have nearly no distance at all, but boys have a distance about the same width of top of your pinky finger. If drawn for illustration, the girls bits will resemble a figure 8, and the boys will more resemble a barbell from weight lifting. If both of your degus bits look like barbells, HOORAY!! You definitely do have two males!
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Post by ntg on Aug 23, 2012 20:05:16 GMT
Because it's in the same vein I didn't want to make a similar thread.
Has anyone ever used Exo Terra's Forest Branch? It says on the Exo Terra website that it's heat-treated and sandblasted grape-vine?
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Post by Karma on Aug 23, 2012 23:15:02 GMT
I don't have the exo terra branches specific but the fluker's iguana branch (cause its nice and big!). It is the same thing though - grape vine and the degus love it. I use it as a ladder to levels and they go through periods where they try to destroy it but haven't even made a dent. It is the branch my degu is sitting on in my avatar picture thing. |
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Post by ntg on Aug 23, 2012 23:57:46 GMT
Cool, I thought it would be fine because I've seen grape vine on other safe-wood lists but I figured it was safer to do a double check |
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Post by pixierodentrescue on Aug 25, 2012 18:11:41 GMT
If the woods been lying on the ground do you need to do anything to make it goo safe first?
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Post by ntg on Aug 26, 2012 0:41:22 GMT
From what I've read you need to clean it and stick it in an oven for a bit, but you know I'm no expert... So I found this: deguworld.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Cage&action=display&thread=9427Edit: Forgot to say, I'd probably also keep it out a few days to check for termites etc. after we had that problem with a wood branch for the dart frogs, but that's just me! (Tell-tale sign is small shavings of wood coming off it) |
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