Some beginner questions.

[Deleted]

First of all I want to say how brilliant this forum is. Although the responses I get aren't always instant they are always full of useful information that help so much. Anyway here are my questions:

1. Is there an age where you can't tame a Degu? Can one get to old you can't tame them anymore or they won't get used to you?

2. If you have an alarm every morning, will degus eventually get used to the sound or are they a bad idea?

3. Whats a good time to feed your degus and let them out to play?

4. How necessary is a playpen, can the toys just be kept in the cage and them just let out to explore?

5. How do you tell degus off if they do something naughty?

Okay those are my current questions, it just saves me making 5 different threads. Thanks

[cherrysparkey]

Not sure about the first two questions, they might squeak back at the alarm clock and help you wake up lol.

3. I feed ours when I put them away to encourage them to go in, plus i cant open the door without one of them coming out to play. I think you can feed them whenever but probably best to have a bit of a routine, so similar time of day.
I've got a joint living room so one is theirs and one is ours and we can see most of their room from the sofa. So if someone is home they generally stay out all day and we go in and sit in with them if we are doing something they cant destroy (most of our books have been nibbled )

4. Its up to you if you make a playpen, it probably depends if you can make the room you want to get them out in safe. In our goos room they just have their cage and a futon sofa, all the wires are behind a mesh door thing so they can't do too much damage. Their toys and stuff normally stay on the floor (they decide if they want any of their toys and other stuff in the cage lol)

5. If they do something bad like chew something they aren't meant to, you can make a squeak as a sort of warning. (I normally whistle but it doesn't always work ) I think you can use a spray water bottle set on the lightest setting and make sure you don't soak them/dry them off after. I tend to tell them off then give them a stick they are allowed to chew to distract them and help the grind their teeth down

[Deleted]

Thanks cherrysparkey, especially for the punishing bit - that one really confused me. I think I will definitely follow your advice on question three that really helped

Thanks again, your awesome

[Karma]

1. All animals will improve on tamness so no there isn't an age that they won't get use to you, however not all degus like to be handled. Younger animals are always easier to train/tame so the older they are the more patience and time it will take.

2. yes they will get use to an alarm. Mine know the drill (they are in my bedroom with me), music comes on at 7am, grumble and smack it goes away - degus still sleeping/hanging out, music comes on at 7:30am - ITS PLAYTIME! - I don't normally get up for another 10 mins or so but the radio stays on. I leave the music to play for the hour or so it automatically does and I've noticed that once the music stops playing (normally ~15 mins after everyone leaves on a typical day) the degus go back down for a nap! The cheeky little ones. The buzzer may take longer for them to get use too but they learn routines very well.

3. My guys have food out all the time (pellets) but get a couple of snack times through out the day and they each get some degu nature before bed and after our playtime. I normally play with them at least 15-20 mins before bed (only time that is consistent day to day). Playtime in the bathroom is very sprodiac depending what is going on that week - sometimes it's 3 times a week, sometimes only once every 2 weeks.

4. I take mine and their toys into the bathroom to play so it's easy to clean up. I bring their favourite toys at that time plus some toys i keep for bathroom play only.

5. mine response well to a deep voice that is slightly raised in volume - the same way I use for my cat and other animals. Works most of the time. They especially know the command - it's bedtime, go to sleep!

[Deleted]

Thanks Karma, I love seeing how two different owners treat they're degus and how they both work. Shows how clever and versatile these little creatures are. I'm liking your answer to 5 Karma, simple and effective. I hope that'll work for me

[moletteuk]

Some great answers there already I'll just add that they don't need an actual playpen with toys, but they need out of cage time of some sort regularly, and it's much less stressful if you have a safe place/ room/ area for them. Things like feeding time and playtime can be arranged to suit your personal circumstances. I tell mine off by saying "NO!" very sharply and a short blow of air in the face, if necessary.

[Deleted]

Thanks molette.
Another question which I have heard a lot but never seen a definite answer - Should the sandbath be kept in the degu cage?
Thanks

[deguconvert]

That's a totally flexible item, some owners leave it in all the time, and other owners don't. There really isn't a problem either way, and seems to depend mostly on whether or not the degus begin to have dry skin as a result of over use of the sand bath, and how the ower feels about having it in the cage. Degus love having it there, but it can often become a bit of a toilet rather than a bath.

[Deleted]

I heard about it becoming a toilet. Naughty degus! I think I'll probably leave it in the cage for an hour or so each morning and if they didn't use it then they should have been quicker! Actually maybe I should put it in an hour before bedtime like when children have their baths. See if it will calm them down before bed.

[stargirlj]

My boys don't have a playpen I just block off the half of my room with the wires in it and let them run in & out of their cage. The only toys they ever find interesting out of their cage is the wheel & sand. As for stopping them chewing walls and things, well mine are to far gone to worry. They love eating wallpaper so my rooms tatty in one half at Degu height lol.

Generally they keep they're sand most of the time but wheel gets removed at night. As soon as wheel is removed they know it's bed time and they settle down. Occasionally they play up and I just tell them off by saying stop it in a firm way. Like speaking to a toddler lol.

As for feeding, they like all the animals in my house have food all the time because I have no set work hours it changed from week to week. I usually feed them at night but if I notice earlier on that there howl is empty/low I'll fill if up. Occasionally I have been a bad owner & they've had no food for a hour or so but doesn't do them any harm.

[Deleted]

Thank you