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Post by londonferrets on Sept 20, 2005 18:37:45 GMT
hello everybody, I am new to this site and new to the world of Degus (as in haven't got any myself yet) although I am looking around to get some.
I was wondering if Degus particularly smell or let of any scent that is particulary startling. The Degus I checked out were OK, but I was not with them for that long to know on the long term. My dad is very picky about smelly animals , especially after having 2 ferrets ;D
thanks guys, will probably have more questions pretty soon!
louise
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Post by diet otaku on Sept 20, 2005 18:41:38 GMT
they are definitely not as smelly as ferrets. degus don't have a scent on their bodies, per se, but when it gets close to time to clean the cage, you can smell a general "animal waste" smell... but that just comes with the territory of owning any animal. i'd say they're no smellier than hamsters, cats or dogs.
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Post by Sunshinemeg on Sept 20, 2005 18:47:22 GMT
Degus are generally very clean animals. They need sand baths with easy access to keep their fur clean, and they certainly dont like to smell. But yes, as with any animal they have been using the bottom level of their cage as a toilet, and so it will naturally smell. You can reduce the smell by using a substrate designed to reduce smell, eg carefresh (look on bedding page of main website and there is a pic) I have also recently found a product comprising of small white pellets that are scattered around the cage. They are odourless but absorb other odours, and lock the smell away. I will put a link up when I have photographed the packet!!
But if you have kept Ferrets, then anything smells better!! so degus could never be considered a problem!
meg ;D
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Post by londonferrets on Sept 20, 2005 18:52:08 GMT
lol, thanks, that's taken a ton of my back  also, how often do you guys clean out the cage for the poo and stuff? I was thinking of doing it like twice a day, but I don't know how often it should be done... like more or less, etc. |
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Post by Sunshinemeg on Sept 20, 2005 18:54:26 GMT
I have a chinchilla cage and spread the floor with carefresh bedding. They also have a covered sand bath with a doorway for access. Four degus occupy this cage, and I clean it out every weekend.
meg ;D
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Post by ra on Sept 20, 2005 19:43:41 GMT
I too use CareFresh bedding. I have two female Degus in a "condominium" of two chinchilla cages stacked vertically.
I was cleaning every weekend and found I was throwing out a lot of clean bedding so stretched that to 10 days to 2 weeks. Some weeks I find I need to change the bedding and wash the shelves at 10days and other times it can go a little longer.
I've found by sweeping their dried droppings off of the shelves and wiping up any puddles with white vinegar I can keep their enviroment nearly odor free until the build up of urine in the bedding reaches about the 10day to 2 week period.
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rie73
Foraging Degu
Posts: 85
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Post by rie73 on Sept 20, 2005 20:30:24 GMT
My degus are smelly! I clean them out twice a week (both male). They seem to wee on the wood a lot!!!
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Post by londonferrets on Sept 20, 2005 20:32:17 GMT
wow, so I guess that isn't too bad then |
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Post by diet otaku on Sept 21, 2005 0:22:32 GMT
i try to clean my degu's cage once a week, because they poo a lot while running on the wheel. but if i'm busy, and i have to wait 2 weeks, they're none the worse for wear. the bedding is just a little dingier is all.
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Post by Aimeelou on Sept 25, 2005 11:56:19 GMT
My boy Taco tends to spray alot, because he has 5 ladies around him, but like i said to him, spraying my walls dosnt help me.
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