Post by jessicatxoxo on Sept 24, 2014 21:46:01 GMT
Hello all!
I could really use some input/opinions on my degu cages.
I'd like to explain a little bit about my situation as hopefully it will help explain why I have done things in a certain way. So I'll try to make it short, but if you could be patient...and try to stay awake long enough to finish reading - i'd be really grateful!
My life was once much easier - a time with only 2 lovely degu's! My boyfriend and I bought brothers and everything was fine and dandy. Unfortunately though, after a year - one of those little brothers died (in quite a horrible manner
. ) I was devastated. but I'm sure you all know that degu's shouldn't be kept alone - so we went to buy some more before little Squeak became too lonely.
I'm a sucker for these cuteys - so when I saw a little family of four, I couldn't help myself. They all got along great and with a few cage adjustments, it looked like Squeak was back to being cuddled up at night again. Unfortunately, it took us a week to realize why they were getting along so well. They were actually four little girls. Squeak's Christmas came early!
I couldn't handle taking them back - although pets at home were very apologetic. We were left with our original problem with a lonely (although slightly happier) bachelor and we had to -again- go and get him some company!
I probably should have learnt my lesson, but by this point we had already accepted that we were buying more than we had ever planned. So when we saw another little happy family of four boys (for sure this time), we took them home.
These one's didn't get along with Squeak quite as well as the ladies (for obvious reasons). And it took us a long, long time to figure out a layout that worked well. We moved the bigger girls cage across the room to give the boys some space away from all the lady smells, and put up a divider in a big cage made for the 5 boys. We had to separate them into 3 and 2 - close enough for the smell's to still linger (in hope that they would get along eventually), but far enough away that they didn't hurt each other. A year on and they all seem pretty happy with the set up still
I often find myself worrying that I haven't done enough for them, or that their cages aren't good enough. 9 degu's is way more than I ever planned to have, and is honestly more work than I would like. But it is what it is, and I love them all to bits. That being said, it would mean a lot to me to get some feedback on what I've done with their cages. I really want to make sure that they are good enough. It would just be really helpful to get some feedback or advice on ways to improve as i'm always looking for something I could do/buy to better them.![]()
I've included a bit of a breakdown of the item's in their cages and some links to where I have bought some things (just in case you find anything you like for your little goo's!)
The Boys
Two cages purchased from amazon (www.amazon.co.uk/Ferrt-cage-Grey-three-metal/dp/B003AOY56S/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411593775&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=degu+cagers). We removed one side and linked the cages together. Mesh wire put up in the middle to separate the groups and give them equal sized cages. Nearly everything that's hooked onto the cage is done so with a key-ring hook
All the black and pink circles are ledges either bought on ebay (brill for purchasing bundles) or pets at home.
(1 & 18) Wooden pet corner house - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/large_cabings_smallpets/corner_houses/36373
(2 & 20) Wooden exercise wheel 29cm x 10cm - personally one of the best wheel's we've bought. They chew through other wooden wheel's very quickly and the plastic one's just don't last long enough for an excitable degu! - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/exercise_wheels/254367
(3) Natural branch - sanded down and boiled to remove any bug's or nasty things living inside.
(4) Cardboard tubing - like a poster case. Really useful for degu's as they can be quite long and they love to chew them up. They're quite thick as well which means it takes them a while to do so.
(5 & 16) Wicker bridge - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/tunnels/tunnels/227525 (can buy in pets at home)
(6) Natural branch - this one had a screw in it so it could be attached to the cage. It was a bit shaky so we hooked it up with a little football key chain (bought in pets at home). Good for chewing
(7) Homemade hammock - Just a piece of felt like material cut into the corners to tie on the cage. Small hay mattress lining it to make it a bit more comfy!
(8 & 13) Another homemade hammock - Literally bought a hanging basket from home bargains (a pound!) Put hay inside and voila!
(9) Large wicker bridge - This doubles as a separator between the cages and a chew toy! (Pets at home)
(10) Should have been marked as a ledge.
(11 & 12) Coconut chew toy (pets at home).
(14) Tunnel - Think it's made or lined with calcium for them to chew on. Nice and thick and sturdy so will take a lot for them to chew through it. (Pets at home).
(15) Swing - Basically a wicker bridge with chains bolted into the corners to use as a swing (ebay).
(17) Rope cargo swing (These can be bought anywhere online. Pets at home also sell them).
(19) Calcium stick branch (Pets at home).
(21) Wheel - Standard wheel from pets at home. Came with original cages. Not the best but it does work better than others we have tried.
The girls
The lower cage is the original standard degu cage (part of pets at home bundle) that was part of the package we bought when purchasing our first degu's. We cut a hole on the top, left, front corner of it, and bought some mesh to make the top cage. We put some small metal ledges halfway up the cage and put perspex along it so that we could add another ledge. It's not great but it does the trick (we aren't particularly the best at making things like this
)
All the black and pink circles are ledges either bought on ebay (brill for purchasing bundles) or pets at home.
(1) This was once the tunnels that are sold at pets at home. Was covered in herbs and yummy treats but they stripped it bare! I had an old plastic necklace that i used to hook it up.
(2) Wicker bridge - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/tunnels/tunnels/227525 (can buy in pets at home)
(3) Multi-colored bridge - an adjustable hooked bridge that can attach to the side of the cage. Was purchased as a bundle with several ledges on ebay.
(4) Wooden pet corner house - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/large_cabings_smallpets/corner_houses/36373
(5) Small nest box (from pets at home).
(6) Cargo net - can be bought in loads of places online and pets at home do a something very similar.
(7) Ledge bridge - bought in a bundle again, really nice different touch to the cage (ebay).
(8) Hammock - my first go at a hammock. Was actually a fruit bowl and some chain bought from b&q! Lined with a hay mattress (pets at home).
(9) Wooden exercise wheel 29cm x 10cm - personally one of the best wheel's we've bought. They chew through other wooden wheel's very quickly and the plastic one's just don't last long enough for an excitable degu! - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/exercise_wheels/254367. I have ordered them another one - they just finished chewing through their old wooden wheel.
(10) Cardboard tubing - like a poster case. Really useful for degu's as they can be quite long and they love to chew them up. They're quite thick as well which means it takes them a while to do so.
Please. if you have any improvement ideas that I can make - it would be awesome!
I could really use some input/opinions on my degu cages.
I'd like to explain a little bit about my situation as hopefully it will help explain why I have done things in a certain way. So I'll try to make it short, but if you could be patient...and try to stay awake long enough to finish reading - i'd be really grateful!
My life was once much easier - a time with only 2 lovely degu's! My boyfriend and I bought brothers and everything was fine and dandy. Unfortunately though, after a year - one of those little brothers died (in quite a horrible manner
. ) I was devastated. but I'm sure you all know that degu's shouldn't be kept alone - so we went to buy some more before little Squeak became too lonely. I'm a sucker for these cuteys - so when I saw a little family of four, I couldn't help myself. They all got along great and with a few cage adjustments, it looked like Squeak was back to being cuddled up at night again. Unfortunately, it took us a week to realize why they were getting along so well. They were actually four little girls. Squeak's Christmas came early!
I couldn't handle taking them back - although pets at home were very apologetic. We were left with our original problem with a lonely (although slightly happier) bachelor and we had to -again- go and get him some company!
I probably should have learnt my lesson, but by this point we had already accepted that we were buying more than we had ever planned. So when we saw another little happy family of four boys (for sure this time), we took them home.
These one's didn't get along with Squeak quite as well as the ladies (for obvious reasons). And it took us a long, long time to figure out a layout that worked well. We moved the bigger girls cage across the room to give the boys some space away from all the lady smells, and put up a divider in a big cage made for the 5 boys. We had to separate them into 3 and 2 - close enough for the smell's to still linger (in hope that they would get along eventually), but far enough away that they didn't hurt each other. A year on and they all seem pretty happy with the set up still
I often find myself worrying that I haven't done enough for them, or that their cages aren't good enough. 9 degu's is way more than I ever planned to have, and is honestly more work than I would like. But it is what it is, and I love them all to bits. That being said, it would mean a lot to me to get some feedback on what I've done with their cages. I really want to make sure that they are good enough. It would just be really helpful to get some feedback or advice on ways to improve as i'm always looking for something I could do/buy to better them.
The Boys
Two cages purchased from amazon (www.amazon.co.uk/Ferrt-cage-Grey-three-metal/dp/B003AOY56S/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411593775&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=degu+cagers). We removed one side and linked the cages together. Mesh wire put up in the middle to separate the groups and give them equal sized cages. Nearly everything that's hooked onto the cage is done so with a key-ring hook
All the black and pink circles are ledges either bought on ebay (brill for purchasing bundles) or pets at home.
(1 & 18) Wooden pet corner house - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/large_cabings_smallpets/corner_houses/36373
(2 & 20) Wooden exercise wheel 29cm x 10cm - personally one of the best wheel's we've bought. They chew through other wooden wheel's very quickly and the plastic one's just don't last long enough for an excitable degu! - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/exercise_wheels/254367
(3) Natural branch - sanded down and boiled to remove any bug's or nasty things living inside.
(4) Cardboard tubing - like a poster case. Really useful for degu's as they can be quite long and they love to chew them up. They're quite thick as well which means it takes them a while to do so.
(5 & 16) Wicker bridge - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/tunnels/tunnels/227525 (can buy in pets at home)
(6) Natural branch - this one had a screw in it so it could be attached to the cage. It was a bit shaky so we hooked it up with a little football key chain (bought in pets at home). Good for chewing
(7) Homemade hammock - Just a piece of felt like material cut into the corners to tie on the cage. Small hay mattress lining it to make it a bit more comfy!
(8 & 13) Another homemade hammock - Literally bought a hanging basket from home bargains (a pound!) Put hay inside and voila!
(9) Large wicker bridge - This doubles as a separator between the cages and a chew toy! (Pets at home)
(10) Should have been marked as a ledge.
(11 & 12) Coconut chew toy (pets at home).
(14) Tunnel - Think it's made or lined with calcium for them to chew on. Nice and thick and sturdy so will take a lot for them to chew through it. (Pets at home).
(15) Swing - Basically a wicker bridge with chains bolted into the corners to use as a swing (ebay).
(17) Rope cargo swing (These can be bought anywhere online. Pets at home also sell them).
(19) Calcium stick branch (Pets at home).
(21) Wheel - Standard wheel from pets at home. Came with original cages. Not the best but it does work better than others we have tried.
The girls
The lower cage is the original standard degu cage (part of pets at home bundle) that was part of the package we bought when purchasing our first degu's. We cut a hole on the top, left, front corner of it, and bought some mesh to make the top cage. We put some small metal ledges halfway up the cage and put perspex along it so that we could add another ledge. It's not great but it does the trick (we aren't particularly the best at making things like this
) All the black and pink circles are ledges either bought on ebay (brill for purchasing bundles) or pets at home.
(1) This was once the tunnels that are sold at pets at home. Was covered in herbs and yummy treats but they stripped it bare! I had an old plastic necklace that i used to hook it up.
(2) Wicker bridge - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/tunnels/tunnels/227525 (can buy in pets at home)
(3) Multi-colored bridge - an adjustable hooked bridge that can attach to the side of the cage. Was purchased as a bundle with several ledges on ebay.
(4) Wooden pet corner house - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/large_cabings_smallpets/corner_houses/36373
(5) Small nest box (from pets at home).
(6) Cargo net - can be bought in loads of places online and pets at home do a something very similar.
(7) Ledge bridge - bought in a bundle again, really nice different touch to the cage (ebay).
(8) Hammock - my first go at a hammock. Was actually a fruit bowl and some chain bought from b&q! Lined with a hay mattress (pets at home).
(9) Wooden exercise wheel 29cm x 10cm - personally one of the best wheel's we've bought. They chew through other wooden wheel's very quickly and the plastic one's just don't last long enough for an excitable degu! - www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/accessories/exercise_wheels/254367. I have ordered them another one - they just finished chewing through their old wooden wheel.
(10) Cardboard tubing - like a poster case. Really useful for degu's as they can be quite long and they love to chew them up. They're quite thick as well which means it takes them a while to do so.
Please. if you have any improvement ideas that I can make - it would be awesome!
