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newbie
Sept 4, 2012 6:41:12 GMT
Post by cookiemistress on Sept 4, 2012 6:41:12 GMT
Ive recently lost my pet rat and my partner has said he'd love to look into getting degus so here i am I am wondering if they are escape artists? The cage we have for them has one corner that's broken off, not enough for them to get out but they could chew it.
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newbie
Sept 4, 2012 7:49:58 GMT
Post by ntg on Sept 4, 2012 7:49:58 GMT
Is it wire or plastic that is broken and how big is the gap because I've seen them squeeze through some surprisingly small gaps. Ours will try and get out at any opportunity, we are getting better at stopping them though Another questiom is how big is the cage? I'd suggest looking at the cages and housing thread to see if it is suitable first
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newbie
Sept 4, 2012 7:58:19 GMT
Post by cookiemistress on Sept 4, 2012 7:58:19 GMT
Plastic base, its the savic chi chi cage but looking on here more it doesnt look big enough even if other sources say it is
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newbie
Sept 4, 2012 8:17:40 GMT
Post by ntg on Sept 4, 2012 8:17:40 GMT
That's very likely to get chewed then, and depending on the goo it wouldn't take long for it to be big enough to squeeze out. They do require a lot of space compared to rats though, the most suitable cage you can buy is the Liberta Explorer/Xtrail/Critter Nation which you might be able to find for a good price on Ebay/Gumtree and the likes.
Edit: spelling
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newbie
Sept 4, 2012 8:50:14 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2012 8:50:14 GMT
Degus will chew through that overnight, honestly. They are little escape artists and they love to chew, if they see that hole they will see it as a challenge! As newtogoos said, Degus do need a lot of space as they love to run around. Just a warning, the ones from P@H are too small, they could maybe fit 1 or 2 but they won't be very happy degus! I definitely agree the the Explorer/Xtrail cage is brilliant! I'm getting it soon but all the reviews say its really good and seems to be constantly recommended on here. Be warned that degus are a longer term commitment than rats and have a very specific diet and needs. They are great to have though!
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newbie
Sept 4, 2012 9:06:39 GMT
Post by ntg on Sept 4, 2012 9:06:39 GMT
I think the diet is bigged up as being harder than it actually is to live with. I wouldn't let the long list put you off, once you have them just use the site before buying herb mixes etc to see what people have said about them in the past. Just remember not to feed them sugary or fatty foods regularly (a nut every once in a while isn't going to hurt them, just keep them shelled for their entertainment). I'm still learning a lot but it's certainly getting easier to tell what's good for them and if I'm unsure it's normally been covered on here somewhere.
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newbie
Sept 4, 2012 11:15:08 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2012 11:15:08 GMT
I think that you just have to be careful with what you give them. There is a lot of area to go wrong, so many things that they can't eat. Once you know what they can and can't have its pretty straight forward. They like dandelions, keep that in mind!
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newbie
Sept 4, 2012 15:30:46 GMT
Post by moletteuk on Sept 4, 2012 15:30:46 GMT
Absolutely, they are escape artists, very keen chewers, and they need a big cage with no plastic. Cage size for 2 degus is 12500 square cm of floor area, which is two and a half shelves at 100cm by 50cm. They make great, fun pets though
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newbie
Sept 4, 2012 20:19:53 GMT
Post by Lrak on Sept 4, 2012 20:19:53 GMT
Hey and welcome tp the forum
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newbie
Sept 5, 2012 3:52:13 GMT
Post by deguconvert on Sept 5, 2012 3:52:13 GMT
Hi there, Cookiemistress (love your user name!!) and welcome to the forum!! Degus are great! The learning curve for them can be rather daunting at first, but once you begin to catch on, and find yourself swooning for those big black eyes, you'll be SO glad you got them!!
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newbie
Sept 5, 2012 6:08:30 GMT
Post by cookiemistress on Sept 5, 2012 6:08:30 GMT
I've seen them when i was shopping for supplies for my furry and think they do look veery cute, sizeable to
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newbie
Sept 5, 2012 15:54:35 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2012 15:54:35 GMT
They are very very cute but you'd be surprised how big some can get!
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newbie
Sept 5, 2012 15:56:49 GMT
Post by ntg on Sept 5, 2012 15:56:49 GMT
Considering she's had rats I think cookiemistress will find adult goos small somehow
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newbie
Sept 5, 2012 16:09:07 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2012 16:09:07 GMT
Haha. I guess so but the ones you see in most pet shops are young
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