Itchy Degu's

[northernstar40]

hello everone!! Im not sure if I should be concerned or not. But my guys seem to itch an awful lot. Forever scratching some part of there bodies. Think it is reason for concern? What would you consider excessive?

Thanks all!

Peg

[taz13]

They need a dust bath. My guys get itchy like that too.

So, I put their dust bath and they go nuts. Sometimes I have to put their tub in every other day and sometimes not for a week. It depends on what they are doing.

I have noticed that, when they are out of their cage alot, they like to bath after their outings, especially when they are running loose in our living room.

Later
Cheryl

[ra]

Interesting, I wondered about Virgil because he too scratches all over. I believe if he had anything like lice or fleas they would come out and crawl on my hands while I am holding him. Have never seen any evidence of vermine. I look closely as I part his hair when I am giving him a good scratch.

I saw I believe on Degutopia where you could give your Degu a drop or two of Evening Primrose Oil on their food to sooth dry skin and promote a glossy coat.

Plan on getting some from the Health Food Store.

[northernstar40]

I'm sure is not a dust bath issue. I give dust baths every other day. Havent seen any little pest on them either. I might just try the primrose oil. thanks!
Peg

[ra]

northernstar I went to Degutopia to see the dosage of the evening primrose oil. It said to give your degus a couple of drops in their feeding once a month to maintain a healthy, glossy coat and good skin condition.

[northernstar40]

Thanks Ra!! I think thats what I am going to try. maybe there skin is just dry/ I know that I get dry and itchy more in the winter than any other time. Again thanks for all your help.

Peg

[Heddy]

Hello Northernstar,

ours kept itching, when we had a fairly dusty litter.

If the Evening Primerose does not help I recommend to get the degus to a vet. They could have caught a fungal infection or parasites (for example flee can come with the hay). In those cases you need a doctor to diagnose it and subscribe an appropriate treatment.

I hope the oil is suffiecient! - Fingers crossed!-

[Sunshinemeg]

taz13 said:

I have noticed that, when they are out of their cage alot, they like to bath after their outings, especially when they are running loose in our living room.

the need to use the dust bath after being out of the cage is related to the wild degu where they need to smell the same when entering a territory.

Your degus bathe in the bath because they are entering a territory. Even though its their own territory, they still have to smell right to be in it!!

SUNSHINEMEG ;D

[ra]

Just wanted to let everyone know I was able to find softgel capsules of Evening Primrose Oil at the local drug store i the vitamin isle. Just poke a hole in the gelcap and sweeze a few drops onto your Degus pellets. Virgil seemed to like the taste.

[northernstar40]

Hi Ra, I to bought the primrose iol at our local
Wal-mart. they dont seem to like it much but I put in on chex cereal and they eat it ok. But what I want to know is where on that we site did you find any info.? Im having a hard time finding it. And I thought you said in the eve, to give them some, so I have been doing it daily. oops. lol I will stop for a while. but so far so good they dont itch nearly as much.

Peggy

[Willow]

I tried the evening primrose oil but mine weren't impressed and the itching didn't stop so we went to the vet. By coincidence he's an exotic species specialist and knew loads about degus. He reckoned it was the early stages of a mite infection and treated them accordingly. We're halfway through the treatment and they're definetly not so itchy. We also had to remove all hay and woodshavings as bedding so they're now on paper, woodbased cat litter and shredded paper. It seems to work just as well and there's no smell issues which I was worried about so I think I'm going to stick with it, they still get their Alfalfa for roughage and have access to a dust bath at all times.
I had a good look at all the mite info in the surgery and they're so small its unlikely you'd ever actually see them, if you can it means you've got a serious infestation which isn't good.

[Sunshinemeg]

I have been watching this thread, but cant really have much of an input, as I have never experienced "itchy degus" hehe, one thing that may help, my degus have ALWAYS had continual access to a chinchilla sand bath. They are frequently using it, and have never had any problems with excess itching. Could this be related?

SUNSHINEMEG ;D

[Willow]

I don't know, mine have always had access to a dust bath but only seem to use it when they've been out of the cage for a while. I tried changing every day in case that was the issue but it didn't seem to matter. I also wondered if they were a bit allergic to the shavings or hay but they've had that since I got them so I guess its not that either. Anyway the itching seems to have stopped so the mite treatment looks like it worked.

[diet otaku]

mine always have their dust bath nearby but will still scratch themselves randomly as they scurry around the cage. i just figured it's a rodent thing - seems like every rodent i see scratches itself fairly regularly.